Lifestyle

An Honest Review of Short Story, the Personal Styling Service for Short People, by a Short Woman

If you're considered "petite" or short, shopping for clothing can be annoying. Which is why you should try Short Story.

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Photo: W+G Creative
Published Jul 7, 2022

Written by 

Marie Lodi

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If you’re below 5’4”, then you’re considered a shortie. As you probably already know, like most things, there are pros and cons to being of small stature. One of the cons being that clothes tend to fit weirdly on our short bods, whether they’re too long, too baggy, or overall ill-fitting. And if you’re plus size and short, shopping can be even more annoying. I’m on the higher-end of straight sizing and border on plus at a size 14. Every pair of jeans I’ve owned have always been comically too long, resulting in saggy ankles or me resorting to cuffing them so I look like a dude from The Outsiders (IYKYK).

Over the past couple of years, I tried buying bellbottoms three times and they were all way too long for me. Heartbreaking for my ‘70s style goals! Dresses are much easier to wear, but there is a magic length holy grail that I have to search for when it comes to minis since a lot of skirts tend to rise higher in the back because of my booty. And if a dress is too long past the knee, I feel frumpy. I’ve learned to love maxi dresses, but I often have to get them hemmed or wear four-inch platform heels so I don’t look like a ghost floating around the halls.

All of these reasons are why I was so excited to learn about Short Story, which is a subscription styling service that helps us shorties find cute clothes that actually fit. The founder and CEO, Isabella Sun, knows firsthand the struggle of being petite, as she’s 5’1” herself. “I’ve struggled my entire life to find clothing that fits, and intimately know the challenges of shopping as a petite person,” she tells Well+Good.

“For women of shorter stature, shopping can really suck. Finding clothing that actually fits our frames can be exceptionally hard because most clothing is designed for women who are much taller, and often fitted on 5’9” fit models.” After learning that nearly 50 percent of women in the U.S. were considered petite and had the same frustrating experiences, Sun decided to leave her corporate job as a financial trader and start Short Story. “I wanted to create a better shopping experience that actually inspired confidence in petite women by helping them dress in perfectly fitting clothes,” she says.

While Short Story carries classic and up–and-coming brands, they also develop their own line of clothing, which is based on real feedback from a whopping 100,000+ respondents. “From this data we’re able to identify crucial ‘patterns’ in everything from silhouette and color preferences, to sizing dimensions that allows us to create clothing that directly addresses all of this,” says Sun.

Strangely enough, I’ve never really considered shopping in the petite section because I always thought of it as not just for short people, but for tiny, size 0 types, so I wanted to make sure that Short Story had my size, which they did. (They currently carry sizes 00 to 18P and have plans to expand their size range.) As far as what items they offer, it’s everything from tops, jackets, dresses, pants, jeans, and more.

How Short Story works

First, you take a quiz that asks you about the items that you usually shop for, things you wouldn’t wear, your opinion of a few of their clothing and styling examples, what your budget looks like, plus basic questions about weight, height, and age. They’ll also ask for your Instagram handle so they can get an even better sense of your style. After that, you order your Short Story Box, which can be sent monthly or every few months, and they’ll match you with a stylist who uses your responses to curate your box just for you. The styling fee is $25 per box, and that money goes towards any items you decide to keep. You can cancel your subscription at any time, and shipping and returns are always free.

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Photo: Marie Lodi

When you receive the box, you’ll get a small pamphlet with information about each of the five pieces of clothing they sent, as well as tips on how to style them, which I find super useful. Then you just try everything on and keep your favorites. Everything else can be easily returned via the prepaid label and shipping bag that is included. You just have to return your items within five days to avoid being charged.

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Photo: Marie Lodi

My honest thoughts on the Short Story box 

Pink dress

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Photo: Marie Lodi

This dress couldn’t have been more me. I loved the neon pink color and it was the perfect length—not too short and not too long, so I didn’t feel like I was drowning in it. I can see myself wearing this to everything—date night, parties, work events, vacation. It was a dream to wear.

