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Shopping for a bathrobe is a lot like shopping for a towel or a comforter. Before choosing one, you have to decide whether you want a bathrobe that is plush and cozy — and warm — or light and crispy like fresh linen sheets. Once you know which end of the sensory spectrum you prefer, you will have a much easier time finding a bathrobe that lulls you into intense relaxation. Of course, changing seasons might make it wise to own two, so you can cocoon yourself in a duvetlike robe when it’s freezing out and throw on a something more like a Turkish towel when it’s too hot for any other clothes. To help you pick from the wide array of plush, silky, and quick-drying robes available to buy online right now, we talked to 13 stylish people who are passionate about their own robes.
If you already know what kind of bathrobe you’re looking for, you can use the clickable table of contents to skip ahead. Or keep reading to find out more about the criteria we used to create this list.
What we’re looking for
Fabric
David Telfer, creative director of the luxury basics brand Sunspel, told us that when shopping for loungewear, one of the most important things to think about is function. Consider how you will wear your bathrobe and when you most like to use it. If you’re stepping out of the shower dripping wet and using a robe instead of a towel, you’ll likely want a classic terry-cloth robe that is thick and absorbent. If you’re looking for something breezier to wear poolside or in the house during the summer, lightweight linen or seersucker are good options. If you’re going for softness or extra warmth but don’t need as much absorbency, flannel or fleece might be the way to go.
Design details
Many of the people we spoke to mentioned the importance of finding a robe with sizable pockets to carry a phone or even a book as they move around the house or lounge at a spa or on vacation. A nice range of colors and patterns is an important factor. We also paid attention to the length of each robe we looked at, as some people prefer a shorter knee- or calf-length robe, while others want a robe that is closer to ankle length. Some robes also have a hood, which can add an extra layer of comfort and warmth.
Sizing:
Telfer suggests looking for a robe that is cut generously enough to feel comfortable and close easily without stretching across the front but fits close enough that it drapes well against your body and doesn’t make you feel like you’re drowning in fabric. And, as with any other piece of clothing, size inclusivity matters. The more sizes there are to choose from, the more people will be able to enjoy a given bathrobe. With that in mind, we prioritized bathrobes that offer the widest range of sizes.
Best overall robe
Fabric: 100% Cotton | Design details: Two front pockets, calf-length, 5 colors | Sizing: XS–3XL
Parachute is a Strategist-favorite brand, and its classic Turkish cotton bathrobe is one of its most beloved products. It comes in a wide range of unisex sizes and five different colors, and is made of absorbent Turkish cotton that’s Oeko-Tex certified (meaning it’s free of harmful bleach or dye). “It’s not the thickest robe I’ve ever tried, but it’s somehow the warmest,” says Heather Pearson, co-founder of vegan nutrition company Dande and the Lion. The Parachute robe also comes recommended by yoga instructor Kate Posch, who says it’s a stress reliever. It’s a very classic-looking robe with two large front pockets, a shawl collar, and an adjustable belt tie.
Best less-expensive robe
Fabric: 100% Cotton | Design details: Two front pockets, Calf-length, 10 colors | Sizing: S-XXL
For a robe with “full plushness” that feels like luxury without the high price tag, actor Lorenzo Pozzan recommends checking out the 100 percent cotton terry-cloth robe from Club Room for Macy’s. Unfortunately, the Club Room robe is sold out at the moment, but this 100 percent cotton terry-cloth robe is a solid dupe. It’s soft and absorbent, comes in a wider range of sizes and colors, and has more than 1,170 five-star ratings on Amazon.
Best organic cotton robe
Fabric: 100% organic cotton | Design details: Two side seam pockets, calf-length, 4 colors | Sizing: S–XL
“Personally, when I think of robes, I think of the classic boxing-style robe with a hood, and also the longer, more absorbent type I used to wear as a kid,” says Pozzan. In his opinion, this organic-cotton Turkish bathrobe from Crate and Barrel does the best job of bringing both of those styles together. Like a Turkish towel, it is absorbent without being thick, and it dries quickly so you can keep wearing it without feeling damp. Plus the iceberg-green color is unique in the world of bathrobes and very on trend everywhere else.
Best summer-weight robe
Fabric: 100% Cotton | Design details: Two front pockets and one chest pocket, calf-Length, 2 colors | Sizing: M–3XL
According to Nickel Cobalt, the community manager at menswear resale site Grailed, “the unique puckering” — on seersucker fabric — “keeps the fabric away from your skin, keeping you cool and dry in hot and humid climates.” This seersucker robe from the Vermont Country Store has two large pockets, a chest pocket, and a classic adjustable belt tie. Because it’s lightweight, it’s a great robe for warmer weather. Cobalt says he’s a fan of the classic baby-blue stripes that give this robe a pool- or beach-appropriate vibe. Plus he uses the chest pocket to store his sunglasses while lounging around.
