Short Story Review: The Best Styling Service for Petite Fashion
It’s hard to find clothes that fit well when you’re shorter and smaller than the average person, so I was excited to return to Short Story, a petite-focused styling service, this month for a wardrobe refresh. This box is my favorite one I’ve received. Take a look at what I got in my box!
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What did I receive in my Short Story box?
Short Story sent me 7 items: 2 sweaters, a hoodie, athletic pants, jeans, a dress, and a jumpsuit.
1 | Recreation Bree Hoodie in Sage Green - Size SP - Retail: $54
This hoodie fit well and was so comfortable! The material is smooth on the outside and soft on the inside. It has a loose fit, particularly through the middle, which makes it easy to move around in and layer. The hood is a good addition too for covering your head in cold weather.
I could see myself wearing this out to walk the dog or run some errands. I decided to return it though because I already have a lot of casual clothes for those activities.
The hood part of the hoodie is also heavy relative to the body part. The hood pulled the body material backward, which I felt tugging along my collarbone. I fixed that with some adjusting, but I didn’t want to have to tug the sweater forward repeatedly while wearing it.
2 | Recreation Layne Pants in Sage Green - Size XSP - Retail $68
These were the matching pants to the hoodie. I like a color-coordinated set, and the matching set made for a nice put-together look. The pants were extremely comfortable because they were made of the same smooth material as the hoodie and had a wide waistband.
I returned these pants because I already have a lot of casual clothes, and they’re not the most flattering on me. They show underwear lines and the shape of any lumps and bumps if you have a good size butt, hips, or thighs.
3 | Skies Are Blue Elda Cardigan in Forest Green - Size SP - Retail: $64
This cardigan was so soft that I wanted to wrap myself in it for winter. It’s the perfect sweater to finish an outfit because it’s basic, dark, and loose-fitting. The info card says it’s forest green, but I think it looks black in color. It goes with almost everything.
I liked this sweater but returned it because I don’t wear cardigans very often. I subconsciously prefer pullover sweaters and find myself reaching for them more. I could see myself wearing this once in a while, just not often enough to justify purchasing or keeping it.
4 | Muse Petite Maxine Surplice Jumpsuit in Black Multi Floral - Size XSP - Retail $84
My heart jumped a bit when I realized this was a jumpsuit because I love jumpsuits! This was my favorite item in the box without a doubt.
The jumpsuit fit perfectly from top to bottom. It had the right proportions and the perfect length. The material stretches and there’s elastic around the midsection for an even better fit. The black clothing and floral print are spot-on for me too.
I didn’t feel any material pulling from the shoulder to the crotch, which can happen when the body portion of the jumpsuit is too short and/or you have a long torso.
This jumpsuit may be an issue if your top and bottom are two different sizes or if you have a large bust. The cross point of the material in front is low and may not provide enough coverage. You could try pinning or stitching the cross point so that the material stays crossed higher up.
This is one item I’ll wear again and again all spring and summer. It works as casual day wear and can be dressed up for the evening too.
5 | Short Story Nori Textured Sleeve Pullover in H Mulberry - Size SP/MP - Retail $64
This was another favorite item in the box. It’s an oversized, boxy sweater with a bit of a slouchy fit. The color is a soft purple that’s flattering on nearly everyone.
The only issue I had with this sweater was that the sleeves were too long (another petite person problem). I guess I have short arms even for a petite-sized person?
Sometimes overly long sleeves work because the sleeves can be pushed up or rolled up, but here the sleeves are loose fitting so it looked like too much material on my arms when pulled up.
Other than that, this sweater was perfect. I would reach for it all fall and winter if it fit.
6 | Democracy Ab Solution Ankle Length 26/11” in Espresso - Size 2P - Retail $88
I’m neutral about these jeans. I think they are good quality and have a lot of features that would make them fit nicely. They’re made to sit smoothly against the body fitting over curves. They have a thick elastic waistband and are a dark color.
The info card says espresso, which makes me think they’re brown. They looked like a gray or light black color to me.
They just didn’t fit me right, so I returned them. The jeans were a little loose in some places and tighter in others. I think they could fit many people well, just not me.
I mostly avoid buying jeans now because they’re hard to fit and I don’t find jeans very comfortable. I will probably ask for no jeans in future boxes.
7 | Grade & Gather Annabel Ruffle Satin Maxi Dress in Dark Orchid - Size XSP - Retail $78
I was surprised at how much I liked this dress. This and the jumpsuit were my favorite items in the box.
This dress is a beautiful purple color. It’s lightweight and loose-fitting, which makes it comfortable to wear. It’s a good length ending at my ankles, which means it doesn’t need to be hemmed.
It’s versatile too. I can wear it dressed down with casual flats or dressed up with heels or espadrilles. This dress is a keeper!
My thoughts on Short Story
1 | Great clothes & stylist collaboration
This is the best box I’ve received from Short Story after receiving three so far. I liked all of the items in this box and could see myself wearing all of them. I think I had great results with this box because
I tried the service a few times so that I could better figure out what I like and don’t like, then edited my style survey to better indicate what I like and want
The stylist at Short Story now has a better idea of what I like and want after creating a few boxes for me.
My stylist really tried to get to know me. She looked at my IG and blog to see what clothes and colors I wore previously.
On the info sheet, she mentioned selecting clothes that I could wear while working on my reselling and walking my dog. I appreciated the detail she put into selecting items I would like.
I tried a different subscription fashion service in the past where the stylist wasn’t nearly as thoughtful. That box was not tailored to me at all, and the clothes didn’t fit as well because they were regular size.
Building boxes to fit your style is a collaborative effort. If you don’t get what you like or want in the first box, give feedback and try again. It may take a few tries to get the best results.
2 | Reasonable prices
When you fill out your style survey, you indicate the price range for each type of item offered. The options are less than $50, $50 to $100, over $100, and the cheaper the better.
I picked $50-$100 for most of the clothes. That’s the price of the items they sent me.
I thought the prices of all of the items were reasonable for a fashion subscription service.
For example, the jeans were $88 and the jumpsuit was $84. These are typical prices for clothes from a regular retailer.
Jeans normally for that much and often more. I’m going to wear the jumpsuit again and again, so it’s worth it to me.
3 | Flexibility
Short Story gives you 5 days to review what you received before shipping back the items you don’t want. There was a delay in mailing my box to me, so I got it later than expected and the return lined up with a major holiday.
I asked for an extension and sent the clothes back a day or two later than expected. I’m glad Short Story is flexible with their returns because life, vacations, and holidays happen.
Wrap up
I’ve enjoyed using Short Story to find clothes that actually fit me. It’s exciting to have a stylist who specializes in fitting petite people.
I don’t have to spend time going to stores or browsing online to shop for myself. I’ve tried new styles that I normally would not have chosen for myself but ended up liking. It’s been a fun experience, and I’m looking forward to my next box.
What do you think of the outfits I received?
If you’re petite and looking for stylish clothes that fit, try signing up for Short Story. Use my referral link to receive your first styling free.