I stopped growing after 5th grade, and I believe my mom was proud of my height up until that point in life.
Before then, I was often the tall one in class. I had all the vice class president roles and the important responsibilities a 12-year-old kid could possibly be assigned in elementary school.
And then things started changing.
Mostly not me, but the people around me.
My classmates — boys and girls who were shorter than me one summer — came back the next year with an extra 10 centimeters and suddenly had me looking up at them.
Alrighty. That’s when I slowly but surely realized that I was going to be a very cute-looking human in this society, period.
Needless to say, my mom was deeply worried about my future modeling career.
I remember taking all kinds of supplements, powders, and milk filled with calcium, zinc, and every vitamin scientifically proven to help children grow taller. Along with that, she enrolled me in sports believed to unlock my very hidden physical potential: swimming, basketball… you name it.
Despite our joint efforts to leapfrog my growth spurt, my genetics decided we would stick to the original plan and face life with kindness and attitude instead.
To be fair, my mom is 1m52, so I probably should’ve seen it coming.
The good thing is, I can borrow her favorite clothes for the rest of my life. Isn’t that great?
So by the time I entered adulthood, I knew I’d probably stay looking younger than my peers for quite a while. Lucky me!
And honestly, there are quite a few perks to being petite that I could never complain about:
- Extra leg room on airplanes, at movie theaters, or stadiums (economy price for business space 😎)
- People's reaction when they learn my age (i'm 35): “Wait… you don’t look your age” (thanks sweetheart, I know 😘)
- Always being at my best angle on dates when I look up at the guy (that’s how we took good selfies back in 2006 🤳)
- Automatically getting the center spot in group photos 📸 (who doesn’t enjoy a little attention?)
- Treasure hunting in Zara’s kids section — it didn’t always work out, but it was fun back when I had more free time and a smaller waist in my early 20s
And I could go on and on about it.
Because my height is part of my identity, and I’ve had no choice but to embrace it.
Now, I’m not saying being short is perfect. The truth is, being petite comes with its own inconveniences. But good clothes help.
Not in a magical way.
Not in a “suddenly your life changes” kind of way.
But they help me feel better about myself. About how I look, how I move, and how I express myself to the outside world.
That’s why I created LULUNAM.
Because I want short, pretty women — women like you and me — to feel embraced in their clothes instead of struggling to fit in it.
To feel comfortable.
To feel beautiful.
To enjoy the freedom and uniqueness of simply being one's self, at your own height, living life fully and confidently.