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Black short sleeve bodysuit

I appreciated that they included a black bodysuit, which is a great basic piece for building a year-round capsule wardrobe. Even better, it was comfortable to wear! Sometimes bodysuits can be too long in the torso, or too tight if you’re closer to plus size, causing the bust area to be pulled down and your bra to show. This didn’t do any of that, thankfully, and gave me the perfect amount of cleavage. Overall, it just felt really good to wear.

Pink printed skirt

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Photo: Marie Lodi

The color and print of this skirt was also another “perfect Marie” pick. I can see myself packing this skirt (along with the bodysuit) on a trip. That sexy thigh slit just screams vacation, baby!

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Velvet floral print robe

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Photo: Marie Lodi

Robes are one of my all-time favorite pieces of clothing. They instantly make me feel like a glamorous eccentric aunt (which I am, actually). They’re also super versatile because you can wear one over a slip dress, lounge around the house in one (with some cha-cha heels), and even pair them with jeans or trousers. I loved the velvet, and the rose pattern is always a win for me.

Black jeans (by 1822 Denim)

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Photo: Marie Lodi

I had to save the best for last—the jeans! Like I mentioned, jeans are a sore spot for me when it comes to shopping. They’re usually way too long, and instead of getting them hemmed, I just deal with it. I was absolutely shocked when these fit me perfectly just putting them on. The only thing is I wish these had pockets. Otherwise, they were perfect.

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Final verdict

Overall, if you’re a short person who has had trouble finding clothes that fit, or just wants to experience a personalized shopping experience, Short Story is totally worth trying out. I loved all of my picks and found the return experience so much more simple than when I shop regularly.

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LifestyleMindfulness

What Would You Tell Your Younger Self? The Power of Narrative Therapy

Psychologists say reflecting on and writing down your life experiences has unexpected mental health benefits

An older woman and younger women are seen running on a beach.
Stocksy / BONNINSTUDIO
Published Feb 20, 2025

Written by 

Hannah Yasharoff

What would you tell your younger self? And how would you reflect on your life so far?

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There's a new TikTok trend, inspired by a poem by writer Jennae Cecelia, where creators imagine they just got coffee with their younger selves. Each "version" takes turns expressing how they feel at their point in life. The younger version leaves the coffee date feeling the support and love they perhaps didn't have earlier, and the older version comes away with more clarity on how much they’ve grown, persevered, and learned.

"[My younger self] said she always felt like she made the wrong decision," wrote creator @hello.kelsie in a TikTok video that has amassed nearly two million views. "I told her I [now] never second-guessed myself." 

Even Barbara Corcoran got in on the TikTok trend, looking back on how she went from “scared” waitress to fearless real estate mogul. 

It may feel like a silly premise, but the trend actually mirrors a rising therapeutic technique: narrative therapy, which involves lots of self-reflection and putting on your creative writing cap.

The concept? Physically writing down your experiences or sharing stories of what happened in your life can help you break out of negative thought patterns, stereotypes, and other societal messaging. 

"The stories we tell ourselves can become self-fulfilling prophecies," therapist Jordan Madison, LCMFT, tells Well+Good. Narrative therapy is all about looking at the big picture from an outsider's perspective, which can help keep you from internalizing problems or focusing only on the negative. If you understand the story of your own life, you can better figure out how to rewrite the next chapter to your liking. 

Author your life story

There's some research to back up the benefits of narrative therapy. One study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology explored how a person's storytelling skills are related to their sense of meaning in life. Through a series of surveys, researchers found that across the board, test subjects who were dubbed better storytellers (by themselves, strangers, and those close to them) also had a stronger sense of purpose, meaning, and growth. 

