Petite dresses

fruitbat

Hi all,

I am going to a wedding at the end of August and need to find something to wear. I am also going to Dublin this weekend and will try and find something there.

I need a size 10 / 12, petite. I am only 5"1!

I know the high street shops that do petite, like Wallis, Topshop, Principles, M&S.... but have been scouring the online shops of these places and havent seen anything I particularly liked. I was interested in getting a prom-type strapless dress, but all they have is black, and I would love something a bit different!

Anyway, I'll get to the point... where would you recommend looking for petite occassion wear in Dublin?

On another note, anyone know any good websites for hairstyles?

Thanks!

CathyMoran

Hi,

I am size 8-10 and 5ft 2in and have never bothered with "petite" dresses. Karen Millen is always a good bet for weddings. All the best with your search.

Esmereldina

Advice from another very petite person
I've never had much luck with the petite collections - they have such small ranges that I never find anything I like in them. Just get a normal dress and wear it some very high heels! The only style I would stay away from is the maxidress as I think you have to be about 6 feet tall to wear them... For general dressy shopping, I like Whistles, Reiss, Coast, LK Bennett, Monsoon. You could always have a dress altered by a tailor if it was really too long - I do this with my jeans all the time and sometimes with skirts.

boffin

Because you are only a size 10/12 you should be able to wear regular ok and if the lenght is a little longer then you would like you can always get it taken up!

Sorry OP but I can't think of anywhere but remember online stores always have a much smaller range than in the shops...there will be more in the shops but its not a great time as the sales are still going on. You might want to try debenhans as they usually have loads of those style of dresses and as they are big department store, they probably do petite

For non petite shops I second the monsoon choice - I bought a dress there two years ago and still get a massive amount of complients when I wear it - noone every belives me its monsoon because it has a bit of a reputation for being mumsie! Also Julien in the Stephens Green do alot of debs dresses- heard TK max is great too!

fruitbat

Thanks for the advice. I do buy regular trousers and get them taken up, but I don't think it works for dresses. I always find the back too long on them and where the waist should be is usually much lower on me, and it generally ruins the fit. I find this with shirts as well, the back is too long and it makes them bunch and wrinkle in the small of my back.

I buy petite as much as possible just to get the good fit around my middle. I have a petite m&s coat and it fits me like a glove! Monsoon dresses are made for giantesses, tried on one or two long ones last year and they were a good foot too long!

Oh and debenhams have a petite range but unfortunatly it is for people who live in black, white, and probably over 50!

Creachadóir

Two of my good friends are 5"2 and they absolutely love Karen Millen. It really suits a petite figure even though there doesn't seem to be a petite range. I love those dresses too. Must check out the shop in Kildare Outlet Centre, it's been on my to-do list for a while! Oasis can do some fabulous dresses too. But maybe not wedding material..

Creachadóir

Creachad&#243 wrote: »

Two of my good friends are 5"2 and they absolutely love Karen Millen. It really suits a petite figure even though there doesn't seem to be a petite range. I love those dresses too. Must check out the shop in Kildare Outlet Centre, it's been on my to-do list for a while! Oasis can do some fabulous dresses too. But maybe not wedding material..

I think Wallis do a petite range too. Not my fave shop, but you'd be surprised what you'd find in there sometimes.

watna

I am also quite petite. ( 5 ft 3) but I've never had problems buying dresses unless there ankle length which i avoid like the plague. I think it depends on the style of the dress, whether it fits you or not. i always look for dresses that are meant to be short on normal sized people and then by wearing them you are making them a bit mopre decent. I'm not a fan of petite ranges because they think that petite measns skinnier and make everything smaller. I'm not skinny... just short! i usually end up buying a 12 in petite when I'm normally an 8.

Siogfinsceal

Hi, I agree with some of the others im an 8 and 5'2" but I dont really like petite ranges H & M, penneys and sasha and top shop all fit me fine. If its a dress for a fancy occasion it might be worth you looking in kildare village they have coast and karen millen up there

Esmereldina

fruitbat wrote:

Thanks for the advice. I do buy regular trousers and get them taken up, but I don't think it works for dresses. I always find the back too long on them and where the waist should be is usually much lower on me, and it generally ruins the fit. I find this with shirts as well, the back is too long and it makes them bunch and wrinkle in the small of my back.

I buy petite as much as possible just to get the good fit around my middle. I have a petite m&s coat and it fits me like a glove! Monsoon dresses are made for giantesses, tried on one or two long ones last year and they were a good foot too long!

Oh and debenhams have a petite range but unfortunatly it is for people who live in black, white, and probably over 50!

Just in case anyone is interested... I was in Monsoon the other day and noticed they now do a petite range too! It didn't seem to have a whole lot in it, but it's a start anyway. I will definitely be paying another visit as I don't really like any of the other high street shops that do petite collections, but it would be nice to find things I like in tiny sizes

lilly07

Karen Millen definitly, I was going to a wedding in august and need a 6 in a dress and karen millen was the only place that actually had size 6's... They are brilliant and the shop in grafton street has very helpfull staff

dudara

I'm a petite size 12 and have gotten most of my formal dresses from Debenhams Debut range and Karen Millen. The Debut range has lots of knee length dresses which just be slightly longer on a shorter person. Karen Millen stuff is just always so smart looking.

I find that when you're petite, you're better going with a structured dress rather than something floaty and flowerly.