The best business minds are able to identify a need, and then fulfill it. That’s exactly what Sue Schaffstall did when she set out to create the SHORTGIRL clothing line.
Standing at 4′ 9″, Schaffstall has been on the hunt for a line of women’s clothing designed with a “smaller than petite” figure in mind, to no avail. After realizing that her closet was filled with clothing that needed to be altered by a professional – something that requires time and money – she finally decided that it was time to take matters into her own hands. She knew that she was not alone in the never-ending search for a pair of flattering jeans (and other wearables), designed specifically for a shorter woman.
“I wanted to solve a problem, and I knew I wasn’t the only one who would benefit,” says Schaffstall, who has been forced to hem even petite-designed clothing. “I’ve always embraced my height. There isn’t anything I can do about it and let’s face it, I’m probably going to get shorter.”
Enter SHORTGIRL – a Buffalo, NY fashion clothing company that sets out to “break the tall mannequin mold” by launching off-the-rack wearables such as flattering jeans and other short women’s fashions.
“Finding my size was never the issue, but finding pants and jeans that didn’t hang four to five inches below my ankle was always a challenge,” explains Schaffstall. “I would go shopping for hours and come home with nothing, discouraged by all the clothes that looked great on the mannequins who stood at 5’7”.”
Schaffstall began her journey into this new and unfamiliar business territory by reaching out to consultants at the Small Business Development Center at Buffalo State College. Before long, she was wrapped up in product and marketing development, including logo conception, developing an e-commerce platform, working with textile designers, sourcing fabrics, developing packaging, and ultimately finding a manufacturer in the US.
“While we hope to go global with sales, we’re very proud to be producing the SHORT GIRL line of clothing in the United States,” says Schaffstall. “With a commitment to quality, fit and fashion, what truly makes SHORTGIRL unique is paying attention to the inseam. Women’s sizes may be offered in a range of petite, regular and tall, but designs rarely accommodate heights under 5’ 2”. Men can usually find jeans in a variety of inseams, but women rarely can, until now. We all want to feel good in our own skin. We all want to feel confident.
“My goal is to give new confidence to women who haven’t previously been able to find clothes that fit and flatter at their height. SHORTGIRL jeans are designed with three different inseam options including, 25”, 26”, and 27”. We’ve gone to great lengths to make sure these jeans are tailored just right and we hope these will be the last pair of jeans women will need to search for, in order to find their perfect fit.”
SHORTGIRL officially launches its innovative new brand, May 26, 6-8 p.m. at Resurgence Brewing Company, 55 Chicago Street, Buffalo, NY.
Get connected: shortgrl.com