# For those who live alone (or have lived alone before). Preferred state of (un)dress? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919 "2010-08-11T06:47:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/81 "2010-08-14T17:32:58Z")
Fully clothed, but usually only in short and tee or summery dress or in the winter, sweats and a tee. I almost never put on undergarments if I don’t plan on leaving the house, and I prefer barefoot unless it’s cold in here. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/82 "2010-08-14T17:47:49Z")
Nude or boxer-briefs in bed, otherwise fully dressed which is just jeans and tshirt. Footwear depends on the temperature. Tevas when it’s hot, utility sneakers otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/83 "2010-08-14T18:17:14Z")
I’m usually in my boxers, unless it is really cold, then I put on a short and sweats. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/84 "2010-08-14T20:43:02Z")
I was going to start a thread on this very topic last week, but forgot about it. I’m married, but my preferences now are pretty much the same as my preferences when i lived alone. Assuming the weather and the house are warm enough, i like to hang around the house dressed in just boxer briefs or a pair of cotton shorts; no shirt. My wife has no problem with this; indeed, she is usually in a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top. While winters here in San Diego aren’t exactly cold, our place does get cool enough that it’s impractical to sit around without a shirt. In winter, i usually wear a pair of cotton lounging or pajama pants and a t-shirt or thin sweatshirt. If we’re home alone, and i’m not going anywhere, i simply cannot sit around fully clothed. It just feels overdressed and uncomfortable to me. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/85 "2010-08-14T20:54:30Z")
Fully clothed apart from footwear. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/86 "2010-08-15T00:30:34Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I prefer barefoot unless there’s carpet. Never met a carpet that was nice to walk on ☹ Sorry hijack…ummmm huh? You prefer cold hard floors? Carpet is soft and warm. 😃 Whoops forgot to add my take. Casual stuff, not work clothes though. Tshirts and fun bright lounge pants. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/87 "2010-08-15T00:41:20Z")
I answered Robe/PJs, but it’s more like athletic shorts, old t-shirt or polo shirt, socks, and slippers (or crocs). In the winter, it is sweats instead of shorts (the house is like 64 deg in the winter. Every hour or so when I am home, I like to go for a short walk 5 minutes, maybe around the block. It helps keep my back loose. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/88 "2010-08-15T00:45:37Z")
Depends. Please, no jokes, people. Seriously now, _always_ pantsless, and everything else depends on my mood. I think it’s a sin to wear pants at home if you live alone or with an SO/FB/someone who doesn’t mind seeing you in varying states of naked. So it varies among whatever combination of underthings and shirts you can think of. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/89 "2010-08-15T02:35:13Z")
It depends on the weather. I’m a cheap bastard when it comes to air conditioning/heating. In the summer, I prefer just boxers. In the winter it’s too cold in my house for anything less than fully clothed, sometimes I even wear a coat inside. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/90 "2010-08-16T15:31:44Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > I am an old grouchy bastard and I don’t think that ageist stuff is funny in the least See? This is why nobody likes to live around old people. I should probably stop yanking your chain before you come over here and hit me. > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I wear shoes at home too, especially if I’m working. I don’t like walking around barefoot, and I can’t concentrate on work unless I feel properly attired.:mad: Sometimes I kick my shoes off… _ **at work!** _ ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/91 "2010-08-16T16:28:48Z")
When I lived alone, it was in an apartment Brooklyn and I’d strip down to my boxers when I got home. These days, we live in a house at the end of a cul-de-sac so we rarely see anyone. However, what with the kids, I’ll stay clothed when I get home until after dinner, when I change into a T and thin cotton shorts, no undies. After we got married when it was just me and the wife, as soon as we got home I’d strip to boxers and she’d put on her pj’s, which was just either a short nightgown or a cami and shorts. When my wife and kids go to the beach (which they do for a week or so a few times during the summer), when I get home I strip down to just the boxers. I’d really prefer to be naked all the time, but rather than carry something with me around the house to sit on wherever I might be, I just keep on the boxers. But if I’m going out to the deck to read after work and I know I’ll be out there a while, I’ll go naked and just sit on my boxers. The yard is surrounded by woods and it’s cool to be naked outside. