I am also among the tall people on this forum at 5'9", My pant inseam, is 33. I am on the small side overall because I weigh less than 130 pounds. My shoulders are slightly broader than my hips. My arms are long, my legs are proportionally short for my height, and I have a long rise. My torso looks long, but my waist is proportional. My body shape is rectangular, and I am clearly athletic. When jackets/blazers/coats fit in the shoulders they are often way too huge in the torso, beyond what I think would be a fluid fit. I also have fit issues with pant lengths, sleeve lengths, skirt lengths, length of tops, blazers, coats, and I have had problems with pant legs being too tight for my muscular legs. Wow, that seems like a lot! The fit issues have made me into a shopper because I really have to hunt to find things that work.
I have resorted to purchasing high end items because they fit better, this is especially true in tops. I have found that Vince, Equipment and JCrew have longer sleeve lengths than some other brands. I am grateful that Athleta and Gap make small tall sizes. They fit me perfectly each time. North Face also seems to make their coat sleeves long enough. For pants, I have had the best luck with JCrew. I recently purchased some AG jeans that have a 35 inch inseam and am happy that I can actually roll the hem! I have not had luck with Talbots, Eddie Bauer, or LLBean. The arm length of their clothes is too short for me. Their pants may come in talls, but the tall sizes mostly start at 6, which is too large for me.
I can relate to ordering multiple items online and then rushing to return them before the bills are due! I typically order the same item in more than one size if I am unsure. I also shop mostly online because the brick and mortar stores around here seem to cater to petites, and larger sizes.
