I used to wonder, “What’s the point of a bathrobe?” That was before I found the perfect one. Now I can’t imagine life without my snuggly, cozy bathrobe.
A bathrobe, also called a housecoat or dressing gown, helps keep a person warm before and after showering or bathing. It is a transitional garment and can be used to protect privacy, improve sleep quality, and signal self-care. A terry cloth bathrobe can take the place of a towel.
Bathrobes come in different materials, and each material provides its own set of unique benefits, which I’ll discuss in a bit. (For example, my favorite bathrobe is made of an ultra-soft material called kashwere. Here’s my full review.)
Now let’s take a closer look at why you might want to wear a bathrobe in the first place
Top 10 Reasons to Wear a Bathrobe
After experimenting with several types of bathrobes and landing on the perfect one for me, I discovered 10 compelling reasons to wear a bathrobe:
1. Keeps You Warm Before and After a Shower or Bath
As soon as I wake up in the morning, I put my bathrobe on over my pajamas. Then I’ll let the dog out back, take my vitamins and brush my teeth. While I’m doing these things, I want to stay warm and toasty, but I’m not ready to put on my clothes. Then when it’s time for my morning shower, I hang my bathrobe up in the bathroom and undress.
After the shower, I’ll dry off and put my bathrobe on over some fresh underwear. Then I’ll put on my makeup, check to see my son out of bed and getting ready for school, and I’ll make breakfast still in my bathrobe. I’ll only put on my clothes for the workday once I’m done with everything else.
By the way, if you really hate to catch a chill in the bathroom, you might also consider a towel warmer. (I did a ton of research and found the three best for the money. You can read about them here.)
You can put your bathrobe on the towel warmer, along with a bath towel. This way, when you get out of the tub or shower, both will be toasty warm! I’m not really sure what could possibly be better than a warmed up bathrobe!
2. Can Dry You Off Instead of a Towel
Certain bathrobe materials like terry cloth and bamboo (or blended bamboo) are especially absorbent:
Terry Cloth Bathrobes Are Highly Absorbent
A terry cloth bathrobe is also called an “after shower robe” because you can put it on without even drying yourself with a towel first. Some people really like to do that. Personally, I always get the chills if I don’t dry off with a towel before putting on a bathrobe. The reason is that if I don’t dry off with a towel first, and the bathrobe absorbs water, it’s going to be damp. But different strokes for different folks.
Bamboo Bathrobes Are Moisture Wicking
Another moisture-wicking bathrobe material is bamboo. While bamboo towels and bathrobes tend to be thin, a blended bamboo textile is plush and super soft. There are lots of additional benefits of bamboo towels and bathrobes, including that they are naturally antimicrobial, eco-friendly and odor resistant.
In this post, I share lots more about the benefits of using bamboo textiles in your bathroom. I also tell you how exactly how to care for bamboo bathrobes and towels! (You can also read my full write-up of why this blended bamboo is one of the greatest textiles around for people with sensitive skin.)
If you want to try a bamboo bathrobe, I highly recommend the brand Cariloha. I’ve got Cariloha towels which are ultra-soft and absorbent. Cariloha blends bamboo viscose with Egyptian cotton. (You can check out my favorite Cariloha towel set here on Amazon.) And also, take a look at the Cariloha ultraplush unisex bamboo bathrobe here on Amazon.
3. Signals to Others That You’re Relaxing
A bathrobe is also a signal to your family or roommates that you’re relaxing. I put on my bathrobe again after my evening bath. Not only does it keep me from getting a shiver, but also it lets the rest of my family know that I’m transitioning to sleep. No longer am I available to help with homework or do other chores. I’m officially done!
4. Becomes Part of Your Sleep Ritual
Sleep rituals are a series of actions that you repeat nightly. These actions prepare your mind and body for relaxation and sleep. Research shows that these rituals work.
Sleep rituals can include:
- Dimming the lights
- Taking a bath or shower
- Putting on a specific garment, like a soft and cozy bathrobe
- Journaling
- Drinking tea
- Meditating
- Reading
- Getting in bed at a specific time
- Listening to soft music
- Turning out the light at a specific time
Not to brag but I’m excellent at falling asleep, and I believe it’s because of my sleep ritual which I take very seriously—just ask my husband and son. I urge you to consider making a bathrobe part of your sleep ritual, too.
5. A Heavy Bathrobe Can Calm You Down
So remember I said that different bathrobe materials confer different benefits? Some bathrobe materials like terry cloth are much heavier than others. A heavy bathrobe can serve as a type of weighted blanket.
If you’re familiar with the research, weighted blankets and robes successfully help animals and people to calm them down and reduce anxiety. (Vets often suggest a weighted shirt for dogs who are afraid of thunder.)
A luxury heavy terry cloth robe can help perform a similar function to a weighted blanket, calming you when stressed and relaxing you before bed. I found a super heavy and luxurious terry cloth robe on Amazon. It’s made by Monarch Cypress and is the same robe used at 5-star hotels like Omni, Four Seasons and Westin, so you can bet it’s top quality. You can see it on Amazon here.
6. Keeps You Toasty While You Sleep
Cold air helps many people sleep. But what if you’re not one of them? My son and husband like to turn the thermostat way, way, way down. You could probably freeze water in our house at night.
I’m the opposite type.
That’s why if it gets cold enough, I’ll sleep in my bathrobe. It’s like having a quilt wrapped around me at night. (And this is in addition to a down comforter, other blankets, and my fuzzy socks!)
