She Can Fill the Tall Orders

Kat Rauber, katclothing.com
Kat Rauber was just 13 years old when she asked her mother if there were a surgery she could have to make her feet smaller.

Back then it was a scavenger hunt to find a pair of size 11 shoes. She even looked in the men’s section. Equally taxing was the search for long-legged denim.

As time went on, finding clothes didn’t get any easier. In fact, she got taller and her feet got bigger.

“I’m 6 feet 2, and I wear a size 14 ladies shoe,” says Kat, now 32. “Running to the mall for an outfit isn’t exactly an option for me.”

Despite its hardships, Kat loved fashion, and she embraced her height. She found ways around the racks, settling for the one thing she could always count on in her size — black pants. Using bright, bold accessories and flashy, hard-to-find shoes, she added flair to her simple, chic black-cat style.

“People think if you’re tall, you want to dress like Bea Arthur. I love her, but I don’t want to dress like her,” Kat says. “I’m tall. I’m not a nun. I want to wear clothes that are contemporary and trendy but fit appropriately.”

Tired of retailers ignoring women like her, she decided to start her own business, catering to the taller woman.

Two years ago she turned a 10-year career in public relations into a freelance gig. She enrolled in the Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac program, which helps entrepreneurs hone the skills they need to start, manage and grow a successful business.

“I always had a desire to be my own boss,” says Kat.

“I always thought if I fail, I can do something else. I am employable,” she adds with a laugh.

Kat met with many clothing manufacturers to discuss developing contemporary clothing options for tall women. She made the person with her best interest in mind her business partner — her savvy mother. And this past April, Kat finally launched her online boutique and blog, Kat Clothing ( www.katclothing.com).

“It has been an awesome experience,” she says. “It is such an incredible feeling when you create something that was not there before.”

Next Saturday, May 31, she’ll host her first trunk show from 1 to 4 p.m. at the View, 600 E. Admiral Blvd. (on the third floor). All of the clothes from the Web store will be available to try on and buy.

Kat’s trunk show will also feature Kathryn Kerrigan, another tall fashionista, who has her own line of shoes, sizes 6-15 ( www.kathrynkerrigan.com).

Kat hopes one day to have the ultimate online clothing site for niche sizes: tall, petite and plus.

“I want to offer trendy options for all women, regardless of what you’re thing is, because we all have a thing. Women need to feel comfortable in their own skin.”