Graveyard Goodness with Hell Bunny's Harlow 50's Dress

As I said in my post earlier this week, Halloween wasn’t a big deal when I was growing up in Australia. It wasn’t a holiday we really celebrated. However as an adult, I’ve loved slowly incorporating more spooky outfits into my wardrobe for the month of Halloween and didn’t realise how much I enjoyed it til I realised I have almost 10 Halloween themed brooches in my drawer (oops!). So this year I decided to splurge and get myself a Halloween specific frock and Hell Bunny delivered well with the Harlow 50’s Dress in Halloween print.

Flowers ~ Orange Double from Daisy Jean Floral Design
Earrings ~ Minty green holly hoops from Daisy Jean Floral Designs
Necklace ~ Cozy Cobweb from Erstwilder
Dress ~ 50's Harlow Dress by Hell Bunny from Tragic Beautiful
Shoes ~ Red Loraine heels from Royal Vintage Shoes

When I saw this dress on Tragic Beautiful, I was at first a bit hesitant. I don’t really own any ‘themed’ dresses, I prefer to theme outfits with accessories. But I saw this gorgeous dress when it was released and it swayed me. I found the print wasn’t too overbearing and I loved the variety of things within the fabric. So I took the plunge and got it, along with my first kill star dress too! I got it express and it was in my excited hands the very next day, which was amazing. My dresses were couriered as well as opposed to being sent by Australia post which is awesome, as sometimes you can get things sent express with Australia Post and it still doesn’t reach for days. I was excited to see the fabric was just as vibrant in its coloring's  in person as it was online and it was with much excitement I tried it on when I got home.

It fit well, a little roomy with shapewear on but perfectly without. I got the Large, taking into account the lack of elastic in this style and that I’m sitting a bit bigger than I normally do and that I wanted to have the option to wear it without a corset if I wanted. The large was definitely the right choice.  It was easy to get into as well, with a back zip that didn’t catch and stayed up all day (zips that catch on the seam drive me crazy, especially back and side one!).

The first thing I need to say about this dress is that for a small busted pear girl, its honestly MAGICAL! The cut of this dress makes my waist look TEENY. Its not too big in my shoulders, which is a problem I often have with some styles of tops but mostly, it made my bust look big. I average a B to a C cup, brand depending so it was exciting for me to see such a fuller top half with this dress on. The shoulders are comfortable and don’t pull and the small capped sleeves really are a flattering touch. The bodice is lined as well, which was such a nice touch!

For this shoot I did wear my massive petticoat, but this dress is just as gorgeous with a smaller level of flair or even without a petticoat at all. The fall is beautiful and gives great curve to one’s shape. The bust is accentuated by some stitching in the middle as well, which adds to the fullness of the look. Accessorizing this look is so much fun! It’s a dream for matching brooches and accessories too. No rules, just play with what feels right for you!

The 50’s Harlow Dress in Halloween print will set you back $74.95 plus postage, which is a good price for such an amazing dress! If you’re after a fun Halloween dress that you can wear whenever you want to feel a little spooky, this is one to consider! If you aren't in Australia you can always buy Hell Bunny direct now too! Also, I am so pleased with my experience buying from Tragic Beautiful, that it definitely won’t be my last!

Also darlings, I'm current running a survey to see what you'd like to see more of on my page! If you could take too minutes to complete my survey I'd be super appreciative! Just trying to make my blog better! 

Til next time darlings!

Paradise magic with Hell Bunny

Every pinup I’ve met has had a specific pinup style that first started their love affair, whether it be vintage, nautical, animal print….there are literally so many but it was just a style that caught your eye and made you fall in love. For me, it was the tiki look. Its therefore no surprise my first PUG dress was from their tropical range. It is however a style I sadly don’t wear as much anymore, mainly due to most tiki styles having thin straps or being strapless, things I can’t wear 95% of the time anymore due to my job. But when I saw the new Hell Bunny 50s Paradise dress, I knew I needed it in my wardrobe!

