petite summer dresses in your 40s

[ghluhaefupareh134]

Am desperately searching for a nice summer dress. Feeling like I can no longer wear the short dresses that I used to wear in my 30s. Looked all over Oxford street but everything seems so large. Am quite petite - size 6 and 5.3 and every time I tried something on in the shop, I just feel completely swamped. Tried all the usual Zara, Mango, Massimo, Cos, &other stories - why is this year's fashion so enormous. Anyone got any tips/advice. Cant spend the whole summer in jeans and trousers

Well I’m very jealous that Oxford St is 5 mins away from you! Living the London dream

Yeah, I just find the high street massively disappointing at the moment. Zara’s good, but tends to be oversized. Topshop used to have a good petite selection - maybe try ASOS as they stock Topshop now

@23andbroke well not really. After spending five hours traipsing up and down it inc Regent St - I got nothing. You are probably right and online is the way forward. Am just so rubbish at knowing what fits especially when it comes to dresses

@WineGetsMeThroughIt agree on Debenhams. In fact, I feel like all 'real' shops that used to have a petite section have disappeared. Why do people think that a model who is 5'10 is in any way representative of all people

I think the good thing about online shopping is that you can dream of an outfit and find something pretty similar online. Whereas in store you’re buggered if what you want/your size isn’t trendy enough!

What’s your figure like?

If you like oversized shirts as a dress, you can probably find some in Zara. Just buy the largest size they have in a normal shirt and you can most likely get away with it

Seasalt do a petite range of clothes, on-line only though.

Boden. I do send a lot back, but every now and then there is a success.

Try Abercrombie and Fitch. They re-positioned after the new CEO and have some really lovely Reformation-esque dresses. Sizes go down to petite xxs. I’m 5”3 normally UK6-8, and petite/regular xs-s fit well (go regular for short dresses as they are seriously SHORT). Worth having a look!

You need to shop online if you want petite. So many places have excellent petite ranges online, when they just don't stock them in shops anymore.

I'm not as slim as you, but I'm 5'1". I have a lot of lovely dresses from Apriot and the length for their shorter dresses sits well on me.

I do think the fashion for dresses at the moment is a bit frumpy. All these horrible floral midi dresses.

Same problem. I bought one from Hush and it was absolutely ginormous.......

I'm five foot. Size 8 or 10. I bought the Boden petite Lola dress and it's really a good fit.

@DeloresPickleRick Yes - Apricot. I'd forgotten about them. I have a few nice dresses from there.
Agree there's a lot of midi dresses and they just aren't right for me.

O goodness so agree, 4 11 and 6/8 i do have long legs but am shortwaisted which does make it slightly easier lenghwise but thats with skirts a midi becomes allmost a maxi on me which is fine if its swirly so hss to be viscose not cotton too stiff and for summer polyester too hot,i dont have that many dresses as being short waisted they often dont work on me,ive couple cotton jersey over knee dresses one i had to have shortened twice,extra 20.00 on top of what i paid for it but from late lamented Warehouse.

.just sent for skirt online from Monki which i think belongs to H&M group ,length ok but as said my longish legs help with skirts.very plessed with it.i spent hours trailing round H&M Zara etc everything seemed huge.Most Petite ranges are and never were great,M&S s is awful.ive one coat from there,thats all.Though their jeans jeggings and trousers 6/8s do come in petite and fit well.though 6s are rare.i usually snap only pair short 6s up.

Why also its assumed all size 6/8 people are 5 10 most in real life are shorties like us.

Have you tried Iconic? Yes online, BUT free 60 day returns, and vast range of brands. You can also enter your measurements, height, weight, preferred style of fit, and they suggest a size for you each time you are looking at something. I've had a lot of success with Iconic, and they have an Outlet site too!🙂

I'm 5 ft & size 8. One of my favourite summer dresses came from Oxfam. It was Monsoon on the label. I don't know if I'd have been confident to buy it new, full price because I don't often wear dresses.

Sometimes 2nd hand shops work well for trying to experiment with a new style. Like trying to decide whether maxi dresses capture a lovely summer romance feeling or something that drowns you in fabric and gets tangled up with your sandals.

I’m 5 foot 1 and only but in petite ranges. Boden has the best selection by far, I’ve always found.

Just tried apricot but I resent paying return postage. I like to try different sizes and styles. Just bundled 3 things into my basket and now not fussed.

Seasalt do petites but their summer dresses are low stock now.