Long Tall Sally
Clothing retailer specializing in tall women's fashion.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Long Tall Sally is a specialist fashion retailer and brand focused on clothing and footwear for tall women. The business was established in London in 1976 and developed its proposition around garments proportioned for longer bodies rather than simply extending standard-size patterns. Its product adjustments included longer torso lengths, increased trouser rises and repositioned blouse darts, addressing fit issues that are often not solved by adding length alone. The original retail concept therefore combined extended sizing with pattern engineering intended for taller customers. The first Long Tall Sally store opened on Chiltern Street in London’s West End in 1976. The company subsequently operated physical stores, catalogue sales and online commerce, and sold products under several labels, including its own LTS label. Its assortment covered women’s apparel and shoes, with ranges designed around the needs of tall customers. Typical products included trousers and jeans with longer inseams, dresses and skirts with adjusted proportions, tops and blouses with longer bodies and sleeves, outerwear, knitwear, occasionwear and footwear in extended sizes. Long Tall Sally expanded beyond the United Kingdom during the 2000s. In 2008 it began marketing to North American customers through catalogues and the web. In 2009 it acquired the Canadian assets and trade of Tall Girl, a transaction associated with nine stores across Canada and the United States. The business later absorbed or took over other tall-fashion operations, including the German business Long Fashion, the United States retailer Long Elegant Legs and the United States footwear business Bare Foot Tess. By 2012, the retailer had a presence in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Germany, while continuing to use catalogue and direct-to-consumer channels. The company moved toward a predominantly digital model as physical retail became less central to its operation. In 2018 Long Tall Sally became an online-only retailer, ending its own store-based format while continuing to serve customers through its website and other retail channels. This shift allowed the brand to maintain a specialist assortment without the fixed costs of a broad store network, although it also made the business more dependent on e-commerce demand, fulfilment and customer acquisition. In June 2020 Long Tall Sally announced that it would close, with trading expected to wind down in August. On 19 August 2020, however, the business announced that it had been acquired by Yours Clothing Group. The brand was expected to continue under the new ownership from 1 September 2020. A new website was launched, and Long Tall Sally products were also made available through major third-party retailers including Next, Very and Debenhams. The acquisition preserved the brand as a specialist tall-women’s proposition while placing it within the wider Yours Clothing retail group. The available reference material does not establish a separate current corporate structure, leadership roster or financial performance, so those details remain unspecified here.
History
Long Tall Sally was founded in London in 1976 as a specialist retailer for tall women. Its first store opened on Chiltern Street in the West End. From the beginning, the business differentiated itself through pattern adjustments intended to reflect the proportions of taller customers. These adjustments included longer torso lengths, higher trouser rises and changes to the placement of blouse darts. The concept was more specialized than simply offering standard garments in longer sizes. The company sold clothing and shoes through stores, mail-order catalogues and, later, digital commerce. It used several labels, including the LTS label, and built an assortment around women who generally stood 5 feet 8 inches or taller. Its product categories included trousers, jeans, dresses, skirts, tops, blouses, knitwear, outerwear, occasionwear and footwear. The retailer’s specialist focus addressed a market in which mainstream brands frequently offered limited inseam lengths and proportions that did not fit taller bodies. International development became more prominent in the late 2000s. In 2008 Long Tall Sally began selling in North America through catalogue and web marketing. In 2009 it acquired the Canadian assets and trade of Tall Girl, including a store network spanning Canada and the United States. The company later took over or incorporated other tall-fashion businesses, including Long Fashion in Germany, Long Elegant Legs in the United States and Bare Foot Tess, a United States footwear business. By 2012 it had stores or operations in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Germany, alongside catalogue sales. The company later reduced its reliance on physical retail. In 2018 it became solely an online retailer, reflecting the broader movement of specialist fashion businesses toward direct digital distribution. The online model enabled Long Tall Sally to retain a broad, niche-focused range without maintaining its previous store estate, while also supporting sales to customers in several countries. In June 2020 the company announced plans to close and expected to wind down trading in August. On 19 August, before the planned end of the business, it announced that Yours Clothing Group had acquired it. Operations were intended to continue under the new owner from 1 September 2020. A replacement website was launched, and the brand was also stocked through external retailers such as Next, Very and Debenhams. The acquisition maintained Long Tall Sally’s identity as a tall-women’s specialist while integrating it into a larger apparel retail group. Publicly available reference material does not provide a complete account of the brand’s current management, financial results or detailed post-acquisition operating structure.
