Meet 13-year-old star fashion designer and author Cara Mailey.
WORD HUNT!
In the article, find:
WORD HUNT!
In the article, find:
Cara Mailey tore open the package as soon as it arrived. Inside was a project that the 13-year-old from Northern Ireland had worked hard on for several months: a shiny blue tracksuit.
Cara tried it on and spun around. It fit like a glove!
The tracksuit is just one of the special garments designed by Cara for kids like her. Cara was born with a condition called achondroplasia (ay-kahn-druh-PLAY-zhuh). Achondroplasia causes a person to have short arms and legs.
But for Cara, that doesn’t mean she’s much different from most kids. “I’m really the same as everyone else, except for my appearance,” she says.
Cara Mailey is a 13-year-old from Northern Ireland. One day, a package arrived for her. She tore it open. Inside was a project that she had worked hard on for several months: a shiny blue tracksuit.
Cara tried it on. She spun around. It fit like a glove!
The tracksuit is one of the special garments Cara designed for kids like her. Cara was born with something called achondroplasia (ay-kahn-druh-PLAY-zhuh). Achondroplasia causes a person to have short arms and legs.
But for Cara, that doesn’t mean she’s much different from most kids. “I’m really the same as everyone else, except for my appearance,” she says.
Khara Pringle Photographic
“She’s Fierce”
© Tyrone Productions
Cara with her fashion-designing tools
Shopping for outfits was always a problem for Cara. Jeans were so long she’d trip over them. Shirt sleeves hung past her hands.
Her grandmother began altering the clothes Cara bought to make them fit. But that took a long time. Sometimes, Cara would have to wear clothes made for much younger kids. But that attire made her feel a lot younger than she actually was.
Then, in 2020, Cara appeared on a kids’ TV show. Two fashion designers saw the show and asked Cara if she’d like to create clothes for other kids like her. Cara answered immediately: “Yes!” She got to work taking measurements, creating and modifying designs, and testing out different fabrics.
The name of Cara’s fashion brand? “She’s Fierce”!
Shopping for outfits was always a problem for Cara. Jeans were way too long. Shirt sleeves hung past her hands.
Her grandmother began altering Cara’s clothes to make them fit. But that took a long time. Sometimes, Cara would have to wear clothes made for younger kids. But that attire made her feel younger than she really was.
Then, in 2020, Cara appeared on a kids’ TV show. Two fashion designers saw the show. They asked Cara if she’d like to create clothes for other kids like her. Cara answered right away: “Yes!” She got to work taking measurements, creating and modifying designs, and testing out different fabrics.
The name of Cara’s fashion brand? “She’s Fierce”!
Cara’s Message
Now Cara’s trendy tracksuits and cozy hoodies are sold online around the globe. But Cara is not just designing apparel. She’s also an actress and a writer. She recently published a novel called I Got This with children’s book author Chrissie Sains. The book’s main character has achondroplasia.
Through her work, Cara hopes to share one message with kids like you: “Even if you’re different, you can do anything.”
Now Cara’s trendy tracksuits and cozy hoodies are sold online around the world. But Cara is not just designing apparel. She’s also an actress and a writer. She recently published a novel called I Got This. Children’s book author Chrissie Sains helped write it. The book’s main character has achondroplasia.
Through her work, Cara hopes to share one message with kids like you: “Even if you’re different, you can do anything.”
Courtesy of family
WIN CARA'S BOOK!
Write a letter to Cara, sharing three things you learned from the article. Send your work to “Cara’s Contest” by February 1, 2023. We’ll give the letters to Cara, and five winners will each receive I Got This by Cara Mailey and Chrissie Sains.
Visit the Storyworks Contests page for more information.
WIN CARA'S BOOK!
Write a letter to Cara, sharing three things you learned from the article. Send your work to “Cara’s Contest” by February 1, 2023. We’ll give the letters to Cara, and five winners will each receive I Got This by Cara Mailey and Chrissie Sains.
Visit the Storyworks Contests page for more information.
This article was originally published in the December 2022/January 2023 issue.
This article was originally published in the December 2022/January 2023 issue.