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/92 "2010-08-16T17:38:15Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > [@LouisB](#): > > > > I am an old grouchy bastard and I don’t think that ageist stuff is funny in the least > > See? This is why nobody likes to live around old people. > > I should probably stop yanking your chain before you come over here and hit me. > > > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > > I wear shoes at home too, especially if I’m working. I don’t like walking around barefoot, and I can’t concentrate on work unless I feel properly attired.:mad: > > Sometimes I kick my shoes off… _ **at work!** _ I am, even as we speak, restraining myself from telling two of my female employees to put their damn shoes back on. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/93 "2010-08-16T18:36:27Z")
I only do it under my desk (unless I’m the only one in the office), and my feet aren’t stank. People who wander around shoeless with feet you can smell from anything farther than an inch away should be tossed from the nearest window to air out properly. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/94 "2010-08-16T19:13:52Z")
I pretty much always where a shirt and jeans or sweats or shorts. I hate to be naked, or even shirtless as my skin sticks to everything. I don’t like shoes though. That’s probably from my youth. Man come summer vacation, my shoes came off and except for church, I never put them back on till school started. Of course then back then you could be shoeless in some stores 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/95 "2010-08-17T02:21:30Z")
I voted ‘other’ because I live in the upper midwest (USA) and it really depends on the weather. If it is in the winter, I won’t even consider not having clothes on. On a very hot and humid summer day, however, I am not opposed to closing the shades, covering my easy chair (or computer chair) with towels, stripping down to my birthday suit, setting the fan in a direction so-as to cool my body and watching TV (or going on the computer or reading or whatnot). I do recommend not cooking naked. Splatter is a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/96 "2010-08-18T06:30:56Z")
I voted “robe/pajamas,” but I’m really all over the map. When home alone, I have no compunction about being naked; I sleep that way, and if I don’t need to go out, I stay that way – but that’s because if I’m home alone, I usually stay in/on my bed, which is warm and comfy and has lots of pillows to lean on. If I’m going to be sitting on furniture, I want to be wearing something: if it’s hot, shorts and a t-shirt or aloha shirt are good; if it’s slightly cooler, my light bathrobe; if it’s cold, my heavy robe. If I plan to go out, or am just feeling logy and want to wake myself up, fully dressed is the way to go. I do not lounge in my underwear, though, as I don’t wear t-shirts or boxers, and sitting around wearing briefs isn’t any more comfortable than any of the alternatives. (One exception; on a really hot day, when I come home, I might strip off my clothes, throw on an aloha shirt (open), and keep the briefs on – but I’m more likely to switch to some nice, clean, lightweight, not-sweaty shorts. I hate being sweaty.) ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/97 "2010-08-18T06:43:07Z")
I lounge around in my boxers, chips in a pile on my belly, legs draped over the arm of my sofa. Funnily enough, my only nudist phase took place while I was living with a girl. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/98 "2010-08-18T07:39:26Z")
I don’t exactly live alone, but it is up to me what I wear inside the house. So close enough to vote. If you don’t like it, take one away from pajamas. Pajamas have two functions: to keep me from getting cold, and,when the A/C isn’t working, to keep the fans from making me itch. And, of course, they’re more comfortable than being fully clothed. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/99 "2010-08-18T15:10:23Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Funnily enough, my only nudist phase took place while I was living with a girl. Yup, I spent the most time naked when I was effectively living with my boyfriend at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919/100 "2010-08-18T19:22:42Z")
Fully clothed _or_ robe/pajamas (well, pajamas mostly - I don’t usually wear a robe). Not that I’m averse to hanging around in just the undies or whatever, but it’s not something I would typically do for more than a few minutes at a time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-those-who-live-alone-or-have-lived-alone-before-preferred-state-of-un-dress/549919.md?page=6)