Flowers ~ Melody Bundle from Daisy Jean Floral Designs
Bamboo Hoops - Ebay
Necklace & Bracelet ~ Lilac beads from Debstar Designs
Brooch ~ Large Dew Drop brooch in Orange from Dottie DeLite Jewellery
Dress ~ 50s Paradise dress by Hell Bunny bought from Natasha Marie Clothing
Belt ~ Kmart
Shoes ~ Kiki Sandals in green from Royal Vintage Shoes (Read Review here)

As much as I loved this dress, it isn’t one I jumped on straight away. For those who aren’t Australian based, the exchange rate has hardly been our friend in the last 12-18 months, after a drop of around $0.30 value off our dollar, it now costs us significantly more than it once did to buy from the USA and the UK. While I was seeing this dress EVERYWHERE online and loving it, the only places I could find it stocked where America and the UK. Postage combined with the exchange rate pushed the price up more than I was willing to pay, so I bide my time and waited. I was beyond ecstatic when I saw Natasha Marie was getting this dress in! As soon as I could fit it into my budget I bit the bullet and snapped this dress up and I have absolutely no regrets.

I had this dress the week after I made my purchase, which is normal for Australia post standard postage time frames. It arrived and I was instantly struck by how much prettier it is in person. The fabric pattern is such a beautiful soft print of tropical colours and it the stock photos really don’t do it justice. I was absolutely smitten! This dress is a reproduction of a 1950’s style shirt dress, which means it features a collar similar to a blouse, button detailing down the front and in this instance short sleeves. While it does have button detailing, it features a back zip for easy wear. The buttons on this particular dress are small round wooden ones which I feel just adds to the overall tiki vibe to this dress. I particularly love the top half of this dress. The waist is nipped perfectly and the cut is truly beautiful.

I bought this dress in a medium, which is my standard hell bunny open hip size, with the exception of the Ingrid and Jennifer dresses. I can wear it comfortably with or without shapewear which tells me its pretty true to size. While it was a little firm on my shoulders initially, with two wears I found this was no longer an issue. Something to note is that this dress is made of polyester, so it is incredibly thin! For winter wear I’ve been wearing it with a slip underneath as well as a crinoline to help me keep warm. This is definitely a summer dress and while I’m not wearing it much now as a result, I know it will get a LOT of wear when the warmer weather rolls around.

I chose to accessorise this gorgeous dress with colours I felt would complement the pattern. Lilac beads from Debstar Designs, a purple, yellow and orange hair flower from Daisy Jean floral Designs, green sandals from Royal Vintage Shoes and a tan brown belt with bamboo hoop earrings! Also, how incredible is this brooch!

This gorgeous Dew Drop brooch is made by Australian small business Dottie DeLite Jewellery. Based in Melbourne, the lovely Miss Dottie makes gorgeous 50’s inspired brooches in a range of colours and bead styles. I opted for this gorgeous brooch as I felt it would fit so well with this outfit as well as crossing over to my other cooler weather looks as well as my summer looks. It features a bronze glitter based and large orange beads! You can shop their store by clicking here.

I purchased this gorgeous dress for $79.95AUD + postage from Natasha Marie Clothing. If you are in the USA I have seen this dress stocked at Unique Vintage and as Hell Bunny is a UK brand I have no doubt there are re-sellers who stock it there (I am not as familiar with UK stockists due to the expensive exchange rate.

I hope you've all enjoyed this review! I certainly am in love with this dress and I wanted to show it in the perfect setting! 

Til tomorrow darlings!

Jumping into Nautical fun ~ The Ambleside Jumpsuit by Hell Bunny

As much as I've always loved the 'look' of jumpsuits, they are generally something I've always kept away from. Being rather robust in my lower half but incredibly petite in the shoulders has always had me worried that I'd have issues with upper body to lower body sizing and the idea of having to get something altered really just turns me off the whole idea. However, when I saw the absolutely gorgeous Ambleside Jumpsuit by Hell Bunny pop up on my instagram feed, in stock at Gwynnies I felt this fear crumble somewhat. Owning two pairs of the incredibly stretchy Nell pants I dropped Gwynnies a note and asked her if she could check the sizing for me. To my delight, they were a similar fit! So I bit the bullet, added them to my cart and said a little prayer to the online shopping gods.

Scarf ~ Repro nylon scarf in red
Earrings ~ Gold Glitter Hoops from Daisy Jean Floral Designs
Beads: Yellow necklace from Debstar Designs
Brooch ~ Gold Fish brooch by Luxulite from Coconette Oz
Jumpsuit: Ambleside Jumpsuit by Hell Bunny from Gywnnies
Shoes ~ Lorraine heels in red from Royal Vintage Shoes (read review here)

My pretty jumpsuit arrived swiftly in my hands thanks to the amazing service from Gwynnies and I was so thrilled that it looked just like the photos. However, it not only looked like the photos I could also feel the stretchiness in the fabric, that this jumpsuit had a lot of give, which is something I always love! Due to its nautical theme, I held off wearing it til casual Friday at work (which is the day I normally break out the more fun stuff) and after a day of wear I was pleasantly surprised!