7. Preserves Your Modesty
Lots of people sleep in the nude. But what happens when a child needs something in the middle of the night? Or you want to get a snack and have a house full of roommates or visitors? Or what if the doorbell rings when you’re undressed?
Throw on your bathrobe and you’re all set!
8. Perfect for Spa Day
When you go to a high-end spa, you’re almost always given a bathrobe and a pair of slippers to lounge in before your facial or manicure. But sometimes it’s fun to do spa day at home. You’ll feel extra special and luxurious if you wear your bathrobe for the occasion.
I like to put on my bathrobe when I hydrate my face with a mask. Sometimes I’ll apply the mask while I’m in the bathtub and keep it on when I get out.
By the way, I got some amazing tips about how to hydrate my skin from renowned medical esthetician Ann Webb. In this post, she spills all her expert advice and shares her favorite DIY mask. It’s perfect for spa day in your bathrobe.
9. Protects Your Skin at the Beach or Pool
If you wear a bathrobe to the beach or pool, you’ll have a built-in covering as you walk or drive there. Many of us like to cover our bathing suits before we settle down on a spot on the sand or in a lounge chair.
Wearing your cotton or terry cloth bathrobe to the beach or pool will also protect you from the elements. Often, we have no idea when the wind will pick up, the sand will blow, or we could be caught in the rain. The bathrobe can stand in place of a jacket if needed.
Most importantly, though, a lighter-weight bathrobe can protect you from the sun. Though you may put on sunscreen and wear sunglasses, you might desire more coverage when you’re not actively swimming. A great lightweight bathrobe can help save your skin.
10. Makes You Feel Sexy Before Sex
Some bathrobes are made of truly sensuous materials like satin or velour. Throw on one of these to get yourself and your partner in the mood.
A kimono, a traditional Japanese jacket or robe, has been adapted into a modern-day satin robe. If you search up “satin kimono” you can find plenty of options for both men and women’s robes that will definitely help you feel sexy before sex.
These robes come in a variety of lengths. They typically wrap around you, fit loosely and include a belt. Men’s kimono sets often come with sat boxers, too.
You can also find bathrobes made from other materials like silk and even polyester that are made to wrap around a camisole — or around, well, your birthday suit. Time to celebrate!
Bathrobe Materials
We’ve already touched on a few bathrobe materials and what some of the benefits are with each. Let’s dive a little deeper and explore a few more textiles used to make bathrobes.
- Blended Bamboo – Moisture-wicking, odor-resistant, plush
- Chenille – ultra soft, made from cotton and silk threading, sheds in wash
- Cotton – very lightweight, breathable, good for beach wrap
- Fleece – mid-weight, soft and warm, usually made of polyester
- Kashwere – microfiber, soft like cashmere, mid-weight, slimming (This is my favorite bathrobe material!)
- Satin – sensuous, lightweight but warm
- Terry Cloth – heavy, absorbent, like a towel
Other Bathrobe Features
Bathrobes come in a variety of lengths, fastenings, and other stylistic elements.
Lengths
You can get bathrobes in a variety of lengths. A cotton, mid-thigh length bathrobe might well in summer to wrap around a short pajama set or nightshirt. A calf-length bathrobe in kashwere could work well in fall and spring, while you might opt for an ankle-length bathrobe in terry cloth for very cold climates.
Fastenings
Some bathrobes will close with a zipper from the navel up to neck, and others close with a zipper from the bottom hem to the neck. Occasionally, you might find a bathrobe that closes with snaps or buttons.
Most commonly, though, bathrobes close with a belt made of the same material as the bathrobe. Usually there are two loops at the waist on either side of the bathrobe. Simply fit the belt through the loops, close the bathrobe by pulling one side of fabric over the other, and then knot the belt.
Stylistic Elements
The reason there are so many different styles of bathrobes is not only due to the variation in lengths, materials and ties, but also to the many kinds of hoods, pockets and collars:
Hoods
As you probably know, when our bodies get cold, we lose most heat from our heads. Many heavier-weight and longer-length bathrobes come with a hood to keep the wearer even warmer. Some people, though, find the hoods a nuisance as it adds a bit of weight on the back of the bathrobe.
Pockets
Some bathrobes come with pockets. This can be handy if you think you’d like them for carrying around your phone or your glasses. I know people, though, who prefer not to have pockets because they can make the bathrobe appear less slimming (especially when the pockets are full).
Collars
There are a variety of types of bathrobe collars. Some are rolled over. Some include a sewn pattern. And other bathrobes, like the kimono, don’t have any collar at all.
Who Can Enjoy a Bathrobe?
There are many bathrobes for men and women. But children and even babies can enjoy bathrobes, too. It’s great to wrap your little one in something warm and cozy and know that they won’t get chilled when they come of the tub.
But don’t forget Rover! Your doggie would love to get cozy after a bath! (For tips on how to bathe your dog, try this expert advice I got from my vet that I swear works wonders! ) Then wrap your pooch in a bathrobe just for dogs.
What’s the Point of a Bathrobe?
There are so many compelling reasons to wear a bathrobe. You may enjoy only one of the benefits we’ve discussed or all of them.
It’s not the number of reasons a bathrobe will enhance your life that matters. Even if you find one good reason to get a bathrobe, this garment that has been part of humanity for centuries can improve the quality of your life.
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