Honest Hill House Nap Dress Review (Is it Worth the Hype?)

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It took me years to finally invest in my first Hill House Nap Dress. In fact, it wasn’t until I was in a pinch and needed a few more dress options for family photos that I finally bit the bullet and placed an order.

It wasn’t necessarily the price that turned me away for so long (I spend similar amounts on dresses from places like Tuckernuck all the time— see my favorite Tuckernuck dresses here); it was the fact that there were dupes everywhere. I figured the real thing couldn’t be that special. I mean, how could it be any different from the similar midi dresses with smocking I was seeing everywhere else, including Amazon? (If you’re looking for a good alternative (though, not quite as perfect), Quince has a smocked midi dress that’s very similar. I left a few sizing notes for the Quince dress in this Quince review.

I was totally blown away when my Hill House order arrived. The quality is 10/10. The fit is so flattering, and the smocking actually holds you in versus letting your chest sag like so many other smocked dresses do. The ruffles on the shoulders are the perfect scale and flatter your arms, and the neckline is tastefully low without feeling revealing. The best part? I felt beautiful in it when I was freshly postpartum (yes, it’s nursing friendly), and I still love wearing it now that I’m not in the early postpartum months. It’s truly a jack-of-all-trades kind of dress, and I think everyone should try it.

My Hill House Ellie Nap Dress is one of the best purchases I made last year, hands down.

Hill House Nap Dress Review: Is it Worth the Hype?

Yes! Now that I own and love a Hill House Nap Dress, the verdict is you must try one on yourself to understand how great it is. I’ve broken down all of my favorite features (and one not-so-great factor) below, but the short answer is that it’s 100% worth buying.

Nap Dress Sizing

It’s important to note that Hill House makes a few different styles of Nap Dresses, but they’re all similar. I own the Ellie Nap Dress, the most classic style with flutter shoulder straps. I can’t speak to the fit of the other Nap Dress styles, but I do think they are probably very similar in terms of sizing and comfort in general.

As for sizing, I recommend getting your true size, or if you’re on the fence for any reason (e.g., if you have a smaller bust), size down. The sizing is very forgiving since it’s smocked, which makes your size choice less complicated. If you’re usually an XS/S, get the XS. If you’re usually a true medium, get the medium. I wear an XS even with my larger-than-usual chest size while breastfeeding.

Nap Dress Comfort and Fit

One of the main selling points of the Nap Dress is how comfortable it is, and part of that reason is the way that it fits—supportive yet flowy. It was designed to be so comfortable that you could actually nap in it, and while I haven’t done this, I can confirm that it is comfortable enough to do so.

The bodice smocking is sturdy and has compression to hold in your bust, but it’s not too snug or restrictive. Some smocked dresses make my chest look saggy rather than “held in,” and the Nap dress holds you up and in without feeling too tight. The straps are also smocked with a ruffle/flutter detail, and they don’t pull down on your shoulders or fall off—they stay right where they should.

The rest of the dress is a typical A-line fit that flatters most body types. It’s fitted where you want it to be and flowy everywhere else. For that reason, the Nap Dress photographs really well too. It’s a great choice for family photos.

Overall, the fit is true to size, comfortable, and flattering.

Nap Dress Fabric and Quality

The quality is one of the reasons I finally understood the hype when I tried on this dress. I mainly noticed how well-made the smocking was. I own a handful of smocked dresses, and my main complaint is that the smocking usually stretches horizontally in the chest because I have a larger bust, or my chest sags because the smocking doesn’t have enough structure to hold it in place. Neither is super flattering. Given that, I had to wear a bra, which was often difficult to hide since the square neck shows most bras.

