Stephania
Ferrera
Height: 5',1
New York, New York
I’d definitely love to see petite fashion become more attainable than it is now – and not just be a part of a marketing campaign (as some leading clothing brands have done).
To support petite fashion and style, I created Vestir Petite to encourage women to embrace their petite frame, and hope that we can all continue to spread confidence among us petite women. Vestir Petite will also soon have some exciting news to share with the petite community, so stay tuned!
Q&A
Q: Has your height ever been an insecurity?
A: My height was definitely an insecurity up until a few years ago. I remember only wanting to wear shoes that had a heel or platform so that they would give me a good boost in stature. On the financially practical side, I didn’t want to tailor or hem my clothes, however, the main reason was so that I would look like I was an average height in a group of people. The solution was to spend the extra time finding pieces that fit my body frame well, and to not allow myself to think that I should be an “average” anything. I still love a high heel, but now it’s for all the right reasons!
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Q: ​ Do you feel confident in your own body?
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A: I strongly believe that your mental and emotional well-being plays a major role on how you view yourself. Confidence truly starts from the inside, and so when I go through long streaks of diligently taking care of myself, I feel a drastic difference in my confidence levels.
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Q: What has made you feel accepting as a petite or do you still struggle to accept?
A: When I came to understand why certain physical features are considered the standard of beauty, I knew that I didn’t want to be a part of the society that accepts this false perception of beauty. It’s important to detach yourself from these ideologies and once you do, you’ll be completely accepting of you who are.
Has your height stopped you from doing something you wanted to do like modeling, acting, show biz, managerial position, etc?
If you truly believe that you can’t do something, then you won’t. When it comes to petite women in the entertainment and fashion industry, model Amina Blue walked the runway for Kanye West’s fashion show five times and she’s 5’1, while actress Isabela Merced who is also the same height has had prominent/leading roles from the very start of her acting career. We’ve also seen actress Zoe Kravitz as the face of major fashion campaigns and she’s 5’2. I hope that these women are an inspiration for any petite woman that you can absolutely have a successful career in these industries.
What is your favorite clothing piece you can not live without?
“I love timeless pieces and especially need to have a good peacoat in my closet. The fact that peacoats can look stylish with any type of shoe - either sneakers or boots - says a lot! I’ve had this one black peacoat for years that I feel is just irreplaceable. The length nearly falls to my ankles and it looks so elegant and beautiful.”