Hill House Nap Dress Review

Curious about the nap dress phenomenon? Here’s my Hill House Nap Dress Review!

Alright friends, I finally caved. After resisting for the entire pandemic, I finally gave in and ordered a nap dress – and while they aren’t ideal for petites, I do get the hype now. These dresses are beautifully made and so comfortable that you could, well, nap in them 😂

Hill House Home was founded by Nell Diamond in 2016. The company originally started as a bedding collection but have since expanded to offer home, accessories, baby & kids, bridal collections, and of course – the now iconic Nap Dress®. They launched the dress in 2019 and trademarked the name in January 2020, right before it really took off.

So what’s with the name? Are you supposed to actually nap in it? Not really – but I’m pretty sure the point is that you could. Although the Caroline nap dress still looks way too much like a nightgown for me. But the Ellie is versatile, feminine, beautiful, AND wildly comfortable. When talking about why she created the Nap dress, Nell said:

“I wanted to design something that allowed me to feel like myself during a 3:00 am feeding, when I’m so bone-tired and have four thousand emails and I’m thinking about taxes and my laundry and my to-do list and the Nap Dress® came to be as a solution to a problem inherent in my own life.”

Women have clearly been craving an investment piece like this that they can wear (and feel pretty in!) while running errands or attending a fun event! So today, I am dedicating to this post to my thoughts on the oh so popular Hill House Home Nap Dress along with a few other styles they sell. Let’s dive in!

Hill House Nap Dress Review

Sizing & Length

I am usually somewhere between an XS and small in most dresses (or size 2!), but I heard that these dresses run big, so I ordered the Ellie in an XS. It fit, but it felt like way too much fabric in the skirt. I exchanged it for an XXS and while there’s not a huge difference in the length, I do think there’s a little less bulk in the skirt.

For reference, I’m 5’2″ and it sits right at the top of my ankles. In other words, petite gals don’t really have to worry about tripping on it – it just might be a little long for your personal style preference.

Fit

No matter what size you get, the smocked bodice is super stretchy, which is a really nice feature. No need to worry about zipping this bad boy up. The sleeves are not adjustable, but I found them to be a great length. As for the skirt, it’s definitely full and roomy! Again, I think it feels even fuller on me because of my height. It comes all the way down to the tops of my ankles, whereas I think it looks less full on taller gals when it’s more of a true midi length.

Comfort

WOWZA this dress is comfortable. It’s lightweight and breezy and you can wear a bra and the list goes on!! I also just suggested it to my friend who is pregnant and she confirmed that it’s also super comfortable with a baby bump! The smocked top stretches nicely and as I said above, the skirt isn’t restricting at all.

Fabric

The nap dresses come in a few different fabrics but the one I got is nearly 100% cotton (97% cotton, 3% elastane). It’s super lightweight and breathable which will be absolutely perfect for hot and humid summer days. I’ve heard the white swiss dot and limited edition lace ones are sheer and usually require wearing a nude slip underneath, but I didn’t have that experience with the colors I ordered at ALL. No need for nude underwear or anything!

But I think the best part is that they are machine washable. Wash with a full load using cold water and lay flat to dry. I always appreciate a dress that doesn’t require a trip to the dry cleaner, so THANK YOU for that, Hill House!

Quality

I’m super impressed with the quality of everything I tried. While I’m not keeping everything I ordered, quality certainly isn’t the reason for my returns. I think they’ve done a beautiful job with design, fabric, and construction.

What I ordered

The Ellie Nap Dress

This is the OG!! The one that started it all! The Ellie Nap Dresses are the style I was talking about in the section above. Scroll back up to read more about fit, quality, fabric, and more since it’s all up there. I’m wearing the XXS here.

The Elizabeth Nap Dress

The Elizabeth Nap Dress is the shorter version and while it’s very similar to the original, I have some additional thoughts on this one. At first, I thought this was a better length on me, but after contemplating it for a few days, I actually think it’s a little too long. And you can’t shorten it because there’s a ruffle – so just keep that in mind if you’re around 5’2″ like me!

The quality and fabric is all top notch though, and I love that it comes in a bunch of colors!

The Paz Skirt

Alright, this skirt is the only item I ordered that I really didn’t like. The fabric is 100% linen so different from the dresses, but still excellent quality. I ordered a size small and it fit, but I just didn’t love it on me. I think the tiers in it made me feel wider and hip-y… which isn’t what I’m going for 😂 It looks cute on SO many other people though, so if you’re taller or less curvy than me I would definitely still go for it!

The Paz Top

While I didn’t like this top with the skirt as a set, it’s so cute on it’s own with jeans!! Like the skirt, it’s also 100% linen and super comfortable. The straps and smocking is exactly like the dresses, and the little ruffle around the waist is really sweet. Again, I am 5’2″ so it’s plenty long on me with high waisted bottoms, but if you are super tall, it might be a little more cropped on you. I got this in an XS and it fit great!

Is The Hill House Nap Dress Worth It?

I always have trouble answering if something is “worth it” because it depends on so many things! But if you love to wear easy and comfortable dresses in the summer and $150 is within your budget, then YES. 1000% worth it. Out of all the styles, I personally think the original Ellie dress is the best investment because it’s the most versatile.

These dresses can be worn with flat sandals to a casual brunch or I could dress it up with heels to go to a wedding. There aren’t a ton of dresses that can do all of that!

That being said, if you can’t spend $150 on one singular item this year – don’t worry! A ton of other brands have started releasing their own versions inspired by Hill House’s design. This one looks really similar and comes in 28 different colors. And it’s only $64 for Few Moda members. They also have a $49 top that looks super similar except for a longer ruffle at the waist. That comes in 4 colors.

If you don’t want to go that route, this maxi isn’t quite the same but definitely has similar vibes. It comes in petite, regular, and tall sizing with a choice of 7 colors/prints. It retails for $100, but I’ll keep an eye out for sales for you!

Do you have a nap dress? What do you think of yours?

PS. If you liked this Hill House Nap Dress Review, you might also like Reformation Size Guide, The Best Petite Friendly Items from Everlane, and Spring Wedding Guest Dresses.

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