Hi!
NO purchased garment has EVER fit me properly. 6' 1" short waisted, hourglass sloping to pear shape. 36' inseam (same as my 6' 7" brother :roll: )
Time was (BC-before child :D ) I made all my own clothing. Jeans, coats, skirts, suits, etc.
McCalls & Simplicity def before Vogue, even the easy ones (but that has been said a couple of times)
Find some $1 yd fabric or buy a couple of sturdy goodwill poly cotton sheets. Get the Butterick fitting pattern. It is a waisted (true waist) straight skirted dress. The directions start you out on a full range of measurement taking. Make the dress in your sheet or $1 yd fabric. pin it write on it, etc. Sew the dress and darts in basting stitch, contrasting color thread. You can put a zipper in if you want, or have someone pin you in from the back, or you can sew the back shut leave the underarm side seam open, and pin yourself into it. make all your adjustments on the sheet dress, adjusting fit of all seams & darts. Cut the sheet dress's seams down to 5/8", cut it down into its components, draw the darts in before you take them apart. Use the sheet dress as your fitting pattern with any Butterick pattern you like. It's is extra work, but the end product is worth it. I have made 2 wedding dresses using this method for SIL & BFF.
A note about darts. Regardless of a woman's size the accuracy of the dart placement will make a wonderous difference in a garment's fit. Find the most outward part, the body's "point". On me, large woman, I drop down one inch, and toward the side seam one inch. THAT is the point of the dart. NOT right out ther on the body's point. If your bust is petite in addition to being a petite woman, your moves may not be one inch, but I think you get the picture.
Another dart suggestion, is to use a pattern with princess seams. Thus, no bust dart. You still need to know how to do darts, for back shoulders & on the waistline of skirts & pants.
Sew darts from widest to narrow. If it is pointed on both ends, start in the middle, go to the end, twice. As you stitch, aim for 1/4 in short on your angle, not to the tip of the dart. When you get to the point, take 3-4 stitches parallel to the fold of the fabric. this smooths the end out to nothing, and no dart pucker.
Everything else, the pattern will tell you how to do.
:thumbup: enjoy yourself!