Ah, yes. You're long waisted. Welcome to the club. Countless women of all origins deal with this figure issue and you can certainly conquer it as well, Sarah. I'm long waisted and the same height as you. I find it's not as much a matter where you shop, but what you buy and how you wear it.
It's true that we can't wear every top or dress off the the shelf. You can find dresses that will work for you, and when you do you want to make the highish waist work for you. If the dress creates an artificial shorter waist and flairs out below, that's to your advantage.
I prefer skirts over dresses, though. The ideal combination is a snug solid dark LS top and a patterned long skirt with a bit of hip flairing to it. That way you can adjust you waist a bit high to look best on you without looking awkward. If you wear a very long skirt you can wear flat shoes, thus making you a bit shorter, too.
When you buy jeans, forget the hip-huggers. Go for high waist or mid-rise jeans. Wearing high heels with jeans balances you lower and upper differences, so try it. Of course, you'll be 6'3", but we always have to pay a price one way or the other.
Forget long tunic tops. You'll pretty much always want to tuck your top in. Arm length is a constant hassle for us. Look for tops with extra long arms. I find them here and there and always try to grab one. Luckily, shorter mid-arm sleeves are an acceptable fashion, as is rolling sleeves up a bit. This is what I do with shortish sleeves.
The upside is that we have no problem fitting women's skirts, pants and jeans. They're always long enough for me.
Watch celebrities closely for long-waist styling clues. Morning TV host Kelly Ripa is long waisted (though rather short) and always abides to the rules of long waisted dressing. She wears snug dark tops and flaired skirts all the time.
Fashion industry guru Sarah Ruston is another, as it YouTube beauty vlogger Leighannsays.
