diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 49ebb82..e768f97 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -152,25 +152,35 @@ becomes
 
     <View style={{flexDirection: 'row', marginVertical: 20, marginHorizontal: 15}} />
 
+### The string shorthand
+
+Passing a string value to the `margin` or `padding` props in both `View` and `Row` components allows you to write the common CSS shorthand syntax
+
+    margin: 10px 5px 10px 5px
+
+as
+
+    margin="10 5 10 5"
+
 #### margin
 
-Shorthand   | Style Result 
------------- | -------------
-`margin={20}` | `{margin: 20}`
-`margin={[20]}` | `{marginVertical: 20}`
-`margin={[20,15]}` | `{marginVertical: 20, marginHorizontal: 15 }`
-`margin={[20,15,10]}` | `{marginTop: 20, marginHorizontal: 15, marginBottom: 10}`
-`margin={[20,15,10,5]}` | `{marginTop: 20, marginRight: 15, marginBottom: 10, marginLeft: 5}`
+| Shorthand               | String Alternative    | Style Result                                                        |
+| ----------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `margin={20}`           | `margin="20"`         | `{margin: 20}`                                                      |
+| `margin={[20]}`         | N/A                   | `{marginVertical: 20}`                                              |
+| `margin={[20,15]}`      | `margin="20 15"`      | `{marginVertical: 20, marginHorizontal: 15 }`                       |
+| `margin={[20,15,10]}`   | `margin="20 15 10"`   | `{marginTop: 20, marginHorizontal: 15, marginBottom: 10}`           |
+| `margin={[20,15,10,5]}` | `margin="20 15 10 5"` | `{marginTop: 20, marginRight: 15, marginBottom: 10, marginLeft: 5}` |
 
 #### padding
 
-Shorthand   | Style Result 
------------- | -------------
-`padding={20}` | `{padding: 20}`
-`padding={[20]}` | `{paddingVertical: 20}`
-`padding={[20,15]}` | `{paddingVertical: 20, paddingHorizontal: 15}`
-`padding={[20,15,10]}` | `{paddingTop: 20, paddingHorizontal: 15, paddingBottom: 10}`
-`padding={[20,15,10,5]}` | `{paddingTop: 20, paddingRight: 15, paddingBottom: 10, paddingLeft: 5}`
+| Shorthand                | String Alternative     | Style Result                                                            |
+| ------------------------ | ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `padding={20}`           | `padding="20"`         | `{padding: 20}`                                                         |
+| `padding={[20]}`         | N/A                    | `{paddingVertical: 20}`                                                 |
+| `padding={[20,15]}`      | `padding="20 15"`      | `{paddingVertical: 20, paddingHorizontal: 15}`                          |
+| `padding={[20,15,10]}`   | `padding="20 15 10"`   | `{paddingTop: 20, paddingHorizontal: 15, paddingBottom: 10}`            |
+| `padding={[20,15,10,5]}` | `padding="20 15 10 5"` | `{paddingTop: 20, paddingRight: 15, paddingBottom: 10, paddingLeft: 5}` |
 
 
 
diff --git a/shorthandStyles.js b/shorthandStyles.js
index 242a0db..854362c 100644
--- a/shorthandStyles.js
+++ b/shorthandStyles.js
@@ -3,9 +3,19 @@ const shorthandStyles = (margin, padding) => Object.assign(
   getSpacing('padding', padding)
 )
 
-function getSpacing(type, spacing) {
-  const s = {}
+function parseSpacing(spacing) {
+  if (typeof spacing === "string") {
+    let spacingArray = spacing.split(' ')
+    spacingArray.map(s => Number.parseInt(s))
+    return spacingArray.length === 1 ?
+        Number.parseInt(spacing) : spacingArray
+  }
+  return spacing
+}
 
+function getSpacing(type, _spacing) {
+  const s = {}
+  const spacing = parseSpacing(_spacing)
   if (typeof spacing === "number") { s[type] = spacing }
   else if (Array.isArray(spacing)){
       switch (spacing.length) {
@@ -35,4 +45,4 @@ function getSpacing(type, spacing) {
   return s
 }
 
-export default shorthandStyles
\ No newline at end of file
+export default shorthandStyles
diff --git a/shorthandStyles.test.js b/shorthandStyles.test.js
index 143f482..adf7880 100644
--- a/shorthandStyles.test.js
+++ b/shorthandStyles.test.js
@@ -42,3 +42,40 @@ test("top right bottom left", () => {
     marginLeft: 5
   });
 });
+
+test("[String] margin", () => {
+  expect(getStyles("20")).toEqual({
+    margin: 20
+  });
+});
+
+test("[String] margin padding", () => {
+  expect(getStyles("20", "20")).toEqual({
+    margin: 20,
+    padding: 20
+  });
+});
+
+test("[String] vertical horizontal", () => {
+  expect(getStyles("20 15")).toEqual({
+    marginVertical: 20,
+    marginHorizontal: 15
+  });
+});
+
+test("[String] top horizontal bottom", () => {
+  expect(getStyles("20 15 10")).toEqual({
+    marginTop: 20,
+    marginHorizontal: 15,
+    marginBottom: 10
+  });
+});
+
+test("[String] top right bottom left", () => {
+  expect(getStyles("20 15 10 5")).toEqual({
+    marginTop: 20,
+    marginRight: 15,
+    marginBottom: 10,
+    marginLeft: 5
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file