Label Love: Hell Bunny

Today's installment of the Label Love series is a fun one!  Any girl who is as enamored with retro style as much as I am is most likely familiar with Hell Bunny.  Like many of my favorite brands, Hell Bunny is based out of the UK, and is one of my go-to labels for when I need a rockabilly look on a budget.  In addition to their 1950's style garments, they're also an excellent resource for darker punk looks and cutesy lolita-inspired attire.  Their clothing is very well-priced, especially for the quality.  I've always found their pieces to be really flattering and fun, which are two of the most important qualities in how I dress!

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One thing to note about Hell Bunny is that they don't sell their clothes directly through their own website.  However, there are lots of popular retailers who carry their clothes (ModCloth, Hot Topic, Amazon), as well as tons of retro online boutiques (Tiger Milly, JBR Clothing, Beserk, Cats Like Us).  It's also a brand that's readily available on eBay, which can be really great if you're searching for a specific piece.  These three dresses are on my radar right now -- the first is available on a lot of websites, but the second two are much harder to find in my size!  I've loved the sunflower print one for such a long time, and I think the red polka dot bolero dress would be perfect for Disney World!

 Another thing to note about Hell Bunny is in regards to sizing: I've personally found that this brand tends to run a bit big on me.  Their garments don't usually contain stretch (the only exception is the short yellow gingham dress below, which has a shirred back), and normally in those cases, I'd wear a size large.  However, I wear a medium in all of my Hell Bunny dresses (and in the case of the one with the shirred back, I wear the size small!).  According to their size chart, I would fall between the medium and large, but believe me when I say that my size mediums have ample room.  I definitely wouldn't recommend ordering up in this brand, and in some cases, you may even want to size down!  The only garments I have in a large from them are actually the coats, and that's only because I wanted room to layer (and to make sure the buttons don't gape).

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Although I love my Hell Bunny dresses, one drawback to the ones I own is that they're made in a lighter weight cotton; it's great for the summer months, but in Upstate New York, they definitely don't last the whole year round.  I sometimes pair them with nude stockings, but in general, I don't think they look quite right with dark or colored tights, so they usually sit in my closet until spring rolls around.  However, I do have one of their coats (shown below), which I absolutely adore.  It's surprisingly warm and fits like a dream.  I love that it's more of a lolita look, but it can still look great with my retro dresses.  I'm actually getting this same coat in pink for my birthday (shh)! 

(See this post here)

 I also recently purchased two of Hell Bunny's pretty petticoats!  I had been warned about the length of their regular-sized petticoats by several people, stating that they were ridiculously long.  I ordered these two on a whim, when they happened to be on sale for $17 at ModCloth.  I was afraid of what they would look like, but I was so pleasantly surprised.  The length is absolutely perfect on me, and they are ideal for my full-skirted dresses.  For reference, I'm 5'7", so they might not work on shorter ladies, but I wore one with one of my PUG Jenny dresses, and the crinoline didn't even peek out under it!  They are super soft and come in a huge variety of colors.  I'm not sure I would want to pay upwards of $60 for them (unless it was for a very special occasion), but they are much higher quality than my other crinolines, and I'm certainly glad I took a gamble!

My feeling is that Hell Bunny pretty much encompasses the ideal retro reproduction brand: they put their own spin on alternative clothing, and you don't have to compromise quality for the cost.  Dresses typically range anywhere from $60-$90 (and depending on where you look, you may be able to find them for less!), and they carry an incredibly wide range of styles, from the demure to the outlandish.  Their clothing is also widely accessible, and is carried both online and in some brick and mortar stores.  Their sizing may vary a bit from one style to the next, but I'll always be more likely to consider purchasing an item if I know it's made by Hell Bunny.

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What about you?  Do you own any Hell Bunny dresses?  If so, has your experience with the brand been similar to mine?  And if not, would you be more likely to seek them out now?

Have a great Tuesday!

xox Sammi