This review has been a long time coming. It’s one of the most frequently asked questions I get over the past year…. Is the Hill House Nap Dress worth it? I’m going to do this as a Q&A set up based on a lot of the questions I get:
IS THE NAP DRESS WORTH IT? NAP DRESS REVIEW
IS THE NAP DRESS WORTH IT?
It’s so hard to say whether or not something is “worth it” because I think that’s largely subjective. For me though, the nap dress is very much worth it. So much so that, as you can see, I’ve acquired a nice collection.
WHICH STYLE DO YOU RECOMMEND THE MOST?
This one was the first that I bought and I totally understood the appeal from the first wear. I’ve since converted to be the biggest “Ellie” dress fan. If I’m going to buy a nap dress and if there’s one style I’m going to recommend, it’s the Ellie.
HOW IS THE FIT?
The nap dresses run big, in my opinion. If you’re in between sizes, I’d definitely recommend going down. And if you’re unsure between two, I’d go with the smaller. The smocking isn’t that tight, so especially if you have a smaller chest, you definitely want to go down a size. And if you usually go up a size to fit curvier hips, you do not have to with the nap dress since it’s so flowy.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE NAP DRESS?
I think it’s the ideal dress to just…. throw on. It’s ridiculously comfortable and breezy. It’s one of those styles that look great with sneakers and espadrilles and barefoot, too. Especially in the summer, I tend to gravitate towards dresses that aren’t fussy and can just suffice on their own. It’s easy to throw on a denim jacket or wear with a fleece (I wore mine with my Dudley Stephens a lot this summer).
WHAT IS THE FABRIC LIKE?
So every nap dress feels a little different. Honestly, I think Hill House is still honing in on what makes a good apparel fabric. I would definitely recommend a) reading the fabric descriptions and b) following both @hillhouse and Hill House founder @nelliediamond on Instagram. Before launches, they do Q&As and walk through the fabrics. It is soooo helpful because sometimes the photos don’t do the fabric justice and other times I love the way it looks and then when I see a sneak peek on Instagram, I realize it’s not a fabric I would wear. I think this is crucial in fabric satisfaction. (For example, the light blue on the website looks like a simple blue but on Nell’s Instagram, she described and showed that it actually has a slight shimmer to it.)
I hope they do more solids with 100% cottons and no shine. I love the fancy aesthetic to look at, but I think classic prints (like the green gingham from last summer) and solid colors are much more practical and wearable.
HOW DO I GET ONE?
The Ellie dresses go fast. Especially the special releases. I know they’ve been better about doing more inventory, but for many of the fabrics, you have to get it while it’s hot, essentially. Again, following @hillhouse and @nelliediamond on Instagram will ensure you know exactly when and what is launching. Not going to lie, I’ve been known to put the launch on my calendar. They’ve started doing a virtual waiting room pre-launch and then it refreshes right at the set time. Dresses, especially smaller sizes in the fun prints, go fast.
CAN YOU WEAR A BRA?
Yes! The Ellie dress especially is “some bra friendly.” My favorite Natori feathers bra, for example doesn’t work because of the shape…. but a bra with more of a square neckline will. I typically don’t wear a bra, but if I did, I would go for a strapless bandeau bra personally.