Christine Pride, a longtime memoir publisher and author of the upcoming novel All the Men I’ve Loved Again, understands the power of someone writing down their story—both for the author and the readers. Pride jokes that she sometimes feels like a writer's therapist as they're working on a memoir together. And though being an author isn't quite the same as booking an appointment with a licensed professional, the steps of journaling for your mental health and writing a memoir for public consumption might be more similar than you'd think.

"There's a lot of personal writing that can be really helpful and therapeutic," Pride says, citing things like morning pages or writing letters you never intend to send in order to help yourself make sense of what you experienced. 

In narrative therapy, it's also helpful to get everything off your chest via journaling before pulling back to notice which storylines keep popping up. After that, there's something to be said for pretending to be an outside observer, reading someone else's story. What unhelpful thought patterns do you keep seeing?

"Reframing and noticing patterns are huge tools in boosting your mental health," Madison says. “When you realize patterns you’re participating in, and that you have the power to change them, it helps you to feel less stuck and work on small habits and changes in thoughts and behaviors to do things differently." 

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How to try narrative therapy techniques for yourself

So you're intrigued by the concept of narrative therapy—what's next? Book that coffee date, buy your younger self that Frappuccino they love, and get reflecting. (And, of course, you can also book an appointment with a licensed mental health professional who can help you work through your thoughts.) If you're flying solo, try these expert-approved tips to get started:

Ask yourself the right questions
When journaling, it may help to have specific prompts to guide you. Madison recommends implementing the following questions as you reflect: 

  • What is the narrative I have about this situation? 
  • How does this story affect my thoughts, emotions, and behaviors? 
  • Who are the characters in this story, and what are the roles they play? 
  • When was the first time I created this story, and what situation made it develop? 
  • What events or experiences contributed to this narrative? 
  • Have there been times when this story wasn't true? 
  • What is a more empowering narrative I can begin to tell myself instead?

Write like nobody will read it 
While editing memoirs, Pride sometimes notices writers holding back the real emotional crux of their story because they're worried about how those close to them might react. Whether you're writing for yourself or an audience, you won't find the true meaning of your story until you're 100% honest with yourself. 

"You can't write your story honestly if you're censoring yourself along the way based on fearing what your mom or cousin is going to say about it," she says. 

(However, if you're actually publishing your life story, those close to you are going to have opinions, which you may need to mentally prepare for.) 

Don't expect to fix everything right away
Writing the story of your life will take some time. Pride says that not only is that OK, but it's actually beneficial. More time means you might better understand the full arc of your story. 

"You have to have distance," Pride says. "I tell people they can't really be objective without some distance, and sometimes that distance equates to time."

When you hug your younger self goodbye at the end of your coffee date, promise to keep in touch—the more you two get to know each other, the better you'll feel in the long run. 

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Food

Food Trends Come and Go, But Kombucha Is Forever—Here’s Why, According to an RD

Here's what an RD has to say about the kombucha trend, why it's held such staying power, and what to look for when you're stocking up.

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Photo: W+G Creative
Published Feb 3, 2025

In Partnership With 

GT's Living Foods

Written by 

Well+Good Editors

There was the low-fat craze of the 1990s and 2000s. The ‘10s rolled in with celery juice, Impossible burgers, and truffle oil on everything—followed by whipped coffee, feta pasta, and the gazillion other viral #foodtok moments of the current decade. Try to keep up with the latest food trends, and you’re in for a quite a ride.

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There’s nothing wrong with opting into the (literal) flavor of the month—but when it comes to nutrition, it’s worth paying special attention to the foods and drinks that have lasted longer than a season. For registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, kombucha is high on that list of long-standing staples.

According to Google Trends, the kombucha trend entered the wellness mainstream around 2017—but Manaker notes that its history stretches back thousands of years, originating as a traditional fermented drink in East Asia. “What has given kombucha such remarkable staying power, compared to other fleeting food and beverage trends, lies in its unique combination of health benefits, historical significance, and overall appeal,” she says.

