All my fellow petite girls out there can probably relate when I say that it is a STRUGGLE to find clothes that fit! Since not all of my favorite brands offer petite clothing, I feel like I either end up shopping in the kids section for basic pieces or spending way too much money on tailoring for more seasonal and trendy items.
Since coming to business school, I’ve found myself in a dilemma where I want to look cute and refresh my wardrobe, but at the same time I need to stick to a budget since I’m currently not working. Plus, between balancing classes, homework, clubs, and a social life, it’s hard finding the time to shop in the first place. That’s why I was so excited to discover Short Story, a personalized subscription styling service just for petite women. As someone pivoting from consulting into the startup world, the fact that Short Story is a female-founded startup makes this even more special!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Short Story. All opinions and ideas are entirely my own.
The Short Story experience could not be simpler. All you have to do is take a style quiz and fill out your fit, budget, and preferences, and then a stylist will curate a box for you. Each item is petite friendly (sizes 00P-18P) so it takes away so much of the stress and worry about whether the clothes will fit. After trying on the pieces from the comfort of your own home, you then have 5 days to decide what to keep or return. You’ll be charged for the items you keep, and everything else you can mail back for free using a prepaid parcel. You can also share feedback with your stylist so they can get to know you and your style and find better items next time!
I’m someone who absolutely loves to be surprised, so I had the biggest smile on my face when my first petite subscription box arrived. I couldn’t wait to find out what my personal stylist had picked out for me! I told her that I was searching for some new jeans (most of my jeans are skinny jeans, and I wanted something more modern) as well as a dress I could wear to a fall wedding. She left me the sweetest note with some tips on how to style the different pieces!
First up was this rust-colored V-neck sweater. I’d expressed that I wanted to try more seasonal tones since I usually stick to neutrals, so I was excited to explore this new color. While this particular shade didn’t fit my skin tone, I loved how soft and cozy this sweater was. I can already picture myself lounging on the couch with this, a pair of leggings, and some cozy slippers while watching Gilmore Girls!
I decided to pair this sweater with these black straight cropped jeans. Oh. My. Goodness. These jeans are absolutely perfect! I’ve been trying to find high waisted straight leg jeans for ages now and gave up because I had no luck. I’m not even kidding, the other weekend my friend and I decided to have a shopping day and I tried almost twenty pairs of jeans before I walked out of mall in frustration. So when I put these jeans on, I couldn’t believe it! The rise is just right and the inseam hits just where I want it, which means no tailoring required. Unheard of! Plus, they’re so comfortable too, which I feel like is rare for denim. The material wasn’t rigid at all and felt super breathable.
Next, I paired this bodysuit with these wide leg jeans. This bodysuit is definitely a keeper for me. The sleeves and torso part fit perfectly, and the material is so soft that I could honestly wear this all day long. My favorite part is that I can dress this up or down and wear it from day to night. Whether it’s with a blazer for a recruiting event or some heels for a girls night out, I know that this will go with everything!
Last up, this dress! I had a wedding to attend near the Canadian Rockies so I wanted something that was fitting for a mountain setting. This dress was very on brand for the wedding theme, but the pattern and color just weren’t for me. That said, I love how flowy and comfortable this dress is – it’s perfect for twirling and dancing! I saw that this dress comes in two other solid jewel-toned colors, so I’d be curious to see how those would look.
Ultimately, I decided to keep the black bodysuit and jeans because they’re two pieces that I’ve been missing in my capsule wardrobe. For the remaining items, I packaged them in the prepaid bag that came in the box and dropped them off at my local post office. And that’s it! With all the craziness of business school, time is super precious to me so I really appreciate how seamless this whole process was and how well all the items fit. It saved me so much time from browsing a whole bunch of online sites, making multiple returns, or going to the store. If you’re a fellow petite girl looking for some new pieces for your wardrobe, give Short Story a try and get your first box today!
