I’m not an orange lover by any means, but a rich rust shade absolutely proves my exception to that rule. If anything, burnt apricot tones are some of my very favourite of all colours, and certainly some of the tones I most look forward to in autumn. Whether it’s on my person or on the trees (and thus, eventually, the ground,) the cinnamon tones of fall is probably the single thing that brings me the most joy in that season. As such, it can be no great surprise that I fell in love with this Tawny dress by Hell Bunny the moment I clapped eyes on it. It may be dreary and wintery outside now, but let’s fall back into autumn with Tawny.

Dress: Tawny Mid dress gifted by Hell Bunny
Tights: Emerald City by Snag Tights
Bangles: Old Splendette
Bag: Old JustFab
Boots: Old Cognac Cecily boots by JustFab

Layering my love for rust with my love for tartan is bound to produce a fabric I’m destined to adore, and I truly do adore this Tawny print. With dark tones of brown and green intersecting with cream to create the tartan hatches across the rust background, the colour palette of this dress fully encompasses the life cycle of forest green leaves crisping up and wilting into brown before returning entirely to the earth for yet another year. Such epitomising of fall means it’s easy to layer your accessories in all the autumn colours that will make you feel most cosy and happy, even now when we’ve passed into the colder, darker tones of winter. Dress for the season you miss most, I say! Dreaming of autumn and wearing its colours certainly helps me feel more content when faced with the grim realities of an approaching January.

The Tawny dress has three-quarter length sleeves, my favourite sleeve type because it looks good on literally every body, and a collared v-neck. It has functional buttons in a central placket, but also closes with a hidden back zipper. The swing skirt can handle a slim-medium petticoat, but more importantly it has pockets—huzzah! (Will I ever stop cheering pockets? No, never, how dare you even ask!) As it’s one of Hell Bunny’s Mid dresses it’s more knee length than their 50s styles and has a more modern feel, while still incorporating silhouettes and design features from the mid century. It’s an excellent day dress that modern folks who might not even care about vintage fashion can look fabulous in. It’s modest and smart, but still casual, so you can wear it pretty much anywhere you want.

I asked for this, as usual, in the same 2X I always wear in Hell Bunny. The waist flat measures 39 inches flat with just under an inch of give, while the bust flat measures 46 inches. There’s some give to the fabric but no real stretch. The waist sits a little high on my frame and as the skirt is 24.5 inches long those two factors make it a great dress for the petite or those who are short waisted. The circumference of the sleeves across the bicep is 15 inches, so with the non-stretch fabric in mind ladies who struggle with tight sleeves may wish to order up a size. The dress closes with a back zipper that finishes below the unbroken collar.

The Tawny dress comes in sizes XS-6XL and Hell Bunny ship worldwide, in addition to having in-store and online stockists all over the world. If you love this Tawny fabric but the dress cut isn’t for you, there’s also a Tawny pinafore dress, swing skirt, and wide legged trousers available. 

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Disclaimer: The dress featured in this review was gifted to me by Hell Bunny in exchange for an honest review.  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 and safely in a secluded outdoors area with no other individuals present or passing, thus practising strict social distancing measures in an effort to help reduce the spread of Covid-19.