Hill House Nap Dress Review

Alright, guys…. I got my very first Hill House Nap Dress! This dress has a lot of hype, I mean a lot. I managed to go for what now feels like an eternity without my very own Hill House Nap Dress. So, after a few friends convinced me to try them, I placed my order. These dresses are no secret at this point, everyone raves about them, but whenever I ventured to the website, they were usually sold out. That’s how in-demand they are! But fear not, I’ve learned to just check periodically and sign up for re-stock alerts and I am now on my third dress!

I’ll be honest, sizing took a bit of trial and error, which is not uncommon for me. I selected two colorways so I could get a good idea of the various fabrics and see what I preferred. I feel pretty confident in my assessments, so I thought I would share my tips on shopping Hill House for curves! It’s not complicated whatsoever, but I do think there are a few factors that boil down to personal preferences, which may or may not determine what route you take in sizing and style. 

I’ll help you by mapping out my experience with the dresses, from fit, to fabric, to how I chose my size. A while back I posted a question box about Hill House on Instagram, and you guys sent in literally hundreds of questions about the Nap Dress, and I read every one. While I wish I could answer each myself, I think this guide will cover almost all the questions. There were some very apparent themes with your responses: overall sizing, general fit, bust fit, smocking resistance, fabric opaqueness, and appropriate undergarments. 

Let’s get started! Please note, I am only reviewing the Ellie style.  

FIT  

The Ellie fit and silhouette are absolutely fantastic. In my opinion, it is a universally figure-friendly shape that will likely look great on most body types. The dress has a smocked bust, a tiered a-line skirt, and ruffled, smocked straps. The a-line silhouette is incredibly lovely on so many figures, but especially on curves. Also, the thick straps have perfect placement and provide a decent amount of coverage. The fit is flexible, as there are no zippers or buttons. There is plenty of stretch in the chest and a very generous amount of room in the skirt. In my opinion, the proportions were flawless in my normal size! On that note, on to sizing…

SIZING  

The website will advise you to size down, as will a lot of the ladies who have reviewed the dress. In my experience, that is not necessarily the way to go. Being the natural sizing skeptic that I am, I ordered both an XL (size down) and an XXL (normal size). If you are small to average chested, I would probably size down like they advise. However, if you are larger chested or things like bandeaus, bralettes or sports bras typically feel “shorter” on you, I would get your normal size. I cover more of this below, but the smocking on my normal size had enough length to hit my rib cage, whereas the size down did not! Both sizes, however, had plenty of stretch and fabric in circumference in the smocking.

I will say, the dresses are roomy from the waist down! So, if hips or bums are of sizing concern, there is no need to worry about it, there is plenty of room. To me, the difference between the xl and xxl skirts is what you would expect, the larger was a little larger and the smaller a little smaller. If your number one preference is less skirt, I would size down regardless of the chest fit. I know that I really value comfort and proper fit in the chest, and a little extra fabric or flow in the skirt is no big deal to me. Please note, the extra fabric in the skirt is not engulfing! It just is flowy and loose. 

BUST

The Ellie smocking on both my normal and smaller size, had plenty of stretch, resistance and fabric in the circumference, that is not a concern no matter what size you go with! However, it was just the length of the smocking that came up short for me in the size down. With the size down, the smocking didn’t hit my front ribcage, it covered just my bra underwire. It fit more like a bandeau that laid across my bust instead of hugging my bust. It was still perfectly comfortable and looked fine, but it was not how it was supposed to hang. 

My normal size was absolutely PERFECT in the bust and the smocking was long enough to hit my ribs beneath my bra, creating a distinct waistline with great proportions that harmonized with my curves. In terms of support, let’s remember this is a “nap dress” not a tennis dress! I found the chest did not sag and the smocking held everything together well. I still opted for a strapless bra and the smocking compression supported things without a problem. It is not too tight at all, it’s just right! 

FABRIC + UNDERGARMENTS 

Being that I am a 40 DD, I don’t have the size privilege of going braless from a support, fit and pain/comfort perspective. I am all about it for those who can do that, and I know a lot of women recommend it for this dress. But, I would advise my curvy or busty friends to expect to wear a strapless bra or a bra that has less coverage in the back. You can wear many normal bras with this dress, too!

On fabric, I tried two colorways, one of them being the “sheer” swiss dot. The sheer Swiss dot fabric is very lightweight and not lined. But, I found that is part of what makes it so lovely! The colored fabrics appear to be more opaque and there is no need for a slip or Spanx. In the white fabrics and the fabrics described as sheer, like the Swiss dot, a slip is necessary. I actually just wore my ultra thin, high-waisted spanx and it worked just as well as a slip! The same logic applies in the chest area, the lighter fabrics require a bra underneath. I suggest a nude strapless!

IS IT WORTH IT?

Short answer, yes! I feel so special in The Ellie Nap Dress and figuring out my size was a minor blip in the big picture of having such a fantastic staple in my closet. Take a look at what you value and if it is worth it to you, that is all that matters.

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