I’m about to share my entire experience with the famed Hill House Nap Dresses- that includes the Athena Nap Dress, Ellie Nap Dress (and honorable mention to the Louisa.)
(And spoiler alert- my experience is mostly positive! Keep reading for the specifics.)
Believe it or not, this Nap Dress review has been years in the making. These chic and comfortable house dresses blew up almost overnight in 2020. The Nap Dress trend has been going strong ever since.
In fact they say once you buy one of the Hill House Nap Dresses, you can’t stop collecting them. I’ve definitely found that to be true for myself. I bought my first Athena during the initial craze, and I can’t stop picking up new ones every year!
You must be wondering how an item of clothing inspires so much of a cult following? What’s so magical about the Nap Dress? I’ve wondered this myself, and after thinking about it a bit, here are my thoughts-
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Why do People Love Hill House Nap Dresses?
- The style. The launch and popularity of nap dresses happened to coincide with the first season of Bridgterton. It was the hottest new show, and people fell in love with the the story, the DRAMA, and of course the fashion. These dresses captured that bygone-era look that people were craving.
- Comfort. Looking cute and feeling pretty while being comfortable at the same time? Sign me up! In the work-from-home era, everyone is looking for an alternative to sweatpants and lounge clothes. This is the perfect solution.
- Ease. You’d be surprised how easy it is to literally throw these dresses on and look perfectly put together. It's an especially great option for moms who might be tired, rushed, but still want to look and feel good while getting out the door in the morning.
- Being influenced. Let’s face it, a lot of people buy these dresses because of who the brand founder is- Nell Diamond. Not only is she a CEO with generational wealth, but she's literally dreamy. She has a seemingly perfect life and family, yet somehow comes off as friendly and relatable (all while wearing a Nap Dress.)
Why did I Write this Nap Dress Review?
- They’re expensive. I bought my first nap dress for around $100, but they’re only getting more pricey as time goes on. The Ellies now start at $150+ for a solid color version. That's lot of money for one dress. I want to help people make the best decision possible when making this purchase!
- Representation. I’m a mid-size (10/12) pear shaped gal and let’s face it, lot of brands don’t cater to my body type. I'm also not seeing a lot of representations of my body right now on social media. So I want to be a resource for those who are similar!
- Honesty. I bought these dresses with my own money. These were not gifted, so you can be sure I’m giving you my honest opinion!
Now for the Nap Dress Review
First off, there are several core styles of the Nap Dress. I have tried three styles- the Ellie, the Athena, and the Louisa.
Every season, Hill House comes out with different versions of each style. New prints and fabrics like plaids, florals, stripes, cotton, velvet, etc.
I’m going to structure this review by doing a comparison of the styles and fabrics I have. Starting out with the Athena.
(For reference I’m around a size 10-12, with a 38” bust and 31” waist.)
1. Hill House Athena Nap Dress
The Athena Nap Dress is my favorite from Hill House. It’s got puff sleeves, a square neckline and hits right above the knee.
I've heard that the most flattering clothes balance out your natural shape, which is maybe why I like this dress so much. I'm bottom-heavy with slight shoulders. So the puff sleeves exaggerate the top half of my body, while the square neck makes my shoulders seem wider.
I also love a more girly, flirty silhouette so the shorter length suits me well.
Random note- The old Athena nap dresses used to have a thin strap that tied across the back. It was a cute design detail, but I guess they did away with it. The last one I ordered didn’t have it.
I've heard that the most flattering clothes balance out your natural shape, which is maybe why I like this dress so much. I'm bottom-heavy with slight shoulders. So the puff sleeves exaggerate the top half of my body, while the square neck makes my shoulders seem wider.
I also love a more girly, flirty silhouette so the shorter length suits me well.
Random note- The old Athena nap dresses used to have a thin strap that tied across the back. It was a cute design detail, but I guess they did away with it. The last one I ordered didn’t have it.