So I'll start with sizing darling! This jumpsuit is incredibly generous. As a smaller busted lass with a rather full behind, I bought my nell swing pants size which is a medium (this fabric has a LOT of give). Without foundation garments this jumpsuit still fits me fine without any discomfort in the legs or hip region. The only thing I will note is that the arms are a bit firm on me, though its not uncomfortable or paintful and there is a teeny bit of button strain on the top button, however I do feel if I'd sized up to the large this jumpsuit would have been MUCH too big in the shoulders. I wear a 36/38B cup, if you are larger than that I'd suggest sizing up to accommodate your bust.

One absolutely adorable thing about this jumpsuit is the incredible collar detail! Not only does it have a double white band around the arms but also a full sailor style collar around the back. This collar isn't a distraction, it doesn't move around too much and isn't a hindrance. One thing I will note though, is that I found the jumpsuit does take a little while to get out of for bathroom visits, which is something to keep in mind!

The front collar detailing follows over from the back and ends in a pointed collar in a V shape. The buttons on the front actually have little blue anchors on them, which is just adorable. It also comes with a matching fabric blue sash which I actually like wearing with it. 

I also love the styling possibilities with this dress. I previously only really had one nautical piece and felt like I I had to stick to the red, white and blue theme. But I've been learning that you can branch it out. For this shoot I decided to wear this adorable goldfish in a bag brooch made by Luxulite that came with my order from Coconette Oz, a great little Australian accessory store that ships worldwide. I love the pop of yellow while still keeping to a 'nautical/ocean' theme! I kept the red to my hair scarf and shoes while showing in a pop of yellow with my necklace, brooch and earrings.

My verdict on this jumpsuit is that I absolutely LOVE it. Its comfortable, practical and a great fun piece to accessorize! I bought this jumpsuit for $84.95 from Gwynnies which considering the quality I was more than happy to pay. 

I hope you've all enjoyed this review darlings! As always, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments!

Til next time darlings!

Judy dress

2016 is quickly shaping up to be the year of the 1940s for me. After a few years of fluffing around the 1950’s, more and more 1940s pieces have recently been sneaking into my wardrobe. The Judy dress is one 1940s style dress from Hell Bunny I’ve been eyeing off for quite some time…however only being able to find it overseas (with ridiculous exchange rates/postage costs attached) really meant it stayed on my wishlist, always feeling slightly unobtainable. Then one night I was browsing the Natasha Marie Clothing website and saw she had it in stock at a steal price so instantly snapped it up to add to my wardrobe.

Flowers ~ Daphne's Daffodils from Daisy Jean Floral Designs
Beads ~ White bead necklace from Debstar Designs
Brooch ~ Spellbound Rose Brooch from Deer Arrow
Dress ~ Judy dress in Tobacco by Hell Bunny from Natasha Marie Clothing
Shoes ~ Betty heels in brown from Royal Vintage Shoes

I can honestly say, this dress blew me away on all levels. The cut, the fit, the comfort, the look. Its just a truly incredible dress. The dress features sleeves that go to the elbow that feature a cuff and 3 button detailing as well as pleating/ruffling along the bust along with buttons under the V neck. It also features a pleated skirt, which is great for wear without a petticoat for an authentic 1940's look.

The first time I wore this dress I got so many compliments from people to and from work. Despite being repro it does have quite an authentic 1940s look. I bought the medium, which is my normal size for Hell Bunny swing styles. I was a little worries about the arms being to tight when I first got it home but found that they had a surprising amount of stretch which was awesome. Made of polyester its incredibly comfortable and can give a little. I have worn this dress with and without shapewear and both are super flattering thanks to this amazing cut.

I love this dress in the tobacco colour. For some reason, for me it just gives it a more authentic look. Since going blonde I've found my interest in wanting to dress in a more authentic look, as it just feels more doable with blonde hair as oppose to fire engine red. Plus, I also feel like the block colour allows for a broader range when it comes to accessorising. For this shoot I decided to brighten it up with a yellow daffodil hair flower, white beads for a classic look and a pretty brooch.

