Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sara Ponce. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Sara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I’m 4’10 so growing up fashion wasn’t fun for me. Instead it made me feel worse about myself. I loved fashion, but I hard time expressing myself through it because I felt bound by the clothes that fit, not clothes I actually wanted to wear. The fashion industry long ignored short women, so I never really saw much petite representation. If models, celebrities, etc were petite, I felt as if this was never highlighted. This made me feel alone and even more insecure about my body.

When I graduated college, I moved to NYC where there is fashion inspiration on every block. I always wanted to wear the latest trends, but those clothes never fit me right. Up until my early 20s, I was still shopping at the kids section. There were stores that offered petite clothing, but I found most of them to be simple, or frumpy-looking. Other times, I would buy something “petite” but it was still too long on me because brands were using models ‘5’5-5’7 for their petite lines.

So, in 2019 I decided to start my own clothing store for petite women, with trendy petite clothing and models 4’10-5’4. Shopping shouldn’t be another #shortgirlproblem. Clothes should make you feel good about yourself, and my mission is to bring women confidence through Pretty & Petite because clothes won’t change the world, the petite women who wear them will.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

My name is Sara Ponce and I’m 4’10. I started Pretty & Petite, an online clothing store for women 5’4 & shorter in 2019, with the mission to empower and celebrate short women through clothes made for them. Long story short, no more hemming or DIY cutting.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Pretty & Petite has always been a self-funded business. It was definitely uncomfortable at first, but I am betting on myself. I have a background in finance so that has come in handy. A Latina entrepreneur I look up to always says, “make up in creativity what you lack in marketing dollars”. And it’s true! I don’t pay for any advertising because social media has made it really easy to connect with my target audience. If you invest the time, the algorithm can really bring a lot of traction to your website, for free. Also, one thing I have that those multi-million dollar stores who just opened a petite line for inclusivity, don’t have, is relatability. I have first-hand experienced the #shortgirlproblems when it comes to shopping. I have the same short story as so many other petite women who have long felt-ignored by the fashion industry and I’m trying to highlight that through my brand. It is what has allowed me to make some very meaningful relationships through Pretty & Petite and build this petite community.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Pretty & Petite is more than just an online clothing store, it’s a whole community. P&p would not be anything without all the incredible support from the petite community who have allowed us to be a part of their special moments, creative looks, and iconic wardrobes. So, I want to always keep our brand as transparent as possible by staying true to myself and P&p’s mission. For example, I don’t sell something I personally wouldn’t purchase or wear. I also try to include trendy, yet versatile pieces to increase the life span of every piece and stretch someone’s hard-earned dollar. Additionally, although influencer marketing can help a lot of brands, it was never really something that fit our business model. Instead, we rely a lot on authentic word-of-mouth marketing. Which is why we try to make the unboxing process a special experience for all of our customers. We put a lot of thought behind our packaging. Every order is truly packaged con amor because it really is the little things.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shopprettyandpetite.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettyandpetites/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@shopprettyandpetite?lang=en