I’m excited to share some unique, petite-friendly pieces today that are a few months in the making. I first came across this poppy print dress in April and fell in love, but knew it’d likely require lots of alterations. I reached out to the company, Chicwish, asking if they’d consider customizing it in petite sizing and in a knee length instead of midi. They were very accommodating and we ended up working on a few iterations, tweaking the proportions. The dress is currently available for purchase here in a petite XS, and the skirt version that I’m wearing is available for pre-order in all sizes!
The pattern and the full shape of these poppy pieces are so fun and feminine, perfect for parties, events, or going out to dinner. I honestly get so many compliments and inquiries each time I wear either piece! Most recently, I dressed down the skirt with a cream shell tucked in, and my low, Talbots neutral sandals. If I had to pick one piece amongst the two it’d be the dress, however I suggested Chicwish offer a skirt version as well because dresses can be trickier to fit different body types (torso length, bust, shoulders, armholes, etc). The skirt could also be more versatile for pairing with various style tops…going to try it with a striped, slightly cropped one next.
Fit-wise, I compared the samples against numerous items in my closet and would say XS fits like a US 00/0 or H&M; size 2-4. The waist of this skirt in XS is about 12.5 inches across (a little loose on me), for reference. As mentioned above the dress version currently only comes in XS for the petite length (and S-L in the regular midi length), but if there is interest in S, M, and L as well in the petite length, let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to share with Chicwish.
Compared to the dress in the stock photo, the petite XS dress is not only shorter, but the proportions are also adjusted in the torso length, waistline, armholes, and the width of the shoulder straps as one would expect from true petite sizing. I had photos taken of the dress version while we were in France (some of you may have seen a few previews via my Snapchat!), and will post once we get those back from our photographer.
The material of the skirt and dress feels like a satin-y twill, and has some structure to it to keep that full fit and flare shape. Please note that the material has a shiny finish to it and is non-stretch. There is a fitted waistband and an invisible zipper in the back, with pleats all around plus is fully lined. The workmanship is not high quality (ie. you can see the bottom hem stitch on mine) but I think the prices are very fair for the pieces. Not to mention, the items being available in petite sizing that actually fits saves a significant amount on alteration costs.
A few notes on ordering from Chicwish based on my previous shopping experiences with them:
– They offer free worldwide shipping for all orders which is awesome, however the company is based in Asia so items take a long time to arrive. Their website states 12 to 18 days as an estimate for standard free ship, but my personal experience is even longer.
– They accept returns within 30 days, and customers need to get an RMA prior to mailing back items. An issue I had with my first order was my RMA instructed me to mail the items back to Asia, which would’ve been costly. After contacting customer service (support@chicwish.com), I finally got a US returns address which was more reasonable: CHICWISH, PO Box 3371 Daly City, CA 94015.
– Sizing may run smaller due to Asian sizing, so check the measurements and any customer-submitted photos in the listing page.
Jean,
You have been a lifesaver to me in terms of outfit inspiration! As soon as I saw this skirt, I knew I had to have it. I usually wear a size 4 which the website said would be a size small. I found the sizing to run REALLY small. I ended up getting a large because even the medium was a little tighter than I'd like. Eek! I made sure to measure and make sure I wasn't gaining weight. haha.
Thanks for all your beautiful posts!
I just received both the dress and the skirt in the mail in XS and I am SOOO pleased.
I think my waist is just a tiiiny bit larger than yours, Jean, so I worried about going with XS but they both fit me beautifully. There is a little bit of forgiveness in the fabric though not much – just enough that if you are a true XS (or in Jean's case, a true XXS), the dress and skirt will fit.
The fabric … oh wow! You look amazing in this post but the pictures actually don't show how that the material is surprisingly heavy, while having the sheen and texture that makes it look light and thin. I was expecting a cheaper material. This fabric is lovely. It's no Kate Spade in fabric or workmanship (which I have a couple of) but it still puts up a decent fight in my closet.
I read your description of the fabric but it is still much nicer than I imagined. It is such a flattering drape. I agree that the bottom hem is not necessarily superb quality but it's also not poor quality, and is greatly overshadowed anyway by the beauty of the skirt. People will be so blown away by the beauty of the piece in general that they are not going to be staring at seam stitching! (I don't have a blog but I do have a local reputation for my style and taste, and I think these pieces will only add to my positive rep!)
– Elsa
I am a petite lady from Singapore, about yr height and abt 90lbs. Was very excited to see your recommendation and ordered the XS petite dress immediately. Unfortunately, it turned out way too large and I have to return it back sadly. Could you recommend any brands that run smaller than Chicwish's XS pls? Thanks a million. So far, only Topshop petite uk4 fits me like a glove.
Ooo girl I loooooove this skirt, so adorable!
Kristina does the Internets
Great look!!
I love Chicwish! Hopefully they will have more petite items available in the near future. I can never fit in most of the clothes because I am too petite 🙁
I love how you paired the skirt with the chambray sleeveless button up! This is such a cute summer outfit!
xo, Suzie Q
StyleCueBySuzieQ.com
Very 50's! Love the pattern and red heel.
XO, Jessi
mywhiteT.com
I completely agree with you. I tried Sheinside and every piece was awful. I ordered based on their online measurements for each piece. Not only that but their customer service was awful. It was like pulling teeth to get a return address and my entire refund. They piece meal-ed my return only giving me X amount of money back at a time. I finally got it all back, but it took about 3 tries.
