House dress

[1] The term originated in the late nineteenth century to describe at-home garments designed for maximum practicality and usually made from washable fabrics.

[3][4] Such dresses were a necessary part of the housewife's wardrobe in the early twentieth century and could be widely purchased through mail-order catalogues.

[citation needed] Although an informal garment, the house dress, particularly during the 1950s, was intended to be stylish and feminine as well as serviceable.

[6] The company, renamed Nelly Don after Reed's retirement, quickly became one of the most successful American clothing manufacturers of the 20th century.

[8] Today house dresses remain in common use in areas where women are frequently full-time homemakers.