A modest dress is one that stays covered from the collarbone to below the knee while you stand, sit, bend and lift your arms, with sleeves or a layer over the shoulders and fabric that skims your shape instead of clinging to it. Nuggles dresses run from 43 to 57 inches long, come in sizes S through 3XL at the same price in every size, and are made from cotton, rayon, or polyester with a little spandex for stretch.
Most of us have bought a dress that looked right on the hanger and then rode up when we sat down in church, gapped when we bent over to buckle a car seat, or clung in places we didn't expect. Fit is where modest dressing actually happens. This guide answers the questions we hear most, one at a time, so you can skip straight to the one you have.
If you're choosing by occasion or color, our guide to choosing modest dresses covers that. This page is about length, necklines, sizing, fabric and care. When you're ready to shop, everything is in our modest dresses collection.
Length: What Each Measurement Actually Covers
What length makes a dress modest?
For most women who dress modestly, a dress is long enough when the hem sits below the knee while seated. That usually means a midi (mid-calf) or a maxi (ankle length). Where a dress lands on you depends on your height, so the inch measurement matters more than the label.
How is dress length measured?
Dress length is usually measured from the highest point of the shoulder, next to the neckline, straight down to the hem. Our measurement diagram shows how we measure, and each product page lists that dress's length.
How long are Nuggles dresses?
Here is where our main styles fall, shortest to longest:
- 43 inches: Saylor Midi Dress
- 44 inches: Hoodie Dress, Aviva Dress
- 45 inches: Hazel Midi Dress, Nova Dress, Farah Dress
- 46 inches: Original Midi Layering Dress, Ribbed Midi Layering Dress, Gracie Dress, Nalani Nursing Dress
- 47 inches: Tank Midi Layering Dress, Rachel Dress, Mesh Dress
- 48 inches: Heather Dress, Cindy Bubble Dress
- 49 inches: Tea-Length Layering Dress
- 51 inches: Addison Maxi Dress, Riley Dress
- 52 inches: Leila Maxi Dress
- 57 inches: Maxi Layering Dress
How do I know where a dress will hit me?
Take a dress you already own and like the length of, lay it flat, and measure from the top of the shoulder to the hem. That number is your target. A dress within an inch or two of it will land in about the same place on you. Many of our product pages also list the model's height and the size she's wearing, which helps you picture it.
I'm petite. Which length should I choose?
If you're around 5'2" or shorter, a 43- to 46-inch dress will often fall to mid-calf or lower, and a 51-inch or longer maxi may reach the floor. Measure a dress you own first. A tiered or flared hem is easier to wear long than a straight one because it doesn't catch between your steps.
I'm tall. Will a midi still cover my knees?
If you're 5'8" or taller, look at 47 inches and up. The Tea-Length Layering Dress (49 inches) and the maxi styles (51 to 57 inches) give tall women the most room. Always check a dress while seated, since that's when a hem rises the most.
Why does my dress ride up when I sit down?
A dress that is fitted through the hips has nowhere to go when you sit, so the hem climbs. A-line, flared and tiered skirts have extra fabric below the hip, which lets the skirt drape over your knees instead. If you sit on the floor with little ones or kneel often, choose fuller skirts or add a couple of inches of length.
Necklines and Sleeves
Which necklines are modest?
Round and crew necklines, mock necks, bow necklines and high V-necks all sit at or near the collarbone. The Hazel Midi Dress, for example, has a high V-neckline, and the Addison Maxi Dress has a bow at the neck. The simple test: stand in front of a mirror, lean forward as if you're picking something up, and see what shows.
Are 3/4 sleeves modest enough?
A 3/4 sleeve ends a few inches below the elbow, which covers the upper arm completely and keeps your wrists free for washing up and carrying. It's our most common sleeve length. Browse 3/4 sleeve dresses or, for colder months, long sleeve dresses.
How do I wear a sleeveless or tank dress modestly?
Wear a layering tee underneath. A sleeveless dress is designed for exactly that, and it doubles the number of outfits you get out of one dress. Our 3/4 sleeve tees and long sleeve tees are cut to sit smoothly under a dress. See our sleeveless dresses for the styles made to layer.
Sizing and How a Dress Should Fit
How should a modest dress fit?
It should skim, not grip. You should be able to pinch about an inch of fabric at the bust and at the hips. Watch for three signs a dress is too small: horizontal pulling lines across the bust, a waist seam sitting higher than your natural waist, and a skirt that clings to the tops of your thighs when you walk.
Do Nuggles dresses run true to size?
Yes. Our dresses are cut to fit true to size. The layering dresses (Original Midi, Tank Midi, Tea-Length and Maxi Layering) are meant to sit closer to the body so they fit smoothly under other pieces. If you want those looser, size up.
How do I measure myself for a dress?
Use a soft tape measure and measure over the clothes you'd normally wear underneath.
- Bust: around the fullest part of your chest, tape level across your back.
- Waist: around the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the belly button.
- Hips: around the fullest part of your hips and seat, feet together.
Compare those numbers to the size chart on the product page. Our measurement diagram shows where each measurement is taken.
What if I'm between two sizes?
Go with the measurement that matters most for that dress. For a dress with a defined waist or a fitted bodice, size for your bust. For a dress that flows from the shoulders, size for your hips. If you plan to layer a tee underneath, take the larger size.
Fabric: What It Is and How It Wears
What are Nuggles dresses made from?