I truly love this brooch from Deer Arrow. The spellbound rose brooch is a layered resin brooch that gives it a 3D effect. Reminiscent of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, this brooch is such a gorgeous finishing touch to any outfit. I love how the pink pops against the brown on this dress. They work so beautifully together. 

The price of this dress is an absolute steal! I snapped mine up from Natasha Marie for $34.95AUD + postage. Natasha had it in the post to me the next day and I was so excited when it arrived. I can highly recommend Natasha Marie for Australian pinup gals!

I hope you've all enjoyed this blog post and I'm loving being back!

More reviews coming this week and next so keep your eyes peeled! As always, happy to answer any questions left in the comments!

Til next time

Weekly Outfits ~ Week of 1st February 2016

Morning darlings!

Oh what a busy bee I was over the weekend! I've begun the oh so fun process of moving house this week which started with a room swap between my fella and his current flatmate, as we need the bigger room. That, coupled with a supply run for my business, the rock n roll markets yesterday and getting my hair done, I didn't get time to pop this up yesterday! 

But here you go! Last week's outfits of the day. No Saturday outfit this post though, I wasn't looking particularly glam.

Monday

Flowers ~ Red Rose Double from Daisy Jean

Brooch ~ Peak-A-Saurus Rex brooch from Erstwilder

Shirt ~ Alice top in black and white from collectif (discontinued)

Belt ~ Lilac Retro belt from Hell bunny purchased from Gwynnies

Skirt ~ Joni skirt in red from Hell Bunny (discontinued)

Shoes ~ Lila platfrom heels by Miss L Fire from Royal vintage Shoes (review coming soon!)

Tuesday

Scarf ~ Hair Discount Warehouse

Brooch ~ Cera says hello brooch from Erstwilder

Top ~ Portmans (discontinued)

Belt ~ Ebay

Skirt ~ lil Jun skirt from Pin Up Girl Clothing

Shoes ~ Payless (discontinued)

Wednesday

Brooch ~ Poison Apple brooch from Deer Arrow

Top ~ Mila Top in lilac from Pin Up Girl Clothing

Pants ~ Doris swing pants in black from Pin Up Girl Clothing

Shoes ~ Lila platfrom heels by Miss L Fire from Royal vintage Shoes (review coming soon!)

Thursday

Necklace ~ White beads from Debstar Designs

Brooch ~ Moth brooch from Creep Heart

Top ~ Sabrina Top in wine from Pin Up Girl Clothing

Skirt ~ Woodland Bloom skirt by Collectif from Gwynnies

Shoes ~ betty sandals in brown from Royal Vintage Shoes

Friday

Flowers ~ Blue Rose Double from Daisy Jean Floral Designs

Brooch ~ Peak-A-Saurus Rex brooch from Erstwilder

Top ~ portmans (discontinued)

Skirt ~ Dinosaur circle skirt from Circle Skirt Bazaar

Shoes ~ Payless (discontinued)

Sunday

When you love an outfit so much you wear it twice in one week!

Flowers ~ Red Double from Daisy Jean Floral Designs

Snood ~ ebay

Brooch ~ Love letters from Miss Lady A Broad

Top ~ Mila top in lilac from Pin Up Girl Clothing

Pants ~ Doris pants in black from Pin Up Girl Clothing

Shoes ~ Lila platfrom heels by Miss L Fire from Royal vintage Shoes (review coming soon!)

My posts this week will be fewer than usual, as I'm in the process of moving house but I'm excited to hit back into the blogging in the coming week!

Have a great day darlings!

Pretty in pink while taking the B.A.I.T ~ Reviewing the Halina shoes from Royal Vintage Shoes

 

Do you want to know a secret? Promise not to tell? Well when I was growing up....I actually didn't like pink all the much. I lived in blue. It was my colour. Growing up I had a deep fascination with the ocean and blue just seemed to be my way of expressing that. I liked pink enough as a red head but since going blond, I find myself rocking the pink more and more because honestly, there is just something amazing about pink and blonde that makes me feel so powerful yet simultaneously sweet. But that dear ones, is a conversation for another time!

What I am really here today to mostly talk about (as I know I will no doubt get distracted and tell you about this dress at the end as well) are the incredible shoes on my feet! Today I want to chat to you all about the Halina shoes by B.A.I.T that I got from Royal Vintage Shoes!

