I normally wear a size 4 or 6 dress, depending on how it's made, and I'm about 5' 2.5", and the size S fits perfectly. It's loose at the top and in the sleeves and just a little snug on me around the hips, so I think I'll wear a smoothing slip for extra support. Worn straight, the dress hits me an inch or two above the knee (perfect for me, since I'm not looking for a micro-mini). It gets a little shorter if I "blouson" it up with a belt or tie it in the halter style, and it falls below the knee when configured as a strapless.The design of the dress is really cool. I just got it and haven't officially worn it yet, but I've tried out the various shapes in front of the mirror. I think I love it most in its "normal" state (worn with both sleeves) and paired with a cute belt and pumps or high-heeled black boots. Very dramatic. The one-shoulder effect looks really good, too. This will be the perfect dress to take on vacation because if you change it up and accessorize it differently, it would basically look like you're wearing a different dress each night. And it's a nice stretchy jersey material that looks like it will pack well. I love it!