It’s that time of year when the sun is playing coy with us here in the UK; bright one day, snowing the next (no, literally, today it’s snowing up north, but yesterday we had a lovely sunny day here down south.) So when there’s a chance to throw on a summery dress, boy does it feel glorious. And it doesn’t get much more summery than this tropical little Hell Bunny number.

Dress: Ukulele 50s dress gifted by Hell Bunny
Bag: Half Moon Basket Bag by Ellen & James
Shoes: Soft Gold Palmas wedges by Hotter*

I’m not much of an orange person generally, but I absolutely love the colour palette of this dress! The red-toned apricot background of this fabric pairs beautifully with the variety of muted earthy greens used for the foliage, the pale cream flowers, and the light tan of the ukuleles scattered throughout the print. It feels warm and soft to look at, like the setting sun on the horizon of a tropical island.

The cut of this dress is, as you can see, a summer darling. It has elasticated short sleeves that can be worn on or off the shoulders, while the elasticated scoop-neck keyhole bustline flatters all body types and features a decorative wooden button. It’s breast-feeding friendly, thanks to said elastic neckline, and there are hidden pockets in the side seams of the full swing skirt. Made from a cotton mix fabric, it’s lightweight, just what you want for warm summer days, and there’s a decent amount of give in the material which makes it comfortable to wear. There’s room for a medium volume petticoat under the skirt, should you wish to don one, but I love the floaty feel the dress has when worn without one.

I asked for this in my usual Hell Bunny 2XL/18. The bust flat measures 44 inches with room in the stretch/elastic for up to about 48 inches. The waist is 38 inches flat with stretch to 40.5 inches. The skirt is 27 inches long. The circumference of the elastic sleeve cuffs when measured flat is 14 inches, but there’s plenty of stretch in the elastication, well over 20 inches. I didn’t experience any pinching or digging in on my upper arms at all, which is typically the case for many brands, sometimes even in elasticated sleeves. Wearing this dress is a truly comfortable experience, even for someone like me who regularly tugs at sleeves, waist seams, and the back of my neck in fidgety discomfort. This dress closes with a hidden back zipper.

The Ukulele 50s dress comes in Hell Bunny’s extended size range of XS-6XL. The same print is available in a circle skirt, the Ukulele skirt. Hell Bunny are offering a 20% discount site wide at the moment with code ‘Spring20’, so you can grab anything you’ve had your eye on at a nice little discount! Hell Bunny ship worldwide and have in-store and online stockists all over the globe.

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Disclaimer: The dress featured in this review was gifted to me by Hell Bunny in exchange for an honest review. I purchased the shoes, which are made by Hotter, who have previously gifted me other items for past reviews. All opinions expressed are truthful and my own, with no input from any of the companies listed or any other individuals. 

COVID-19 NOTE: These pictures were taken alone in my garden, this abiding by the strict lockdown rules currently in place in the U.K. to help reduce the spread of Covid-19.