Almost every dress has a small amount of spandex blended in, so it gives a little when you move, sit or reach. The main fabrics are:
- Cotton and spandex (95/5): the Original Midi, Tank Midi, Tea-Length and Maxi Layering Dresses, plus the Saylor and Nova Dresses.
- Rayon and spandex (95/5): the Hazel, Addison, Gracie, Nalani, Riley and Heather Dresses.
- Polyester and spandex (95/5): the Leila and Rachel Dresses.
- Ribbed knit (62% rayon, 27% polyester, 11% spandex): the Ribbed Midi Layering Dress.
- Stretch mesh (96% polyester, 4% spandex): the sheer Mesh Dress, made to layer.
Which fabric is coolest in hot weather?
Rayon and cotton both breathe well. Rayon is lighter and drapes more loosely, so it tends to feel cooler on a hot Sunday. Cotton has a little more body and holds its shape. Polyester blends hold color and resist wrinkles but can feel warmer.
Will I be able to see through my dress?
Lighter colors like white, cream and pale pink show more in bright sunlight than dark ones. The easy fix is a slip. Our slips add an opaque layer without bulk. The Mesh Dress is sheer on purpose and is always worn over a slip or another dress (more on that in our mesh dress guide).
Do knit dresses wrinkle?
Stretch fabrics wrinkle less than crisp woven cotton. Rayon creases more than cotton or polyester if it's left in the dryer or folded tight. Hang it as soon as it comes out, and most creases fall out on their own.
Washing and Care
How do I wash a modest dress so it lasts?
Always follow the care label first. As a general rule for knit dresses: turn them inside out, wash cold on a gentle cycle, and hang or lay flat to dry. Heat is what shrinks rayon and fades prints, so skip the hot dryer.
Will my dress shrink?
Rayon and cotton can both shrink in high heat, and rayon is the more sensitive of the two. Washing cold and air drying keeps the length you bought. If you're right at the edge of a length you need, lean toward the longer dress.
What to Wear Underneath
What should I wear under a modest dress?
For most dresses, nothing extra is needed. Add a slip for light colors or thin fabric, a layering tee under a sleeveless or short-sleeve dress, or a tank layering dress under a sheer or shorter piece. Our layering essentials are all in one place.
How do I layer a dress over another dress?
Start with a close-fitting base, like the Tank Midi Layering Dress (or any of our layering dresses), then put the looser or sheerer dress on top. Keep the base the same length or slightly longer so it doesn't peek out unevenly at the hem. Our post on layering tops covers the same idea with tees.
Maternity and Nursing
Can I wear a regular dress while pregnant?
Many of our dresses work through pregnancy because the knit stretches and the skirt falls loosely from the bust or waist. Look for A-line, tiered or relaxed styles, and remember that a growing bump lifts the front hem, so a longer dress gives you room. Our maternity-friendly dresses collection gathers the styles that work for a bump.
What makes a dress nursing-friendly?
A nursing dress needs a way to reach the bust without lifting the whole dress. The Nalani Nursing Dress has a lift-front design with a hidden crossover layer underneath, so you can nurse while staying covered. It's a 46-inch midi in soft rayon with stretch.
Plus Sizes
Do plus sizes cost more at Nuggles?
No. Every women's dress comes in S, M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL, and every size is the same price. You can see all of them in plus size dresses.
What should I look for in a plus size modest dress?
Check the bust first, since that's where most dresses pull. A little stretch in the fabric, a neckline that sits high without choking, and a skirt that flares from the waist all help. Measure yourself and compare against the size chart rather than going by the size you wear elsewhere.
What if I wear larger than a 3XL?
Our women's dresses are sized S through 3XL. If you need larger than that, we may not be the right fit, and we'd rather tell you up front than have you order and send it back.
Girls' Dresses
What sizes do girls' dresses come in?
Our girls' dresses come in 4T, 6Y, 8Y, 10Y, 12Y and 14Y. Several styles, like the Rachel and Farah Dresses and the layering dress, come in matching women's versions.
How much room should I leave for her to grow?
If she's between sizes, go up. A knit dress that's a little long this year will usually fit well next year, and a hem that starts at mid-calf still covers her knees after a growth spurt.
Quick Questions
How many dresses do I actually need?
For everyday wear, three to five dresses that all work with the same layers will carry most weeks: one or two solids, one or two prints, and one layering dress. Add a longer or long-sleeve dress for winter.
Can I wear a dress in winter?
Yes. Choose a long sleeve or maxi style, or layer a long sleeve tee under your favorite midi, and add tights and boots. Our maxi dress guide has more on full-length dresses for cold weather.
Should a church dress fit differently from an everyday dress?
Not really. The same fit rules apply. Many women choose a longer length or a sleeve for church, since there's more sitting, standing and kneeling. We compared brands for exactly this in the best modest dresses for church.
What if the dress doesn't fit when it arrives?
You can start a return within 21 days of your order, as long as the dress is unworn, unwashed and unaltered. Clearance items are final sale. If you're unsure about a size before you order, call or text us at 918-313-0200, Monday through Friday, 9 to 4 Central, and we'll help.
Find a Dress That Fits Your Life
We're a family-owned shop in Glenpool, Oklahoma, and we've been making modest clothing since 2013. We pick every dress with real Sundays and real weekdays in mind: sitting, kneeling, and picking up little ones. Browse the full modest dresses collection, or start with midi dresses and maxi dresses. If you're shopping skirts too, our guide on how to choose a modest skirt works the same way. We're so glad you're here.
