princess beatrice nap dress season

Princess Beatrice's $150 look just reminded us it's nap dress season

The Instagram famous summer dress has Princess Beatrice’s royal seal of approval, too

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Senior Lifestyle Editor
Updated: May 19, 2023

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are fans of nap dresses – you know, the Instagram famous summer dresses with smocked bodices and tiered skirts that are so pretty (and comfortable!) we’ll never give them up. 

Stepping out for a London event post Coronation, Princess Beatrice showed the all-season versatility of the wardrobe staple, layering her $150 ‘Ellie’ nap dress by Hill House (the label that holds the ‘nap dress’ trademark), over a collared blouse for the chillier weather.

Available in 20 colors and prints

Bea’s exact Hill House dress print isn’t available, but the good news is the Hill House look comes in a color or print to suit just about any taste – 20 in total! – from stripes to solids, florals to gingham. 

Princess Beatrice layered her Hill House nap dress over a blouse© Kate Green
Princess Beatrice layered her Hill House nap dress over a blouse

 The Princess styled her frock with a Saint Laurent Sac De Jour Nano bag and pumps, but it looks great with flats, too.

© Hill House

The dresses are also available in a version with spaghetti straps or puff sleeves

Shop the look for less

  1. 1/4

    Amazon

    © Amazon

    ZESICA Summer Boho Dress

    This Amazon best seller comes in over 20 colors and has over 3,600 5-star ratings.

  2. 2/4

    H&M

    © H&M

    Smocked-bodice dress

    You really can't beat the price on H&M's ultimate summer dress, with adjustable shoulder straps, which is available in six different colors. So affordable you can stock up!

You can shop the Hill House dress, which comes in XXS to XXXL, in cotton or the travel-friendly wrinkle resistant crepe, making it perfect for packing for your next vacay. If you want more or less coverage on top, there’s also a version with puff sleeves or spaghetti straps, too.

Fashion fans are raving about the Hill House Ellie dress in reviews, giving it an overall 4.6-star rating. “So beautiful,” said one shopper. “This dress is wonderful. I wore it to a baby shower but I will be living in it all summer. I am normally an XL but I [sized] down to a large and that’s perfect. Super comfy and flattering.”

Another fan said they are “obsessed” with the look. “This dress is amazing - and it looks great on! These may be my new go-to dresses!”

Princess Eugenie's Hill House nap dress look

Princess Beatrice’s sister Eugenie also rocked a Hill House Ellie dress as she left the hospital after welcoming her son August with husband Jack Brooksbank in 2021. 

© Photo: Rex
Princess Eugenie wore a Hill House nap dress as she left the hospital after having baby August in 2021

The dress is so stretchy and roomy that it’s also pregnancy and breastfeeding friendly!  So now that Princess Eugenie’s expecting baby #2 we wouldn’t be surprised to see her wearing one again.

So the nap dress isn’t just ubiquitous on social media, but it has the royal seal of approval, too.

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