Fashion's current penchant for the nightie is hard to ignore. As the big boho renaissance took to the SS25 runways, so did ethereal, floaty dresses; romantic lace, gossamer chiffon and delicate cotton-gauze pieces courtesy of Miu Miu, Chloe, Vivetta, Fiorucci and Sandy Liang.
But long before the night gown became something to style with a cardi and ballet pumps, women were turning to this seemingly old fashioned piece for pure comfort at home.
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When cult pyjama brands started challenging restrictive eveningwear and championing their comfy-luxe co-ords (often complete with feathers), soon tailored pyjama shirts and trousers felt too stiff for bedtime. Never one for an oversized T-shirt, I looked elsewhere for nightwear that felt comfortable enough to snooze in.
Enter: If Only If, with its unabashedly girlish nighties cut from breezy cotton in whimsical, Prairie-inspired shapes. Once you try one, you will never go back. I kept my trusty breastfeeding-friendly Clara and Clover styles on rotation both pre, through and post-pregnancy. Meanwhile, my trusty ticking stripe pyjamas lay dusty in my bottom drawer.
If you thought night dresses were frumpy and fussy, let us remind you of some key moments in cultural history which will persuade you otherwise. Audrey Hepburn immortalised the oversized nightshirt in Breakfast At Tiffany's, flounced around in a blue lace nightgown in Paris When It Sizzles (1964) and showcased some seriously chintzy Victoriana styles in both My Fair Lady (1964) and Roman Holiday (1953). Kirsten Dunst and her on-screen sisters moped around the house in 1970s floral nighties in Sofia Coppola's adaption of The Virgin Suicides (199), and the new Carrie Bradshaw has recently graduated from lace-trimmed slip dresses in her SATC days to billowy cotton nighties.
If the puffed sleeve life isn't for you but comfort is key, rest assured there's a nightie to suit every kind of girl. From the OG cotton nightdresses to floor-sweeping shirts and sultry silk-satin styles, here are 12 styles to shop now.
Best Cotton Nighties
Top our wishlist is the classic cotton nightie – bells, whistles, frills and all. If Only If is the king of this look – its nightwear is loved by the likes of Pandora Sykes, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Lucy Williams – but we also love Dôen's latest designs. If you've got the time, browse vintage on Etsy and eBay for the most authentic take on this trend.
Smock London
If Only If
DÔEN
Best Long Nighties
If you've already dabbled in night dresses, why not graduate to an OTT floor-sweeping night gown? Nudea's maxi shirt looks positively Dickensian with its blue and white stripes (by no mean is that a bad thing for hardcore nightie fans) and its fit is second to none for comfort. If you want to tap into this season's nightie dress trend, look no further than Sleeper's floral-print, corsage-centred dress which is far too on-trend to hide at home.
Sleeper
If Only If
Best Silky Nighties
If you're still keen to keep things sultry, you can enjoy the comforts of a breezy nightie while forgoing the ruffled trims. Treat yourself to an old school slip, made from silk-satin and trimmed with lace – the most luxurious are from Bocan and Simone Rocha, but Intimissimi's are made from real silk and cost less than £100.
Simone Rocha
Triumph
Bocan
Intimissimi
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Abigail Southan is our Senior Fashion Ecommerce Editor and has five years' experience as a writer and editor in the industry. Abigail has a BA in History from the University of Bristol and an MA in Fashion Journalism from Central Saint Martins. Abigail currently covers all things style and shopping across titles including Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Esquire and Red. On a daily basis, she helps readers buy better with how-to-wear guides, first-person product reviews and deep dives into the latest trends. Previously, Abigail has worked for The Sunday Times’ Style and Fabulous magazine as their first ecommerce writer and was a founding editor of Sun Selects. She has also written for Net-a-Porter, I-D, Man About Town, Wonderland and 1 Granary, and has interviewed the likes of Paris Hilton, Dua Lipa and Christopher Bailey. You can follow Abigail on Instagram at @abigailsouthan.
