Long Live The Nightie! It's Summer's Most Versatile Buy

There’s a thin – wispy, rather – line between negligee and whimsical summer dress right now …

Fans of Lena Dunham’s Too Much will have noted how much the lead character Jessica, brought to life by the daffy Megan Stalter, spends much of the ten-part Netflix series in her nightie. Upon her arrival in London, prior to an unfortunate incident with a candle, Jessica wears a red currant nightgown with a frilled collar – matched only in cuteness by the fact that her dog has one, too. In a different (touching) scene, when listening to a mix her indie musician love interest Felix makes her, she’s wearing a round neck white dress with a gathered neckline. Even when she goes to the local pub, she wears a tent-like white sailor collar dress that closely resembles nightwear. The look has struck a chord, with internet buzz quickly mounting about Stalter’s extensive nightwear wardrobe in the show – plus its ability to translate to daywear.

The nightwear in question is by independent British nightwear brand If Only If, which, prior to finding fame in Dunham’s rom-com, proved its parlance amongst American dressers via a well-received collaboration with New York-based style influencer Harling Ross earlier this year. Many of the brand’s pieces are fluid enough to work for day dressing, see the silk-satin gown below, which is styled with a red cardigan and thong sandals. Meanwhile, the lightweight cotton dresses, while more transparent, make for an excellent holiday cover-up (I use this one for just that purpose); the brand also sells nude slips to make the dresses less sheer for daytime.

Other brands are falling into step. Rixo’s Aprilia midi dress was inspired by antique nightwear, but as the label attests, is far better suited for daywear. Note how the accessorising with a scarf, necklaces and a basket bag, firmly steers the look away from the bedroom. While Australian label Posse, most notable for spearheading the return of fashionable bloomers this season (another trend that’s ditched its Victorian nightwear connotations to be embraced by the style set) is popularising maxi and mini dresses in crisp white cotton poplin that are location ambiguous (beachwear, street wear or bedroom attire?), but nonetheless, entirely chic. Scroll below to shop the look.