I had high hopes for this dress, but unfortunately the fit was challenging. I originally ordered a size small, and while the length felt much better, I couldn’t zip the sides comfortably. I exchanged it for a medium, which fit my waist and chest better, but the overall proportions felt off. There was quite a bit of extra fabric through the bust, shoulders, and midsection—areas where I would have preferred a more fitted silhouette. The back straps also felt slightly loose. The seam where the bodice meets the waist landed right at the part of my stomach I usually prefer to skim over, which ended up being less flattering than I expected. The quality and design are lovely, but I think this dress may work better for someone with different proportions. If you’re petite with a more athletic build, you may find the fit difficult to dial in between sizes. Of course, I’m still figuring out my sizing across brands, so take my experience with a grain of salt, but this one ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me.

Norton Maxi

AFRM

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Size Worn: M

Usual Size: 6

Height: 5' 4"

Weight: 138lbs

Bust: 34B

I rented this dress for my wedding rehearsal dinner. I selected two sizes- 2 and 4. It was really frustrating because when I tried both on and neither one fit well. I'm 5'4, 122 lbs and the proportions of the dress were off for me (my measurements are something like 31 bust, 26 waist, 34 hips). I have a shorter torso and a more athletic top and found that with both sizes, the main problem was that the shoulders of the dress would not stay. Now on to the specifics... I went with the size 2 because the bust on the 4 was too big and looked ridiculous. The tradeoff of going with the 2 was that I couldn't expand my lungs (in other words, breathe). The waist is not a natural waist, nor is it empire - it falls somewhere in the middle of the ribs. The shoulder drooping issue was still problem with the size 2, which I guess might be a good thing in retrospect because I was forced to have good posture regardless if I stood or sat. But since it was hard to sit since the waist was so (SO) tight, I basically stood and drank way too much champagne (as evidenced by having the worst hangover the next day). Fortunately, my hips and butt fit in the dress fine, so I didn't get any pulling around the hips when I stood. Also, the length of the dress was perfect and the dress stayed in place when I was sitting (i.e., it didn't ride up and I didn't have to tug on the dress when I sat). I got a ton of complements on the dress, which made up for all the negatives. Paired with light salmon strappy heels and red lipstick. Bottom line, if you have more of an hourglass shape, the proportions might be better for you. If you are more boxy shaped or pear shaped, try to resist renting this dress. The price and color are tempting to resist.

Arabian Stars Align Sheath

Marchesa Voyage

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Size Worn: 2

Usual Size: 6

Height: 5' 4"

Weight: 138lbs

Bust: 34B