We tried the $30 Amazon nightgown dress everyone loves — and this is what we thought

CNN  — 

Amazon always has our attention when it comes to snagging good deals. For the chillier months, we — and over 16,000 reviewers — loved this Amazon coat. But for summer, you’re looking for that easy-breezy dress that’s comfy enough to wear nonstop as a casual house dress but so stylish that you’ll want everyone to see it. And Amazon has a solution for that too: Everyone, meet the Amazon nightgown dress.

OK, OK, it’s not really a nightgown, but thanks to its breezy, flowy cut, the powers that be (aka influencers) are calling it just that. You know something is trending when it has its own hashtag, and this dress got one early on: #AmazonNightgown.

Are you ready to hear how much this majorly in-demand dress costs? Just 30 bucks! Which is part of the reason why it’s blowing up on the ’gram and beyond. We can’t not afford to give it a try. And it’s on Prime with free returns, making it a no-brainer.

Another thought on why it’s gaining steam: the aforementioned loosey-goosey cut. In the age of skintight jeans and crop tops, sometimes a girl just wants to put on a muumuu — albeit one in a pretty pattern with chic details — to run some errands. Think about all those super-flowy nap dresses that everyone seems to have. No back fat bulge showing, no pants pinching — just soft, pretty cotton creating an airy silhouette. What doesn’t sound great about that? Check out how @ChrissyMWard styled it below. Pairing it with a sleek ponytail and woven bag, the fashion blogger told her 25,000 followers, “Best $28 I’ve ever spent.”

So, I put the Amazon nightgown dress to the test. Because certainly this was an Instagram versus Reality scenario, right? Available in a whopping 15 colorways, I chose the pink pattern in a size small — lots of reviewers said to size up because the chest ran tight, but given the voluminous skirt, I played it safe and stuck with my normal size, which I was glad about because it fits perfectly.

Our takeaway: The vividly colored material is actually a rayon/cotton blend (not solely cotton), which makes it super lightweight and almost silky against the skin. My fear that the fabric would overwhelm my 5-foot-4 stature was put at bay as soon as I put it on. While it’s certainly loose, the dress is definitely not huge. The midi length is my favorite detail, as it hits a flattering point between my knees and ankles, but the trickiest thing is going to be finding a bra or undergarment that can work with the plunging neckline!

If you fear that the dress’ shapeless cut will be more potato sack and less sexy fairy princess, I get it. But its cut is much narrower in real life than it appears online, and with the help of accessories (layered necklaces, bracelets, sunglasses and pretty sandals!), the dress — that others are paying more than $300 for from high-end designers — easily transitions from drab to fab, letting you live out your cottagecore fashion fantasies. Or you can pair it with flip-flops and a ponytail and head to your farmers market looking effortlessly chic.

That’s right, the Amazon nightgown dress is the perfect early fall transition dress that you don’t want to miss out on, nor should you because — reminder — it’s only $30.99!