Being short is tough enough as it is — I can barely reach the dishes in my own kitchen, and I spend most concerts staring at the sweaty backs of tall people in front of me. It thus makes sense that shopping for clothes adds insult to injury. From being unable to find pants that don’t require a trip to the tailor to drowning in sleeves that are far too long, my whole adult life has been a series of dodging in-person shopping experiences so as to save whatever morsel of self-esteem I have left. When I discovered Short Story, a clothing subscription service catered towards petite women of 5 feet, 4 inches and under, I knew I had to give it a try. Here’s exactly what it is, and whether it might be right for you.
Short Story is a clothing subscription service that provides curated style for women 5-foot-4 and shorter.
What is Short Story?
Founder Isabella Sun’s idea behind Short Story is that “regular” women’s clothes are designed for those 5 feet 5 inches and above, so shorter folks get left out from experiencing proper-fitting clothes. Instead of relegating petite folks to the kid’s department or forcing them to pay additional fees for tailoring, Short Story allows bodies of all sizes to feel included. After all, a recent CDC report found that the average height for adult women is 5-foot-4, making this service a welcome addition to the fashion industry.
The whole experience begins with a surprisingly involved (and super fun!) questionnaire that allows the brand to send you pieces suited to your unique style, budget and most importantly, exact sizing. A personal styling expert analyzes your responses, and the brand sends you five to six clothing items per month, or however frequently you’d like to receive them. Simply send back what you don’t want within five days in the included bag with a prepaid return label, with tags still on. The items come from a mix of popular brands like Vince Camuto, Vero Moda, Amour Vert, Pistola Denim and Liverpool, as well as their namesake Short Story brand designed through feedback from the brand’s community. All garments (save for accessories), including petite tops, pants, jeans, jackets, dresses and jumpsuits, come in sizes 00P to 20P, with plans to expand further.
The styling fee costs $25, and it’s applied as a credit towards all the items in your box you decide to keep, which start at $32 a piece. Throughout the duration of your subscription, you can always pop back onto your account and adjust your measurements, style preferences and miscellaneous feedback for your stylist.
What we liked about it
Like being welcomed into a high-end hotel, I loved the personalized letter from my stylist. She correctly noted that I was specifically looking for pants that fit in length, and that I’m particularly into turtlenecks these days. It was my first experience with a personal shopper, and now I feel like a celebrity who needs paparazzi following me wherever I go.
Beyond the specific pieces she selected, I was shocked at just how well the professional style expert nailed my taste. Like something out of a BuzzFeed quiz, I selected looks that resonated with me (think: business casual meets influencer about to film a Get Ready With Me), and I also got to include links to my social media handles so the style expert could get a better sense of what I tend to wear IRL.
As a result, I received a pair of perfect-fitting black trousers I can wear literally anywhere, plaid straight-leg pants I would have never chosen for myself but am now never taking off, a hunter green blazer that I had actually been pining over for the last few months, a super-trendy mock-neck ribbed bodysuit that serves as the perfect under-layer and a cozy cropped V-neck sweater for a laid-back lounge look. Prices were quite reasonable at $42 to $82 a piece, and the pants were the biggest hit of them all. They fit perfectly at the waist and at the leg, hitting just above my ankle to be able to show off my shoes. This is a luxury that I never get to experience.
All of these items not only looked incredible on their own or styled with other items in my closet, but they worked seamlessly together as a sort of capsule wardrobe. This tells me Short Story offers pieces that interact with each other on a holistic level, so you’ll never have to play the dreaded game of “What do I have to wear?” ever again.
What we didn’t like about it
There’s so much to love about this service that I really have to nitpick in order to identify what went wrong. I will say that despite indicating my band and cup size, the sweater felt quite tight around my chest. I could tell based on the accompanying brochure with a description of each item that the sweater was supposed to fit a little more loosely and sit a bit lower at the hip, but it still totally works as a stylish summer layer or cozy winter item.
Despite indicating I have a longer torso on my questionnaire, the bodysuit gave me a serious wedgie. Thankfully, it had buttons at the bottom, so I simply tucked it into my pants like a shirt and happily wore it that way. While I love the look of an oversized blazer, I found this one to hit a bit too high at the hip, giving it serious ‘90s office worker vibes in the incorrect way. The sleeves, on the bright side, were short enough to keep my hands from drowning in them, which is a first.
Bottom line
Whether you’re on the shorter side, or feel as though clothing from major chains doesn’t support your unique proportions, this is a stellar alternative that’s sure to make you feel confident and beautiful. From what I can see, the pieces are all high-quality, soft and on-trend while still looking classic enough to wear for years to come. Had I discovered Short Story sooner, I could have saved myself hundreds of dollars at the tailor, and hours standing in front of the mirror wondering why none of my clothes fit me properly.