THIS. DRESS. IS. AMAZING. I wore it to the Symphony and felt like a million bucks. It's possibly my favorite rental to date. I usually wear a 2 or 4, and the 6 fit like a glove. I'd recommend sizing up. My date was speechless when I walked out in this puppy; it really is a game changer. It skimmed all my problem areas, boosted up my (pretty flat) 36A chest to make it look like I had proper boobs, and cinched in my waist to give me a fantastic hourglass shape. The zipper is tricky and doesn't slide easily (I had to have help getting out of it), but it's worth it for this dress. Rent her!

Red Lace Lena Dress

CATHERINE DEANE

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Size Worn: 6R

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

I thought this dress was slightly more Oxblood/Brown online, but it's definitely a dark chocolate brown when you see it in person. It's reasonably flattering and light/airy — perfect for spring and summer! I think you can dress this baby up or down, depending on what shoes and accessories you opt for. Not the most breathtaking rental I've had, but I'd still recommend it for anyone who's into chocolate brown and wants something modest but with a touch of sass (the open/strappy back lends the latter!).

Strappy Tank Dress

VINCE.

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Size Worn: SR

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

I loved this gown but ultimately went with my backup choice. Even though it touches the floor on short girls, it doesn't look BAD that way...just a little too long. Another woman at this premiere ended up wearing this, which made me feel BLESSED I hadn't picked it...because she was 5'11" and it looked perfect on her. I wouldn't have been able to compete.

Green Lace Cocktail Dress

Marchesa Notte

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Size Worn: 2R

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

Okay. I loved this dress. Beautiful fabric, perfect draping, amazing color, and the length even worked on my short frame...but it is just not forgiving on your body. This pic is me flexing like my life depended on it, and I didn't want to be sucking it in all night. I wound up going for another gown. If you have a flat tummy, give this beauty a try. I felt like a Bond Girl for the 10 minutes I had it on!

Oyster Veronika Midi Dress

AQ/AQ

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Size Worn: 2

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

I'm obsessed with Audrey, and I felt like this cocktail gown gave me a piece of her style. I'm sure it's meant to be shorter than it was on my petite frame, but I actually liked the length; it made the dress seem fancier than a regular cocktail gown. You'll definitely need sticky boobs. I didn't need shapewear at all with this one!

Arabella Ruffle Dress

Christian Siriano

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Size Worn: 2

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

I wound up choosing a different gown that fit the theme of our premiere better, but I'll be renting this one again someday! I fell in love with the shoulders. If you love your shoulders and clavicles, this can't be beat. Probably better for non-chesty ladies. Bonus perk: twirls like a princess gown. Nice weight to it; felt expensive, but it was a little too heavy. Don't care. Felt like a Rapunzel goddess.

Temptation Gown

C/MEO COLLECTIVE

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Size Worn: SR

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

I rented this for Pixar's Incredibles 2 premiere, and I felt INCREDIBLE the whole night. So many compliments. It was graceful yet alluring. I have basically no boobs, but I used a sticky bra underneath and this perked the girls right up. The corset boning built into the bodice was my favorite part. It gave me an hourglass figure and I got so many compliments on my body that night (not in a weird way, in a "my friends are very blunt" kind of way). It's definitely long on short frames. I wore 4.5 inch heels and it was still about an inch past the floor. Get this dress.

Black Sweetheart Gown

JS Collection

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Size Worn: 2R

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

Dear sweet mother of sparkle. This gown was divine. I didn't wind up wearing it for NYE because my date and I wound up doing a more casual bar-hopping night instead of an event, but I'm already planning on renting this again ASAP. I'm short but this was still the perfect formal length. I'm not busty (36A / 32B), so I didn't have cleavage in this — which I prefer. I will say, I needed a strapless bra in order to hold the top up; it would have been too loose if I went braless. Definitely a white silver not a steel silver. Rent this baby. You'll feel like a Marilyn Monroe goddess — it hugs curves in all the right ways!

Sequin Faux Wrap Dress

ML Monique Lhuillier

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Size Worn: 2R

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

I LOVE the fabric of this skirt. It's enchanting and flows so beautifully. It just wasn't flattering on my body. I could've used an XS — I'm usually a S, but the S didn't stay at my natural waist. Additionally, because this has multiple layers that all stem from the waistband, it gave me a few extra inches around my hips that wasn't super flattering since I'm wide in the hips. Beautiful skirt, though. I may give the XS a try someday in the future. If you're in the fence via size, I'd size down, though.

Illume Pleat Midi Skirt

Shilla

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Size Worn: S

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

Sadly, I found this to swallow my frame. I definitely wanted an oversized look, even boxy, but this was too much for my 5'3" to handle without looking 20 lbs heavier than I am. I think it's due largely to how long the coat is — had it been hip-length, it would have looked fine. If came down to mid-thigh on me, which just wasn't flattering. If you're taller, it might work. Also, this was straight up pink, not tan or off-white or slightly powder pink — baby pink. It wasn't the look I was going for in a teddy Sherpa. I'm returning this the same day I got it.

Aspen Sweater Coat

Amanda Uprichard

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Size Worn: XS

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

Perfect fit. Loose, breathable material, but the threading highlights both your natural waist AND the small of your back. It skimmed my hips so ideally and made my waist actually look smaller by some brand of fashion magic. Definitely be careful to get the proper size, though — the fabric has no give. Great for summers in San Fran where the highs are typically 70 degrees and the mornings are 55 degrees.

Navy Silk Shift

DEREK LAM

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Size Worn: 38

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A

I really enjoyed this dress, but had two main qualms. First, the material is much fancier than it appears from far away. It's absolutely stunning, gossamer, glittery...but it made me feel like the dress was too nice for my somewhat casual work. It worked better as a Saturday shopping outing. Secondly, the first wasn't terribly flattering on me. I'm short, have basically no chest, wider hips, and this dress sat a little funny on my petite frame. Just something to be aware of for all my Pete ladies out there! If you want to show off your shoulders, this dress doesn't really do it — the shoulder fabric is just too wide and overwhelming in small shoulders.

Mini Bloom Burnout Dress

kate spade new york

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Size Worn: 2R

Usual Size: 2

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 116lbs

Bust: 36A