Corking Around
I love that skirt! I've been skeptical about ordering from Chicwish, though. They have a ton of cute clothes but I've heard some mixed reviews.
You look gorgeous, though!
Julia // Little Miss Haute Couture
I like your skirt, it is very catchy, it is very appealing to the eeye.
That skirt is so stunning! I love its style and all the poppies on it.
http://arnellavanilla.com/category/home/
So pleased to see that your prominence in petite fashion enables you to get good petite sizes for all of us! I've just been chatting to Sole/Society about the disappearance of their 4 and 4.5 sizes in their shoes… All they can say is that they will pass on my comment to management. They did say they would pay more attention if they got more requests. Jean, if you and others want to contact them and let them know how much we appreciate petite, affordable fashion footwear, we may yet get somewhere. All the best, and many thanks!
Love this skirt, mainly because I have it in the dress version!
Stunning.
x
Emily Jenny
StilettoBeats
c/o means they got it for free. If it was sponsored, they should write it clearly in their post but most times I see it in tiny font at the end.
Ok… hopefully my post publishes this time. But my question is, where do you find crop tops that don't fit like a regular shirt and looks boxy? I've been looking for something forever!
I do not agree with this judgement simply based on the images and I have ordered nearly 10 midi skirts from Chicwish and they never disappointed me although shipping takes a bit longer than some U.S. based retailers. You can hardly find such a quality midi skirt in $40 on high street, at least not possible in SF. The clothes I have purchased from them are both fashionable and unique compared to what you find in stores! My favorite part about their items is everything I've bought from them always earns compliments. But the sizing issue is what you need to look at before ordering.
This is GORGEOUS. I love that you took initiative to get a piece that worked for you. It looks lovely and feminine and perfect.
– Kaitlyn | http://www.TheCrownFox.com
Wow, you look great! The skirt is very pretty; it has a Kate Spade-ish vibe to it 🙂 The color is lovely as well.
Phyllis | http://www.prettypleese.com
I love it and I've ordered both the XS Petite dress and the XS skirt. Thanks for working with them to make a more appropriately-sized dress for us petites! I've actually been looking for the perfect poppy dress for quite some time. – Elsa
I'm i love with that skirt!! it looks amazing and you look so pretty <3 I've bought things from both Chiswish and a similar store SheIn and while the quality seems to be on the down side you can always work around this fact thanks to the price. Plus, It's an advantage less when I have to tailor something that was inexpensive and make it my own vs tailoring something that was pricey and watch them chop off dozens if not hundreds of dollars.
Hope I made sense…
Xo
Pauline
http://www.prettypetite.org
I'm i love with that skirt!! it looks amazing and you look so pretty <3 I've bought things from both Chiswish and a similar store SheIn and while the quality seems to be on the down side you can always work around this fact thanks to the price. Plus, It's an advantage less when I have to tailor something that was inexpensive and make it my own vs tailoring something that was pricey and watch them chop off dozens if not hundreds of dollars.
Hope I made sense…
Xo
Pauline
http://www.prettypetite.org
YES FOR THE DRESS VERSION IN PETITE SIZES PLEASE! <3
I love it!! You look absolutely stunning!
xx
Mademoiselle Coconath
http://mllecoconath.com
Gorgeous skirt! Love the print. Thanks so much for sharing your shopping experience with Chicwish–especially the US returns address. Super helpful!
lifestyle by joules
Thank you for your comment! I feel that at every retailer these days is a tradeoff of design, fit/sizing, quality and price. The usual brands that I love like Anthro, AT and J.Crew are not always good quality and often require alterations. I agree and did mention above the hemlines of these pieces are not great workmanship. However, compared to items that retail well above that price point, I am pretty happy with the fit, unique design (at least that you don't see everywhere in the US), and features like the invisible zipper and full lining.
Such a beautiful outfit!
I've heard about Chicwish but have been so iffy on buying from them. I bought from a similar company before (Sheinside) and was horrified by how horrible the quality was. I've seen a lot of bloggers use Sheinside and Chicwish and wondered many times if it was sponsored or free. The item I actually bought from Sheinside was from another blogger and she mentioned nothing about the horrible quality or the weird sizing (a small was basically an xxs).
BUT you do look amazing in your skirt and I appreciate the honesty on the quality!
coffeeslag
COFFEESLAG Daily Look Elite Review
Great skirt! I love it, babe<3
Shall We Sasa
Beautiful combination of blue shirt with orange skirt 🙂
http://fashionmuses.com/fashion/70s-jumpsuit-earthy-tones-and-mixing-prints/
You look so beautiful in your outfit!
xoxo Lynda
http://fashion-petite.blogspot.com/
Love ur style, you are soooo pretty!!
http://arcticraspberryblog.blogspot.ru
This skirt looks fab on you and glad they were able to work with petite sizing. I am still very reluctant to order from these sites since I can't imagine the quality being that great but their styles and pricing sure makes it tempting.
Alice
http://www.happpinessatmidlife.com
Would love to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.
I love your outfits, and I love the poppy print! However, the quality of the skirt is really bad, and you can totally tell in photos. The seem is uneven and stretched, and shoddy workmanship does not justify the $40+ price tag… you can buy a nice sale piece from Anthropologie with that money
I love your skirt!! You look beautiful in this dress!!
Hugs,
Love from http://www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}