Cathie
Pham
Height: 5'1
25, San Jose, Ca
I started off designing clothing to flatter & compliment my own petite frame. From there it inspired me to created a line of clothing to help more petite women find their own style and fashion identity. However this past year I decided to pause that venture and form a community first!
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I created a Facebook group with the goal of forming personal connections with other petite women.
The group was a huge success and grew so quickly that I decided to create a platform next.
Petitegrls was evolved.
The focus was to create a digital space where I can uplift, empower, inspire and connect with petite women.
This opportunity led me to shine more light on petite women while providing an outlet for the petite community.
Q&A
Q: What would you say has been your biggest struggle as a petite woman?
A: For several years, I was exposed to the modeling and pageant industry. Through my experiences, I felt like I was easily overlooked for not being as tall as the other girls. This made me feel so insecure that I had to constantly find more ways to stand out.
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As I got older and began to love myself more, I learned to just be the best version of myself regardless of how tall I stand.
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I truly believe you shine brighter when you think more highly of yourself and it is what I constantly am doing everyday, as a petite woman.
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I continue to not let beauty standards be something that stops me from perusing my own passions and dreams.
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Q: ​ Do you feel confident in your own body?
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A: I try to be, each and every day. It is tough when social media and society portray what beauty should look like but I learned to keep my focus away from those things & more on my passion projects like Petitegrls/MPW!
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Being able to help others gain confidence with themselves allows me to feel fulfilled and happy with who I am.
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I believe confidence takes time but it also takes effort. The only way you are able to have confidence is to put in the mental & physical work.
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What inspired you to focus on petite women?
As a petite myself, I have continued to feel overlooked by society as well as in industries like fashion and beauty.
We are far from rare, yet there hasn't yet been much opportunity for us to truly express ourselves for who we are. With Petitegrls, I want to continue redefining what it means to be petite.
What have you learned so far from building this platform?
I learned to make women feel valuable through understanding, building connection and having open conversations.
If you can give fashion advice to your community, what would it be?