Today we’d like to introduce you to Tasha Harris.
Hi Tasha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Tasha and I started an online clothing boutique for women 5’4” and under out of my frustrations. I have been struggling for years to find on-trend fashion-forward styles to fit my short height. I was tired of always having to get my clothes altered which started to get expensive. The petite clothing options I felt were a bit old-fashioned for my taste. I’m also pear-shaped which means I have a small upper body and a bigger lower body which was also an issue for me when looking for clothes.
So I was tired of short women not being represented within the fashion industry especially curvy petite women. This is when I decided that I wanted to create a boutique for short women and short curvy women who wanted more on-trend styles. What’s interesting is I have been thinking about opening a store for years especially since I use to love making my clothes but I was doing a lot of research for years before I decided to go for it.
What’s crazy is I launched during the height of the pandemic. I don’t know what I was thinking but I’m glad I did. What makes me feel so proud is when my customers tell me that they appreciate me for thinking of them and filling the gap for short women within the fashion industry. Owning a business isn’t easy but I’m doing it to make a difference for my shorties.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road for me. I initially thought that if you build it they will come but that was not the case. I ended up getting a boutique coach which helped me to realize that I need marketing as well as branding to help my business to grow. Owning an e-commerce business is hard work so you have to be passionate about what you do to stay motivated.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Charrish11 Boutique caters to women who are 5’ 4” inches and under aka petite women looking for trendy styles for their height. Short women make up 50% of women in the United States yet the fashion industry doesn’t cater to short women. More brands are starting to realize the need for petite women which makes me happy.
However, from my experience, there weren’t that many fashion brands that had fun, fashion-forward styles that I liked. This is what inspired me to start my online boutique because I wanted short women to have off-the-rack options that were stylish, statement-worthy, and fashion-forward. What makes me most proud is teaching women that being petite within the fashion industry means women who are 5’ 4” and under and does not mean tiny.
You’d be surprised how many women don’t know what petite clothing is until I teach them. Some people automatically assume it’s clothing for skinny women, but petite women come in many shapes and sizes. I’m also proud of how I go above and beyond for my customers. I provide gifts in each package and I’m genuinely building a petite community. I want petite women to be proud of their shortness and I relay that throughout my brand.
When I look at other brands that offer petite clothing, a lot of them are quite expensive, but I try my best to make my items reasonably priced. I also have several installment plans like Afterpay, Sezzle, and ShopPay to give my customers options. I also donate clothes to our local women’s shelter and Goodwill.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Having a great personality, persistence, determination, and drive are key to my success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://charrisheleven.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charrish11
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/charrisheleven
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/petitetrendsetters/
Image Credits
LeCher Photography