However, that is not the case with the Nap Dress (and specifically The Ellie). Like I mentioned above, the smocking is sturdy and secure, with a good amount of compression. It stretches, of course, but it also pulls everything in, and you don’t have to have perfect posture 24/7 to keep the chest looking normal. I’m actually able to wear this without a bra, despite being 40 and breastfeeding my second baby with DD cups. If you want to wear something underneath, I recommend these sticky boobs. They’re thin and reusable, giving you just a bit of coverage. A few of my Neiwai bras also don’t show, and those are also insanely comfortable.

The Nap Dress is 100% cotton, so it’s lightweight and breathable but not see-through. Oh, and it has pockets!!!

Are Nap Dresses pregnancy and nursing friendly?

100%, and I wish I had ordered them when I was pregnant with my boys! The smocking is elasticated, so it grows with you, and the tiered skirt has tons of room for a bump. I love my Ellie Nap Dress for nursing because you can easily pull down the straps and the smocking to breastfeed. And the pattern I own masks all milk stains.

I now recommend Hill House dresses to anyone who asks me for a good maternity photoshoot dress or nursing-friendly dresses. You just can’t beat the comfort of the fit and how flattering the dress looks on all body shapes.

Nap Dress Patterns

Along with the hype around the Nap Dress comes a scarcity factor. There are always some variations of the Nap Dress in stock, but the patterns and colorways are often limited edition, so you must act fast if you want something specific. Nell and the team do a great job of building excitement around new drops, so the highly anticipated collections sell out quickly. The colorway I own is the Pansy, which is no longer available.

Two of my favorite colorways that are currently available as part of their spring line are Apple Green Stripe, Navy Calico Trellis, and Navy Trailing Fern.

Like I mentioned above, there are other styles of the Nap Dress too. The Anjuli Nap Dress has thinner straps (still elasticated) and slightly less chest compression; the Cosima Nap Dress has a high neckline and more smocking, the Madeline Nap Dress has short sleeves and a feminine, scoop neckline, and there are also mini versions. All of their Nap Dresses are listed on their Nap Dress Shop page.

While I only have the Ellie Nap Dress right now, here are a few other Nap Dresses I’ve tried:

The Nesli Nap Dress in Blue Botanical

The Scarlett Midi Nap Dress in Blue Peony Bouquet

What shoes to wear with a Nap Dress

The beauty of a Nap Dress is that it can be worn with any shoes! Sneakers (my favorite white sneakers are linked in this post), sandals (here are my favorite spring and summer sandals), heels, flats, you name it. I love how functional this dress is in my own life. I often choose sneakers or sandals, but you can easily dress them up with a fun bag, great jewelry, and a pair of heeled sandals. I’m 5’1″, so keep that in mind when you look at these photos. The midi length is a bit longer on me than it may be on you!

Can you wash your Nap Dress?

My only qualm is that they aren’t the easiest to wash. You can put them in the washer with a full load, but you have to lay them flat to dry. I try not to wash mine often so the smocking doesn’t get ruined. While I prefer a dress I can throw in the washer and dryer without a second thought, it’s worth the extra effort to lay it flat to dry.

Other Hill House Styles

While the Nap Dress is Hill House’s bread and butter, they have a ton of other cute styles, as well. I own the Delphine Nap Skirt, and I’m currently eyeing their swimsuits and would love to try the Charlotte Nap Dress in navy stripe.

Hill House Returns

Like any great retailer, Hill House does free returns on domestic orders. Easy peasy!

When did Hill House Home start?

Fun fact, Hill House is actually Hill House Home. Nell Diamond started the brand in 2016 as a bedding business that focused on the very popular “grand millennial” trend that was starting to gain so much popularity. But since 2016, Hill House Home has transformed into a brand that includes clothing, bedding, bath, and even baby products. These days, they’re most famous for the Nap Dress, which is designed to be so comfortable you could nap in it.

Bottom Line

I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to finally try on a Hill House Nap Dress. They’re better than you’d imagine they’d be, and you’ll find yourself wearing them at least weekly. As a busy mom who likes to be able to play and chase her kids and still wants to look and feel cute, Hill House has nailed the perfect dress.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below!

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