Best flannel robe
Fabric: 100% Cotton | Design details: Two front pockets and one chest pocket, knee-length, 7 colors | Sizing: S–3XL, regular and tall sizes
“I grew up wearing this bathrobe through cold New England winters, but it’s also great after a cold shower,” says Cobalt. “The soft cotton flannel is a natural fiber, which means it’s able to provide warmth without trapping moisture against your skin the way synthetic fabrics like fleece would.” Cobalt isn’t the only fan of this robe — consultant Eva Alt told us she borrows it from her boyfriend on occasion because it’s so warm. It’s especially soft, too; according to L.L. Bean, its cotton fabric is brushed to make it fuzzier in feel. Larger sizes of the Scotch Plaid robe are also available in a tall length, which adds about two inches to the overall length and one inch to the sleeve length.
Most splurge-worthy robe
Fabric: 100% Cotton | Design details: Two front pockets, calf-length, 20 colors | Sizing: XS–XL
Tekla’s bathrobe was enthusiastically recommended by three of the stylish people we spoke to. Daniel Brøndt, co-creator of menswear brand Another Aspect, says, “Tekla’s robe provides plenty of absorbency combined with a supersoft feel that makes it great for a relaxing few minutes before you rush out of the door in the morning.” Kapil Sehgal, a brand consultant, praised Tekla’s cotton fabric and overall ability to make loungewear look and feel chic. Nikolaj Hansson, creator of tennis menswear brand Palmes, has owned the Tekla robe for three years. He says he is strangely addicted to hooded sweatshirts, and the Tekla robe hits a similar note while lounging around the house. He describes it as a boxing robe and a bathrobe fused into one garment. “The material is thick, it’s made of organic cotton, and the fit is kind of oversized, but in a great way,” he says.
Best sweatshirt robe
Fabric: 72% cotton, 28% polyester jersey knit | Design details: Two front pockets, calf-length, 5 colors | Sizing: XS-XXL
Strategist contributor Alyse Whitney came across the hooded sweatshirt–esque (and now out-of-stock) T-Y Boxer robe while staying in a Boston hotel and fell for it so hard she was tempted to steal it. “Normally, bathrobes in hotel rooms are a little scratchy if you’re not staying at the Ritz, but this was the complete opposite,” Whitney says. “It’s like the softest sweatshirt in bathrobe form, absorbing all wetness as soon as I step out of the shower.” Whitney says she wears it all of the time, similar to the way you would wear a college hoodie. And like many a college hoodie, “the more you wash it, the better it actually gets,” she says. This sweatshirt robe from Land’s End is a very close cousin of Whitney’s T-Y robe with more sizes and colors to choose from.
Best blanket robe
Fabric: 100% cotton | Design details: Two front pockets, ankle-length, 10 colors | Sizing: One size
Former Strategist senior writer Karen Iorio Adelson describes the Offhours Homecoat as a weighted blanket that can be worn outside of the bedroom. “The Homecoat robe resembles a quilted duvet with its polyester stuffing and T-shirt-soft cotton exterior,” writes Adelson, who immediately made the Homecoat a staple of her loungewear wardrobe after testing one out. “At five pounds, it’s about the weight of a children’s weighted blanket instead of a 15- to 20-pound adult-size one, which makes sense in this case since you want to, you know, walk around in it,” she explains. “But the hugging, soothing sensation is similar.” The Homecoat is about an inch thick, so it’s very warm but can also be a bit cumbersome. “Elegance isn’t the first word that comes to mind when describing the Homecoat — wearing it, I look like a cross between a Michelin man and a very comfortable bed — but it has its own dignity,” Adelson says. She’s joined in her appreciation of the robe by Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa, who loves his so much that anytime the temperature drops below 50 degrees, he can be found wearing it in his apartment whenever he’s at home. He agrees that the weighted blanket aspect of the Homecoat is comforting, but his favorite part is how smooth the cotton-jersey lining feels against his skin.
Best (less expensive) blanket robe
Fabric: 100% cotton shell with 100% polyester fill | Design details: Two front pockets, button closure, knee-length, 3 colors | Sizing: S, M, L
Casper’s Blanket Robe has quickly become Strategist writer Latifah Miles’s favorite among the many robes she owns or has tried. She says it checks all the boxes of her dream robe in that it “looks nice enough to wear out but is ‘lying on the couch’–level comfortable.” It’s snuggly, much like the Offhours Homecoat above, but without the weighted feel. It also comes at a much lower price. Miles likes that the single-button closure, wide armholes, long shawl collar, and sculptural shape make it stylish enough to wear out in public, once the weather gets colder.
Our Experts
• Karen Iorio Adelson, former Strategist senior writer
• Eva Alt, consultant
• Daniel Brøndt, co-creator of menswear brand Another Aspect
• Nickel Cobalt, community manager at menswear resale site Grailed
• Nikolaj Hansson, creator of tennis menswear brand Palmes
• Heather Pearson, co-founder of vegan nutrition company Dande and the Lion
• Kate Posch, yoga instructor
• Kapil Sehgal, brand consultant
• David Telfer, creative director of Sunspel
• Alyse Whitney, Strategist contributor
• Lorenzo Pozzan, actor
• Jeremy Rellosa, Strategist writer
• Latifah Miles, Strategist writer
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