This week on our podcast, we're diving deep into the transformative world of fashion representation with Britney Wittes, a trailblazing short model who's challenging industry standards and creating space for diverse body types. From her early start in commercial modeling to founding Why Not Petites, Britney's story is a powerful narrative about resilience, inclusivity, and redefining beauty standards.

Our conversation explores the complex intersection of fashion, economics, and mental health through the lens of model representation. We'll unpack how Gen Z is reimagining industry norms, pushing for sustainability, and demanding more authentic representation. Britney shares her personal journey of pivoting when traditional modeling pathways closed, ultimately creating her own platform that nurtures and empowers shorter models who have been historically overlooked.

Listeners will get an intimate look into the inner workings of the modeling industry, the challenges of breaking traditional height barriers, and how one person's vision can spark meaningful change. From her work with major brands like American Girl and McDonalds to her mission of creating a supportive community for petite models, Britney's story is both inspiring and eye-opening.

Follow Teddi, Melissa, and the show on Instagram:⁠ ⁠@teddilovesfashion⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠@the.melissa.fierce⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠@getdressedfordinner⁠

Follow Briteny on Instagram: @whynotpetites

Join your favorite style-obsessed besties this week:

• Teddi (The Instagram Queen & Fresh FGI Rising Star)
• Melissa (Tech Entrepreneur & Documentary Maven)

This episode is PACKED with Chicago Fashion Week tales!

Episode Highlights:

• Teddi snags the FGI/Chicago Rising Star Award (Yes, Melissa's heard about it a thousand times... and counting!)
• Behind the scenes of Teddi's debut on Daytime Chicago, strutting for the incredible Dana Asady
• Our deep dive into the eternal question: Why do we keep buying black everything?
• The mysterious allure of oversized glasses on women (We have THOUGHTS!)

Meet Your Hosts:

• Teddi (@teddilovesfashion): Style icon extraordinaire with 80K+ followers and collabs with 50+ brands
• Melissa (@the.melissa.fierce): The branding brains behind some of the most successful Chicago fashion start-ups and creator of "Life in Perpetual Beta." Currently producing a doc about computing pioneer Grace Hopper!

Designer Love Notes (because Teddi's brain went a bit fuzzy during recording):

• @seresfootwear
• @carol_kennelly
• @margojewelry_

Catch us on the 'gram: @teddilovesfashion @getdressedfordinner @the.melissa.fierce

Disclaimer: This episode may contain excessive excitement about fashion awards and an unreasonable amount of black clothing appreciation

Jess Crane is a multidisciplinary artist and business consultant whose expertise spans the realms of fashion, music, and creative entrepreneurship. As the founder of Jess Crane Design, she’s been a driving force in product development and concept design for both major corporations and up-and-coming brands. In addition, Jess has impacted the fashion industry with her work on the board of AIBI Chicago and currently chairs the Nominations Committee for FGI Chicago. Her passion for preserving and celebrating local fashion history shines through in her ongoing research project on Chicago’s rich fashion legacy.Jess has a BFA in fashion Design from the Illinois Institute of Art Chicago and an MS in Recreation sports and Tourism from the University of Illinois Urbana Champagne.

Follow Teddi, Melissa, and the show on Instagram:⁠ ⁠@teddilovesfashion⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠@the.melissa.fierce⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠@getdressedfordinner⁠

Follow Jess on Instagram: @jesscranedesign