Back to the ’90s for a minute: That sacred, historical significance of kombucha is what inspired a California teenager named GT Dave to eschew the food trends of the day in favor of a—at the time—less popular way of supporting his and his family’s health. In 1995, Dave was gifted an heirloom Himalayan SCOBY (or symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, the living culture used to ferment kombucha). He was intrigued by the healing effects he’d seen firsthand when his mother was sick, so he began crafting his own homemade kombucha. His at-home hobby turned into SYNERGY, The Real Kombucha, and a suite of other probiotic-rich, living foods.

This year, GT’s Living Foods celebrates 30 years of crafting kombucha the real way: traditionally fermented with heirloom cultures for billions of living probiotics. While other health trends have come and gone, it’s clear Dave was ahead of the curve all those years ago.

Here’s what Manaker has to say about why the kombucha trend is so much more than just a passing fad, the health benefits of the drink, and why it’s worthy of a forever spot in your daily wellness routine.

The health benefits of kombucha

The secret to foods that outlast all the fads? They strike the balance of nutritious, tasty, and generally low-effort. Done, done, and done: According to Manaker, the health benefits of kombucha are wide-ranging—and its delicious, tangy taste is the cherry (or guava, or pomelo, or strawberry) on top.

First and foremost, studies suggest that drinking kombucha may help boost your gut health, which has a major effect on your overall well-being. “Kombucha is a source of probiotics, which are beneficial microorganisms that support gut health by balancing the gut microbiome,” Manaker says. “A healthy gut microbiome is linked to improved digestion, immune health, and nutrient absorption.”

Some kombucha contains polyphenols and bioactive compounds, which Manaker says may help manage inflammation in the body, as well as antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress by neutralizing harmful free radicals. “Data highlights that the consumption of antioxidant-rich beverages like kombucha can support overall cellular health and potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases,” she says.

To reap its full benefits, Manaker recommends sipping kombucha daily. “Consistent consumption helps colonize the gut with the beneficial probiotics found in this fermented beverage, supporting a balanced and healthy microbiome over time,” she says—with the caveat that not all kombucha is created equal. Choose one that contains live probiotics and diverse strains (like SYNERGY, The Real Kombucha), she says, because these ingredients contribute more actively to gut health.

Why the kombucha trend has such staying power

From Manaker’s POV, the “kombucha trend” has withstood decades (correction, centuries) of changing food-and-beverage tides because it’s equal parts nutritious and delicious. “A growing awareness of gut health and its importance to overall well-being has kept kombucha in the spotlight,” she says. “Its natural probiotics and enzymes support a balanced microbiome, which in turn promotes digestion, immunity, and even potentially mental health.”

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And beyond its health benefits? “Kombucha’s distinct, tangy, and slightly effervescent flavor profile has helped it gain a loyal following as a delicious and refreshing alternative to sugary sodas or artificial drinks,” Manaker says.

What to look for in a quality kombucha

“When choosing a kombucha brand, it’s essential to prioritize quality, ingredients, and sourcing,” Manaker says. She looks for options that are raw, organic, unpasteurized (to help preserve the live probiotics and enzymes, she says), and grown by the traditional fermentation process. “Transparency about the ingredients and brewing process is another key factor,” she adds. “Opt for brands that list exactly what they use without hidden sugars or synthetic flavorings.”

GT’s SYNERGY checks every one of her kombucha boxes. She loves the small-batch brewing and weeks-long fermentation process, which separates GT’s from most other kombuchas on the market *and* boosts its nutritional value. “It’s clear [GT’s Living Foods] never cuts corners—each bottle is raw, unpasteurized, and free from artificial flavors, which only enhances the natural and refreshing experience. And since it is made with real tea, it naturally contains antioxidants to support my brain health.”

Manaker’s go-to for a little well-being boost is Pomelo Pink Lemonade, but you can’t go wrong with any of SYNERGY’s 23 fizzy flavors. Try them all and find your favorite—and then make kombucha a forever thing in your life.

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