I am 5'2" with an athletic build and I ended up wearing the XS. The small just looked like a burlap sack on me and was super loose in the stomach. The XS was a little bit tight on my butt but it fit a lot better in the stomach than the small. For dinner I paired the dress with a blazer and rolled up the sleeves to dress it down a bit and also for added warmth. I loved the dress though and got so many compliments on it!