Flowers ~ Daisy Jean Floral White Signature Double
Brooch ~ Weasley brooch from Franny Lou Designs
Dress ~ Hell Bunny Mae West dress in pink from Natasha Marie Clothing
Shoes ~ Halina shoes by B.A.I.T from Royal Vintage Shoes

 As a pale lass, white shoes are a bit of a holy grail for me. Just like that mystical cup, finding a pair that is comfortable, practical and affordable can be incredibly difficult at times, especially in vintage styles. While I do wear a lot of darker styles, I find that pastels and softer colours, like my dress today are better matched with softer lighter shoes and to be honest I've struggled in finding the perfect pair. 

I'd been umming and aahhhhing about these shoes for a while. I'd seen them on the website and it wasn't til just before Christmas that I finally took the plunge and got them before Christmas to make sure I got them before my work shutdown. They were a hit at my work Christmas Party while my holiday period did steal any real chance of wearing them out (SOMEONE forgot to wear sunscreen!) as well as Sydney's unpredictable weather (SO much rain) I've finally been breaking them in as I return to work full time and therefore dress up in my pinup best daily once more.

By now you are all probably wanting me to hurry along and tell you what I thought of these amazing shoes so I'll stop jabbering on and tell you all!

The first thing I want to say about these shoes is that being synthetic, I find the breaking in period is a few days wear. I recommend during this time to wear stockings! I made the mistake of not doing that on my first wear of them (MISTAKE!) and my poor feet paid dearly with blisters. However, once you've worn them a couple of times they rub a lot less and the top will lift allowing the foot to fit more comfortably. I found mine to be a bit snug across the top still til after I wore them at home with socks for a few hours one night. This really did hep them loosen a little.

Aside from the breaking in period, I have honestly fallen in love with these shoes for a number of reasons:

1. As someone who walks a lot in their life when not at work (I catch public transport and like to go for a walk on my lunch break to help clear my head) I've found them to be comfortable to wear the whole day. I haven't needed to swap my shoes around which is awesome.
2. The heel height is also idea for a lot of walking. My arches don't hurt after wearing these shoes for around a 10 hour day (leaving the house, going to work, lunch time walk, coming home) which is always a bonus
3. The simple cream colour and design makes them so easy to wear with a variety of outfits
4. I do truly love the lighter shoes for summer.

Also, as a girl on the paler side who struggles to find beige heels that match I find these white shoes to be a great alternative. Dark shoes can sometimes make my legs look a LOT shorter than they actually are, where as the white helps make them look that little bit longer, which is great when I'm already wearing lighter colours! 

These shoes also have a definite vintage feel without looking too grandma-ish. I can foresee these being able to be worn with not just reproduction clothes as I have, but also with true vintage due to their design. 

Price wise these shoes are also pretty affordable compared to other 'retro' brand shoes! These total $72US ($103.57AUD) with reasonable shipping considering the size of the box they come in! Plus, even if you aren't in America you get tracking with USPS which Royal Vintage use and none of my deliveries have ever taken more than 2 weeks to arrive! Which is pretty awesome!

I wear between an Australian size 7 to an 8. I actually have one foot that is just over half a size bigger than the other which can make buying heels that lack a strap very difficult as well as having a foot thats quite narrow with a semi high arch. I got the 7.5 in these and while initially they were quite firm on my larger foot, once they had been broken in the fit was perfect. They fit perfect on my smaller foot from the get go and still do which is awesome! I love brands that do half sizing It really does help ladies like me with 'difficult' feet.

So before I finish up, how about this GORGEOUS dress?? Well I snapped up this Hell Bunny Mae West dress in pink from Natasha Marie Clothing on sale for just $39 + postage! I was STOKED! I'd been struggling to find it on ebay (its an older style/colour) and love my navy and polka dot version! This version goes SO well with my now blonde locks and was the perfect match for these shoes thanks to its white accents!

And just quickly too! How adorable is my little kitty brooch! The Weasley brooch is such a fun little brooch! Made my two kitty loving ladies of Franny Lou designs and only $14.95!

So just like Cinderella before she left for the ball, I love them. They are such a pretty, simple, versatile and practical shoe that I know I'll wear a lot being a pastel lover! Nothing beats a cream pair of basic heels as a pinup, especially when you are a pastel one!

A big thank you to Royal Vintage Shoes for taking me on as a brand ambassador! Its SO good to have access to a great camera now to start bringing for more great posts like this one!

Til next time! Much love

Disclaimer: Whilst I received these shoes as part of a sponsorship with Royal Vintage Shoes, all opinions expressed are honest to help ensure the most accurate information for my readers.