The Rise of The Dressing Gown

A bastion of British style and design, the humble dressing gown is having ‘a moment’. In fact, the garment that we typically associate with winter evenings has been having ‘a moment’ ever since the pandemic struck back in March 2020, and the signs are that the cosy bathrobe, comfort-over-fashion movement is here to stay.

It won’t be the first time a global crisis has generated change in the fashion industry. Following World War I, we witnessed the death of the restrictive corset and the adoption of gentler, more free-flowing fabrics like jersey. Women also became privy to the ‘pocket privilege’ and began to enjoy clothing complete with pockets – previously a preserve of gentleman’s garments.

Crisis brings change, and it’s what we do with that change that defines the future. Retailers have responded to the change by focusing their efforts on e-commerce, and those who had not yet made a move to online began to shift their models. Brands have been forced to review their ranges and consider the new mode of living and working. And so, the acceleration of a brand-new apparel category, loungewear and dressing gowns gained momentum.

For the past 12 months, much of the world has operated remotely. Kitchen and bedroom offices have become the norm, and business suits and high heels have been replaced by dressing gowns, pyjamas and casual loungewear. And guess what? We’ve never been more comfortable and liberated!

Quarantine has led to the unexpected joy of staying in with home wardrobes, an emerging trend. Previously, dressing gowns and bathrobes were uninspiring garments, reserved mainly for brief spells post-bath or shower before getting dressed or something to take into hospital for scheduled procedures. Now the dressing gown sector represents a stylish and totally acceptable way to lounge in luxury while taking in the latest box set or indulging in an evening with Netflix. Our bathrobes have become a uniform in their own right, but one we want to wear and for longer. Hands up if you have eaten a meal other than breakfast in your bathrobe in the last 12 months? You won’t be alone.

There’s an even more significant distinction within the dressing gown sector itself. Lightweight dressing gowns for those in warmer climates, luxury heavyweight bathrobes for those who favour being enveloped in warmth and opulence and hooded unisex bathrobes for elegant slouching on the sofa. The smoking jacket blurs the lines between loungewear and formalwear and is also enjoying something of a resurgence. Worn over formal pyjamas or teamed with a pair of skinny black jeans, a sharp white shirt and a slim black tie, a short smoking jacket can turn ‘at home’ drinks into a somewhat more lavish affair. Long smoking jacket style Hugh Hefner inspired dressing gowns offer a slightly more glam take on the Egyptian cotton bathrobe. And, of course, there’s a whole legion of dressing gowns leading the charge in the sustainability arena, crafted from bamboo derivatives and Nua cotton.

It’s not just the range and scope of bathrobes that are changing. The dressing gown has joined forces with another growing trend: personalisation. Cast your mind back to the ’80s, and it was monogrammed-cuffed work shirts that signified status and success. The noughties version is a collection of dressing gowns emblazoned with embroidered initials. And if ever there was confirmation that the bathrobe has now gained official luxury apparel status, they’re even being delivered to us in protective dust bags.

Just like other fashion categories before it, the dressing gown market is also witnessing a migration of women to men’s dressing gown styles. While many still favour the appropriately sized women’s dressing gowns tailored for them, others follow the same direction as those who paved the way for boyfriend style jeans and shirts, choosing men’s bathrobes for an ultra-casual, relaxed fit. That’s the beauty of a bathrobe. Wear it loose or wear it fitted, but whatever you do, always wear it for maximum comfort.

So, what’s next for the ‘home reclusion’ movement? Well, with lockdowns easing and the international travel market showing seeds of recovery, there’s no doubt we’ll be leaving our homes more often in future. Still, comfort and style will be redefining fashion for some time to come.

Some say pyjamas are the next big thing, with a subcategory of pyjama suits heralded by two Japanese firms. The ‘Zoom’ shirt has evolved into a hybrid of the suit and pyjama, a WFH pyjama suit designed to negate the myriad costume changes required for online meetings. Think of it as business on the top and loungewear on the bottom. The formal top half, designed to be seen on screen, resembles a crisp collared shirt but gives way to a relaxed fabric mid-chest that carries on down to the ankles.

Whatever your view on loungewear, bathrobes and dressing gowns, the forecasts predict an enduring impact from the pandemic. Fashion houses have pivoted and redrafted their visions to adapt to new consumer habits. We suspect the Autumn / Winter collections will feature more examples of the relaxed attire we have grown to love.

Who knew that the housecoat of the 1940s would remerge victorious some eighty years later and become such an integral part of our lives that we’d award it second-skin status?