The Fit
The Athena has a smocked bodice, which I love because it makes sizing easy and the fit very forgiving.I've noticed smocked dresses can sometimes be uncomfortable. Maybe it's just my sensitive skin. But if the bodice is too tight, or the material is too itchy, I just can't wear them.
The fabric on these dresses is stretchy but not too tight, and material is good quality feels nice against your skin (bonus- you can also wear these without a bra!)
It’s been said that dresses from Hill House tend to fit on the generous side, and I’d agree. I’ve ordered both small and medium dresses from Hill House in the past, and almost always go with the small.
The Swiss dot is one of the classic nap dress prints, and one of the first versions to ever come out!
This fabric is also usually the cheapest of every Nap Dress option. I think I paid around $80 for this one with all the discounts, and I was really excited!
The feel of the fabric great- a nice soft cotton.
The fabric on these dresses is stretchy but not too tight, and material is good quality feels nice against your skin (bonus- you can also wear these without a bra!)
It’s been said that dresses from Hill House tend to fit on the generous side, and I’d agree. I’ve ordered both small and medium dresses from Hill House in the past, and almost always go with the small.
Prints and Fabrics
Classic White Swiss Dot AthenaThe Swiss dot is one of the classic nap dress prints, and one of the first versions to ever come out!
This fabric is also usually the cheapest of every Nap Dress option. I think I paid around $80 for this one with all the discounts, and I was really excited!
The feel of the fabric great- a nice soft cotton.
Just be aware- this dress is thin with no lining, and it’s COMPLETELY see-through. I wasn’t really prepared for just how see through it would be!
You would definitely need to order a slip to go with it (I got one from Amazon.)
Still, I like this dress and I don’t mind wearing a slip with it. It’s perfect to have in my closet for summer.
Tartan Athena Nap Dress
I’ll admit it. There’s a part of me that wants to look like a Victorian child around Christmas time. That’s why I love the Tartan Nap Dresses from Hill House! I actually have two of them- Iris Tartan and Red Tartan.
The Iris is a thinner, more tighter woven cotton. I’m not sure if all the tartans a few years ago had this material, but its definitely different than the one I got more recently.
The newer version is a thicker, more textured cotton. It moves a little swishier, and it also has pockets!
Another thing I’ll say as a content creator, that these dresses look GREAT in photos!
Also, they travel well and don’t really wrinkle. I've literally had them at the bottom of my bag all day during a content binge around the city. I pull it out, put it on, and it looks perfect. THAT is worth its weight in gold.
You would definitely need to order a slip to go with it (I got one from Amazon.)
Still, I like this dress and I don’t mind wearing a slip with it. It’s perfect to have in my closet for summer.
Tartan Athena Nap Dress
I’ll admit it. There’s a part of me that wants to look like a Victorian child around Christmas time. That’s why I love the Tartan Nap Dresses from Hill House! I actually have two of them- Iris Tartan and Red Tartan.
The Iris is a thinner, more tighter woven cotton. I’m not sure if all the tartans a few years ago had this material, but its definitely different than the one I got more recently.
The newer version is a thicker, more textured cotton. It moves a little swishier, and it also has pockets!
Another thing I’ll say as a content creator, that these dresses look GREAT in photos!
Also, they travel well and don’t really wrinkle. I've literally had them at the bottom of my bag all day during a content binge around the city. I pull it out, put it on, and it looks perfect. THAT is worth its weight in gold.
Is Athena worth it?
I really love the Athena, and I feel that it’s worth it! I was very impressed, and think that they’re great quality.
It’s one of the less expensive nap dress options, so even if you don't catch a sale or clearance, it's a good value for the quality you get.
It’s one of the less expensive nap dress options, so even if you don't catch a sale or clearance, it's a good value for the quality you get.
2. Hillhouse Ellie Nap Dress
When you picture a Nap Dress, you think of the Hill House Ellie. It’s practically a classic now. With its tiered maxi length and ruffles coming off the shoulders, everybody knows this silhouette by now.
This is another super flattering dress for my pear body type, and I was so happy to get my hands on one!