- 2020
Acquisition by Yours Clothing Group
[1]After announcing a planned closure, the business was acquired by Yours Clothing Group and was scheduled to continue under the new owner from 1 September.
- 2018
Transition to online-only retail
[1]Long Tall Sally ended its own physical-store format and operated solely online.
- 2012
Multi-market retail presence established
[1]The retailer had stores in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Germany, in addition to catalogue distribution.
- 2009
Tall Girl assets acquired
[1]The company acquired Tall Girl’s Canadian assets and trade, including nine stores across Canada and the United States.
- 2008
North American direct-to-consumer expansion
[1]Long Tall Sally began serving North American customers through catalogue and web marketing.
- 1976
First Long Tall Sally store opens in London
[1]The first store opened on Chiltern Street in London’s West End, establishing the retailer’s specialist tall-women’s proposition.
Products and positioning
Specialist apparel and footwear designed for tall women, generally serving customers 5 feet 8 inches and taller through adjusted garment proportions, extended lengths and dedicated online retail.
Women's apparel
LTS tall-size clothing
The LTS label represents the brand’s core tall-women’s apparel proposition. Garments are designed around longer body proportions rather than relying only on standard patterns with additional hem length. The range has included everyday separates, workwear, dresses, skirts, knitwear, outerwear and occasion pieces. Characteristic fit considerations include longer torsos, extended sleeves and adjusted trouser rises.
Women's trousers and denim
Long-length trousers and jeans
Trousers and jeans are central to the retailer’s specialist offer, with extended inseams and proportions intended for taller women. The category has covered casual denim, tailored trousers and other everyday bottoms. In addition to added length, the brand’s historical fit approach included changes to the rise and overall balance of the garment so that longer legs were accompanied by a more suitable waist-to-hip and torso relationship.
Women's apparel
Tall-fit dresses, skirts and tops
The dress, skirt, top and blouse ranges extend the tall-fit concept across upper-body and one-piece garments. Historical design adjustments included longer torso lengths and repositioned darts on blouses. These products were intended to improve hem placement, sleeve length and overall garment balance for women who often find mainstream proportions too short.
Women's footwear
Tall-size women's footwear
Long Tall Sally has sold footwear as part of its specialist offer for tall women. The footwear business was expanded through the takeover of Bare Foot Tess in the United States. Available reference material identifies shoes as a core product category but does not provide a complete current catalogue or detailed specifications for individual footwear lines.
Brand decisions
2020
Sell the business to Yours Clothing GroupM&ABackground
Long Tall Sally announced in June that it planned to close and wind down trading in August.
Action taken
On 19 August, the business announced that Yours Clothing Group had acquired it, with continuation under the new owner planned from 1 September.
Aftermath
A new website was launched and the brand continued to be offered through its own channel and third-party retailers including Next, Very and Debenhams.
2018
Adopt an online-only operating modelStrategyBackground
The company shifted away from its previous physical-store and catalogue-led retail structure.
Action taken
Long Tall Sally became solely an online retailer.
Aftermath
The brand continued serving multiple international markets through digital commerce, although the source does not provide operational or financial results.
2009
Acquire Tall Girl assets and tradeM&ABackground
The acquisition supported Long Tall Sally’s North American expansion and added an established tall-women’s retail operation.
Action taken
Long Tall Sally acquired Tall Girl’s Canadian assets and trade, including nine stores across Canada and the United States.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened the brand’s presence in North America. The available source does not state the purchase price or detailed integration arrangements.
2008
Enter North American direct-to-consumer marketsStrategyBackground
Long Tall Sally sought to reach tall women outside the United Kingdom through catalogue distribution and online marketing.
Action taken
The company began selling in North America through catalogues and its web channel.
Aftermath
The move was followed by the acquisition of Tall Girl’s Canadian assets and trade in 2009.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
AK Retail acquires Long Tall Sally's e-commerce business and IP[2]
AK Retail acquired Long Tall Sally's e-commerce business and intellectual property. The article also says AK Retail would take ownership of Long Tall Sally on September 1.
Sources2 sources
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