The Rise of The Dressing Gown

A bastion of British style and design, the humble dressing gown is having ‘a moment’. In fact, the garment that we typically associate with winter evenings has been having ‘a moment’ ever since the pandemic struck back in March 2020, and the signs are that the cosy bathrobe, comfort-over-fashion movement is here to stay.

It won’t be the first time a global crisis has generated change in the fashion industry. Following World War I, we witnessed the death of the restrictive corset and the adoption of gentler, more free-flowing fabrics like jersey. Women also became privy to the ‘pocket privilege’ and began to enjoy clothing complete with pockets – previously a preserve of gentleman’s garments.

Crisis brings change, and it’s what we do with that change that defines the future. Retailers have responded to the change by focusing their efforts on e-commerce, and those who had not yet made a move to online began to shift their models. Brands have been forced to review their ranges and consider the new mode of living and working. And so, the acceleration of a brand-new apparel category, loungewear and dressing gowns gained momentum.

For the past 12 months, much of the world has operated remotely. Kitchen and bedroom offices have become the norm, and business suits and high heels have been replaced by dressing gowns, pyjamas and casual loungewear. And guess what? We’ve never been more comfortable and liberated!

Quarantine has led to the unexpected joy of staying in with home wardrobes, an emerging trend. Previously, dressing gowns and bathrobes were uninspiring garments, reserved mainly for brief spells post-bath or shower before getting dressed or something to take into hospital for scheduled procedures. Now the dressing gown sector represents a stylish and totally acceptable way to lounge in luxury while taking in the latest box set or indulging in an evening with Netflix. Our bathrobes have become a uniform in their own right, but one we want to wear and for longer. Hands up if you have eaten a meal other than breakfast in your bathrobe in the last 12 months? You won’t be alone.

There’s an even more significant distinction within the dressing gown sector itself. Lightweight dressing gowns for those in warmer climates, luxury heavyweight bathrobes for those who favour being enveloped in warmth and opulence and hooded unisex bathrobes for elegant slouching on the sofa. The smoking jacket blurs the lines between loungewear and formalwear and is also enjoying something of a resurgence. Worn over formal pyjamas or teamed with a pair of skinny black jeans, a sharp white shirt and a slim black tie, a short smoking jacket can turn ‘at home’ drinks into a somewhat more lavish affair. Long smoking jacket style Hugh Hefner inspired dressing gowns offer a slightly more glam take on the Egyptian cotton bathrobe. And, of course, there’s a whole legion of dressing gowns leading the charge in the sustainability arena, crafted from bamboo derivatives and Nua cotton.

It’s not just the range and scope of bathrobes that are changing. The dressing gown has joined forces with another growing trend: personalisation. Cast your mind back to the ’80s, and it was monogrammed-cuffed work shirts that signified status and success. The noughties version is a collection of dressing gowns emblazoned with embroidered initials. And if ever there was confirmation that the bathrobe has now gained official luxury apparel status, they’re even being delivered to us in protective dust bags.

Just like other fashion categories before it, the dressing gown market is also witnessing a migration of women to men’s dressing gown styles. While many still favour the appropriately sized women’s dressing gowns tailored for them, others follow the same direction as those who paved the way for boyfriend style jeans and shirts, choosing men’s bathrobes for an ultra-casual, relaxed fit. That’s the beauty of a bathrobe. Wear it loose or wear it fitted, but whatever you do, always wear it for maximum comfort.

So, what’s next for the ‘home reclusion’ movement? Well, with lockdowns easing and the international travel market showing seeds of recovery, there’s no doubt we’ll be leaving our homes more often in future. Still, comfort and style will be redefining fashion for some time to come.

Some say pyjamas are the next big thing, with a subcategory of pyjama suits heralded by two Japanese firms. The ‘Zoom’ shirt has evolved into a hybrid of the suit and pyjama, a WFH pyjama suit designed to negate the myriad costume changes required for online meetings. Think of it as business on the top and loungewear on the bottom. The formal top half, designed to be seen on screen, resembles a crisp collared shirt but gives way to a relaxed fabric mid-chest that carries on down to the ankles.

Whatever your view on loungewear, bathrobes and dressing gowns, the forecasts predict an enduring impact from the pandemic. Fashion houses have pivoted and redrafted their visions to adapt to new consumer habits. We suspect the Autumn / Winter collections will feature more examples of the relaxed attire we have grown to love.

Who knew that the housecoat of the 1940s would remerge victorious some eighty years later and become such an integral part of our lives that we’d award it second-skin status?