The Keely dress is one of the new Hell Bunny pieces that I somehow manged to totally miss when I previewed the line at London Edge this season. I don’t know how, because when I flicked through their complete catalogue online a couple weeks later it was an instant screen-shot, must-have piece. It’s more of a 40s cut than my usual fare, but I was really excited (and only a little bit anxious) about trying it. I needn’t have worried: this dress is amazing.

With a full skirt and a modest but prettily pleated bust, it’s work appropriate, vintage inspired and downright beautiful.

Dress: Red Keely dress C/O Hell Bunny
Brooch & Bangles: Splendette
Shoes: Old Everything5pounds.com
Belt: Off my Viva dress from Deadly is the Female
Bag: Lola Von Rose

I am so in love with this dress. I wasn’t sure if the more 40s inspired features would work on me, but it makes me feel feminine, pretty and truly lovely. It’s made of a textured medium weight crepe that’s got weight to it that feels substantial. The richness of this red is more subtle and autumnal than a bright, lipstick red dress, not quite burgundy but not far off. It’s an incredibly flattering piece and it lays beautifully with or without a petticoat. There’s something about the way it moves as well that I just love, likely because of the material.

Basically, Hell Bunny done good.

The Keely dress has pleat details on the bust and waist, slight ruching on the cuffs of the sleeves, and small shoulder pads. All the buttons are workable, which is how you get in and out of it without a zip closure. There’s also a small sturdy popper placed exactly on the waistband between the two buttons on either side of it to help it stay securely closed without gaping, something I worry about in buttoned dresses or cardigans. I’m really pleased that isn’t an issue I have to consider when wearing this dress.

I got this in the XL/16 and it’s generously sized like most Hell Bunny pieces. The waist flat measures 36 inches with a couple inches stretch that allows up to 38 inches without gaping between the buttons. Some of my Hell Bunny styles from summer were tight in the sleeves for me even in the size 16 but this dress is perfectly comfortable in that area, with an armhole of 22 inches and the cuff circumference measuring 16 inches. The skirt is 26 inches long.

This dress is so lovely and makes me feel so good wearing it that it’s making me wonder if perhaps I have room in my vintage aesthetic to begin toying around with 40s styles more, something I’ve almost never been tempted to do. That’s a powerful dress to overcome my stubborn ways!

The Keely dress is available in red and black in sizes XS to 4XL. It’s currently out of stock on the Hell Bunny site but they’re expecting a second stock run this season, so anything that isn’t in stock at the moment isn’t necessarily gone forever. If there’s anything else you want from the Hell Bunny site the discount code Amymay20!% will get you 20% off. However, if you can’t wait to get your hands on the Keely dress then Hell Bunny have stockists all over the globe, so it’s worth checking with your local Hell Bunny stockist or searching online to see if you can track down your size.