Special dress for a tiny 13 year old

[gaunyerseljeannie]

Desperately need advice as we live VERY far away from shops and will have one brief trip to the big smoke before Christmas to source THE MOST IMPORTANT DRESS EVER!
My daughter is very petite, would fit age 9/10 clothes if they were long enough, but is about 4'11. She really wants a lovely dress to go to her Christmas dance, but anything she considers suitable is usually too big around in her opinion and/or too short in both our opinions.
Has anyone good experience of particular shops to focus on? Or has seen/bought something online for themselves or their daughter?
Thanks
PS I'm not a very dressy mum and can't afford to order lots to try on, so this trip is it :-)

Hollister do nice dresses, my daughter had a size XS a couple of years ago (age 11). Jack wills also do nice dresses but they only start at an 8 which I'm guessing will be too big? My daughter is now liking Top Shop and their stuff starts in a size 4. Hope this helps.

would it be worth looking at a petite adult range?

What style of dress is she looking for?

Designers at debenhams are quite good:
black
blush
Or I would totally recommend River Island, not all branches do kids clothes so maybe check where you can get to one RI dresses

When my daughter had a prom at her leaving junior school she wanted an adult style dress but they were too big so we go got one that was the right length and I sewed darts in the back to make it the perfect fit.

We bought a slightly above the knee, sleeveless taffeta dress from Debenhams.

It was a shift dress but she wore it with an embellished belt and it looked lovely.

Can you sew or know anyone that can alter a dress?

We have found dresses at New Look in their 9-14 range. They are age appropriate. If she has a small frame the Hollister ones will be too big, we have to get them taken in for my 15 year old (she has narrow shoulders). The Jack Wills clothes are enormous. I think the Top Shop petite stuff will also be too broad. River Island have some small clothes, they seem to be truer to old style sizing.

New Look have other dresses in store, we found a navy dress two weeks ago for my yr 8 daughter but this one looks age appropriate (not too tarty!)

black lace yoke sweetheart skater dress

My daughters dress was very similar to this only her one was mauve/light purple and the straps were wider.

It was so easy for me to take it in at the back at the bodice and with the belt/sash around the middle the skirt was left unaltered and the size 6 we bought became the perfect fit.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/121066399192?lpid=83&device=t&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=83&ff19=0

If she fits age 9/10 she will be smaller than a 4. DD1 is a very petite just turned 12.
For her primary leavers dance we went to BHS occassionswear. Not a shop Id normally frequent but we got a lovely dress and there were a few girls on the night in dresses from there.
They seemed to hit the right mix between slightly more grown up without being too old but in smaller sizes. Think we got 8/9 but she isn't as tall as your DD.

XS in Hollister is pretty small. DD is 11y and wears dresses from there, as do many of her friends including a couple who really are tiny.

Hi,
Try Miss Selfridge petite
My DD13 is also teeny - age 9-10 at New Look fits her best, apart from length,
but we bought a size 4 dress from Miss S petite section and it fit beautifully - probably was intended to be shorter but on her was perfect length.
If you want something more expensive special, try Lipsy - their dresses are small fitting and start at size 4 so might work.
Good Luck

Id say River Island, BHS or New Look, all have a lovely range and small sizes.

Another recommendation for Holister.
The sizing is American and very very small, also skirts and dresses are very short(so ideal for a smaller girl) .

What style of dress and what is your budget?

Agree re: hollister being tiny. The dress we bought was for primary school leaving prom so she was 3 months off being 12 and is very slim. It fitted fairly loose and I had to adjust the straps. Length was on the knee. She can still just about get in it 2 years on but its really short now so for £60 she had great wear out of it.

m.bhs.co.uk/mt/www.bhs.co.uk/en/bhuk/product/children-1739685/older-girls-8-16-1020465/dresses-1020498/silver-all-over-sequin-mesh-prom-dress-2014803?bi=1&ps=20

m.bhs.co.uk/mt/www.bhs.co.uk/en/bhuk/product/children-1739685/older-girls-8-16-1020465/dresses-1020498/purple-jewel-strap-maxi-prom-dress-2104151?bi=1&ps=20

Sorry on phone so not clicky but I get lots of dd clothes from BHS, she is slim and I find the clothes great

My petite DD13 LOVES Hollister, and some things have fit brilliantly in xs,
but its a little bit hit and miss, especially with dresses -
tops, jumpers, coats she has bought successfully over past year or so,
but dresses not so much - they tend to fall off her.

My daughter is the same - top shop online petit/size 4 did it for her first proper party. They do a size 2 but but not in the style she wanted. I think per the measurements in the next catalogue she has the waist of an eight year old but is quite tall so the dress was a little short for my liking but might be ok for your daughter?

Have you tried Boden's Johnnie B range?

Tammy girl?

Dotty P 6 fits my 12 year old, who complains age 12 trousers are too big. I complain 10-11 are too short.

Dresses are difficult because they all allow for a different amount of boobage, probably too much if she can get age 9-10 on.

should add DD2 still doesn't wear a bra so DP is a good bet if not too big.

Wow!
So many kind replies, thank you all so much ... Nearest town ( 3 hours away) has lots of these stores, I didn't realise some of them did such small clothes or had kids ranges. I'll also follow up some of the online options
Would like to give you all a big hug
Thanks again x

BHS link I could see my 12y in any of these and DD1(15) in the strapless navy one, Sadly the days when I could pay kids prices for her are long gone. Even age 16 tends to be a 10 not a 12.