This dress is the best!!!! I've tried on SO many casual dresses this fall and have only found one that fits me just right besides this one. I am pear-shaped and think this dress is perfect for that body type. I am 5'3", 32-26-36 and bought the XS. It is very fitted in the bust so if you're bigger than 32" across the fullest part, order up a size. It skims over the hips and drapes perfectly from there...SO slimming. It's fitted through the middle, too, which works for me as my problem area is saddlebags (and this dress hides them perfectly!). The licorice color is a fine neutral but beware it might be tough for legwear....it's the color of black licorice when you bite into it - a bit of a brownish, greenish black. You put this against black leggings and it has a brown-green cast to it...you put it against charcoal gray leggings and it clashes...I'll probably do black leggings for now and look for some cream or oatmeal heather leggings to pair with it (because brown boots will look awesome with this color). So excited, ordering another color!