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

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 options for a 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, and I figured it 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? It was cute enough online, but not that cute, ya know?

It’s fair to say I was totally blown away when my Hill House order arrived. The quality is 10/10, the fit is so flattering and the smocking holds you in versus letting your chest sag like so many other smocked dresses, the ruffles on the shoulder are the perfect scale and flatter your arms, and the neckline is tastefully low without being revealing at all.

My Hill House Nap Dress is one of the better purchases I made this year, and I wear all the time. I shared more details below, but case in point: best purchase ever.

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

Like I mentioned above, I was skeptical of the hype around Hill House Nap Dresses. And yes, there is totally hype around them – all of my favorite retailers have started carrying Hill House, I saw people sharing them on social media constantly, and my content manager told me try them when I was shopping for my going-home outfit for my second baby’s arrival. The hype was very much there.

But online, they just looked like regular smocked midi dresses with feminine patterns. However, now that I own and love a Hill House Nap Dress, the verdict is that you must try these on yourself to understand how great they are. I’ve broken down all of my favorite features (and one not-so-great factor) below, but when it comes down to it, you have to see for yourself (just like I did).

Let’s get into a little brand background first.

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.

Now that you have some background on Hill House Home, here’s my review of the Hill House Nap Dress.

How do Nap Dresses fit?

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, which is 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 in general, they are probably very similar in terms of sizing and comfort.

As for sizing, I recommend to get your true size, or if you’re on the fence for any reason (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 a size XS even with my larger-than-usual chest size while breastfeeding.

One of the main selling points of the Nap Dress is how comfortable it is. The bodice smocking is sturdy and has compression to hold in your bust, but it’s not too snug or uncomfortable. 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.

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

Are Nap Dresses good quality?

Yes. 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 out horizontally in the chest because I have a larger bust, or my chest sags because the smocking doesn’t have enough structure to hold them in place. Neither is super flattering.

Not the case with the Nap Dress (and specifically The Ellie). 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 am actually able to wear this without a bra, despite being 39 and breastfeeding my second baby. If you want to wear something underneath, I recommend these sticky boobs. They’re thin and reusable, and they give you just a bit of coverage.

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

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 have to 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 summer line are the Watermelon Tonal Seersucker and the Navy Stripe.

Like I mentioned above, there are other styles of the Nap Dress too. You can find sleeveless Nap Dresses, short Nap Dresses, and Nap Dresses with long sleeves. All of their Nap Dresses are listed on a page here on the Hill House Home website.

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

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. You just can’t beat the comfort of the fit and how flattering the dress looks on all body shapes.

What shoes to wear with a Nap Dress

The beauty of a Nap Dress is that it can be worn with any shoes! Sneakers, sandals, heels, flats, you name it. I love how functional this dress is in my own life. I find myself choosing sneakers or sandals most often, but you can easily dress it up with a fun bag, great jewelry, and pair of heeled sandals.

Can you wash your Nap Dress?

My only qualm is that they aren’t the easiest to throw in the wash. You can put them in the washer with a full load, but you have to lay them flat to dry. And I try not to wash mine often so the smocking doesn’t get ruined. I prefer a dress I can throw in the wash and dryer without a second thought, but 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 in the navy peony bouquet cotton, and I’m currently eyeing their swimsuits (namely the Giana in this black lily of the valley colorway), and would love to try the Charlotte Nap Dress in navy stripe.

Unfortunately the Eyelet Noemie Skirt is almost sold out. If you’re an XS, you’re in luck.

Hill House Returns

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

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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