As of right now, I have one Ellie Nap Dress (but used to have two.) Let’s talk about them.
The Fit
The Ellie also has a smocked bodice, so it’s stretchy and very accommodating. (No bra required.)In this style I actually went with a Medium instead of a small.
While technically the small fit me, the dress felt a little too close to my body. Having big hips, I prefer a more voluminous skirt. Smaller amounts of fabric tend to pull and bunch at the hip. And for a maxi-dress, I want that swing!
Prints and Fabrics
Tartan Ellie
I was able to snag the blue tartan color one year, and it’s everything I wanted!
The material is thick cotton. It’s got a beautiful drape and satisfying swish when you walk around!
And of course, that’s why I went with the bigger size. The more fabric on the bottom, the drapey-er and swishy-er it is!
Prints and Fabrics
Tartan Ellie
I was able to snag the blue tartan color one year, and it’s everything I wanted!
The material is thick cotton. It’s got a beautiful drape and satisfying swish when you walk around!
And of course, that’s why I went with the bigger size. The more fabric on the bottom, the drapey-er and swishy-er it is!
Velvet Ellie
Hill House also comes out with a Velvet Nap Dress option every holiday. One year I was obsessed with the Emerald color, so I went ahead and bought it! I thought it would be perfect for parties and taking content.
However, I was a little disappointed in the velvet Ellie.
The fabric is a beautiful velvet. It was comfortable and nice to put on.
The fit was the same as the other Ellies. However, I felt that the fabric was too heavy and weighed down the dress. The Ellie style is always so flowy, and the ruffled shoulders are prominent.
The fabric hindered the usual flowiness of the bottom half of the dress, and the shoulder ruffles were a bit limp. I ended up selling the dress on Poshmark. C’est lavie!
Is Ellie worth it?
Yes! I think it’s worth it to have at least one Ellie in your closet. To be honest, I do think this style could be a bit ubiquitous, just because it's was so popular in 2020 and beyond.
Yes! I think it’s worth it to have at least one Ellie in your closet. To be honest, I do think this style could be a bit ubiquitous, just because it's was so popular in 2020 and beyond.
However, it could also be viewed as a classic style. There's a certain classiness to it
3. Louisa Nap Dress
I have to say, the Louisa Nap Dress was my LEAST favorite. This is supposed to be a new and improved version of the Nesli nap dress, but for me it left much to be desired.
First off, I prefer the higher waist line of the Athena and Ellie dresses for my body type. Maybe that's just a personal preference. But it didn't sit at a flattering place, and it also felt too big in odd places- like the neckline.
The worst part about this dress was the material. It was made of a crepe polyester. I was really in love with the print, so I ordered it anyway. I reasoned with myself that it was an expensive dress- how bad could the fabric be?
The fabric was scratchy, uncomfortable, and completely unwearable. I've honestly had Shein dresses that felt better against my skin.
Not only that, but I had exchanged something else and got this dress instead. I was unaware it would be a final sale after one exchange, so I had no choice but to keep it. Live and learn.
First off, I prefer the higher waist line of the Athena and Ellie dresses for my body type. Maybe that's just a personal preference. But it didn't sit at a flattering place, and it also felt too big in odd places- like the neckline.
The worst part about this dress was the material. It was made of a crepe polyester. I was really in love with the print, so I ordered it anyway. I reasoned with myself that it was an expensive dress- how bad could the fabric be?
The fabric was scratchy, uncomfortable, and completely unwearable. I've honestly had Shein dresses that felt better against my skin.
Not only that, but I had exchanged something else and got this dress instead. I was unaware it would be a final sale after one exchange, so I had no choice but to keep it. Live and learn.
Is Louisa worth it?
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This one is obviously a pass for me. However, just because I didn't have a good experience with this dress doesn't mean you won't. For me, the biggest downfall was the fabric. So I'd advise that when in doubt, stay away from the polyesters and order the cotton.
Also, be aware that you can't exchange items more than once.
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