House Dresses Combining Form & Function

For those of us beginning to head back into offices, we’re not quite ready to let go of our work-from-home uniforms (you know you have one, too!). Our favorite transition-friendly outfit? The house dress!

House dresses are casual and loose, ideal for any situation that can come our way. These nine below are great for errands, chores, and even meetings, whether on Zoom or IRL! Check out our affordable and sustainable picks; for the greenest choice, of course, try thrifting or going secondhand.

Keep your feet cozy, too, with house shoes and voila—your indoor/outdoor outfit is complete.


1. Pact

Materials | Organic cotton Ethics | GOTS certified organic, Fair Trade certified Size Range | XS-XXL Price | $70

A house dress…with pockets? Yes, it’s true! Pact’s Crush Easy Dress is exactly what we’re looking for. Flowy and flirty with pleats and pockets, this cotton house dress effortlessly transitions from work to home and vice versa. Like all Pact items, it’s ethically made with organic cotton using 91 percent less water than conventional cotton.

Shop Pact


2. Kemi Telford

Materials | Cotton Ethics | Ethically made, eco-friendly packaging, offset emissions, gives back Size Range | Varies Price | £80-£220

Add a pop of color or pattern to your day with Kemi Telford’s dresses. This UK-based designer uses African wax paints inspired by her upbringing in Nigeria. Ethically sewn in small batches, Telford brings her visions to life by partnering with manufacturers in the UK, China, India, and Nigeria. Many dresses come with specific measurements (e.g., 52” length) versus a generic size. You can also find samples at discounted prices, and Telford has international shipping options.

Shop Kemi Telford


3. Nesara

Materials | Organic cotton Ethics | South Asian woman-owned, organic cotton & dyes, hand-stamped & sewn Size Range | One size (0-14) Price | $88-$108

Dr. Pragati Gusmano launched Nesara just this past year when she couldn’t find any comfortable postpartum dresses of her own. Using her fond memories “of the house dresses [her] mom and nani (grandmother) wore” as a drawing board, these dresses are sewn to standard sizes and hand-blocked by artisans using organic dyes for a beautiful finish. Perfect for postpartum and nursing, but also for anyone seeking a lightweight summer smock.

Shop Nesara


4. Loud Bodies

Materials | Linen & cotton Ethics | Size-inclusive, OEKO-TEX certified, nontoxic dyes, ethically made Size Range | XXS-10XL Price | $210

Perhaps the most size-inclusive brand we’ve ever seen (up to 10XL!), Loud Bodies carries gorgeous dresses that work for home, office, dates, and everywhere in between. Each dress is ethically made with OEKO-TEX certified fibers and nontoxic dyes, and if you don’t see your size listed, Loud Bodies will also make a custom order just for you—free of charge! It’s truly fashion for everybody.

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5. Known Supply

Materials | Organic cotton Ethics | Certified B Corp, GOTS certified organic, Fair Trade certified, gives back Size Range | XS-XL Price | $38

Known Supply is a certified B Corp making some of our favorite basics. Part tee, part dress, the Revel Dress is cute and comfortable—whether you plan to keep it simple or dress it up with a scarf and platform sandals. As for material, the dress is 100 percent GOTS certified organic cotton and crafted in a Fair Trade certified factory in India. Just throw it on and go about your day!

Shop Known Supply


6. Pyne & Smith

Materials | European flax linen Ethics | Natural materials, ethically made, small batches, recycles excess linens Size Range | XS-XXL Price | $196

Pyne & Smith’s pieces are certainly an investment, but one of the best you can make. Each house dress is skillfully made in small batches out of LA, using entirely European Flax linen. (To be extra sustainable, linen scraps are also recycled via textile centers!) We adore this Pinafore style, available through XXL, for its gorgeous seasonal colors, cooling fabric, and of course, the pockets. (Always pockets!)

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7. Boody

Materials | Bamboo viscose blend Ethics | Natural & sustainable materials, Ecocert organic bamboo, ethically made, gives back Size Range | XS-XL Price | $32.95

If slip dresses are more your style, Boody’s is one you’ll love. Designed for everyday wear, this house dress is a TGT favorite, ideal for layering or wearing as is around your home. This slip is sustainable too, born from a bamboo viscose blend. With the Everyday Slip, you’ll help save over 600 hours of LED bulb energy and 350+ liters of drinking water. Not bad for a dress just over $30.

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8. ABLE

Materials | Cotton & modal Ethics | Natural & sustainable materials, ethically made, premium fair wages, eco-friendly packaging Size Range | XS-XL Price | $130

ABLE helps sustainably break the cycle of poverty by employing and empowering women makers. As only two percent of fashion workers are paid living wages (and the industry is the largest employer of women worldwide), ABLE is committed to transparent wages to hold themselves accountable to higher ethics. We are in love with this Dolman dress, from its flowy sleeves to the cinched waist. A house dress comfy enough to wear from the couch to the club.

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9. Hackwith Design House

Materials | Cotton Ethics | Sustainable & secondhand fabrics, made in the USA, secondhand shop available Size Range | XS-2X Price | $50-$100

Hackwith Design House’s Sustain Shop is our go-to for inclusive house dresses that are affordable, sustainable, and ethically made. The Minnesota brand follows a limited production model, so its secondhand shop Sustain is where you’ll find samples and returns at deeply discounted prices. These dresses, made of 100 percent cotton, come in varying shapes, sizes, and styles—find the one that speaks to you!

Shop Hackwith Design House


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