# Which dressing gown do you prefer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 17, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162 "2021-02-17T20:30:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/61 "2021-05-12T01:33:03Z")
Congratulations! That is a really nice-looking piece of textile. I wonder who their weavers are. ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/62 "2021-05-12T01:47:45Z")
It’s a place called Vanners. > **[Inside Vanners, makers of the silks for the most sumptuous dressing gowns...](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/mens-style/inside-vanners-makers-silks-sumptuous-dressing-gowns-imaginable/)** > > A stone’s throw from the stately Beau Brummell statue on Jermyn Street in St James’ - known as Mecca for traditional menswear - two store windows look upon the fellow’s swaggering form. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/63 "2021-05-12T21:56:17Z")
I’m glad you found one you love. Looks great. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/64 "2021-05-12T22:21:30Z")
> [@HughGoply](#): > > It’s a place called Vanners. Shit, I googled them and it looks like they’re [in trouble](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-54919888). What does being “in administration” mean? Is that British for declaring bankruptcy? ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/65 "2021-05-12T23:35:33Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Shit, I googled them and it looks like they’re [in trouble](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-54919888). What does being “in administration” mean? Is that British for declaring bankruptcy? I don’t know, but I also saw they are accused of not paying employees. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/66 "2021-05-13T22:35:27Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Still not clear on that, or its purpose… do you put it on over pajamas so you don’t have to get dressed in the morning? I mean, who are you fooling, you’re going to get dressed. Just throw some clothes on and go have breakfast. You throw it on so that you can go and make a cup of tea, or even answer the door to the postman, without getting dressed. It’s less effort than throwing some clothes on. Light ones like in the OP are for warm weather. It’s only on here that I learned that some (or many?) people in the US don’t have dressing gowns. They’re standard in England. I mean, I’m sure some people don’t have them, but when staying over at people’s houses they’ve usually offered a towel and a dressing gown to use (the ones that don’t offer a dressing gown also don’t offer a towel), and everyone wanders around in one early in the day. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/67 "2021-05-14T12:41:55Z")
Which century England? ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/68 "2021-05-14T18:23:35Z")
I’ve never had a person in England offer me a dressing gown. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/69 "2021-05-14T18:49:54Z")
Current England. And I’m 45 and not especially old fashioned. I’m sure I know some people who don’t own a dressing gown, but most definitely do. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/70 "2021-05-14T19:29:54Z")
I’m going to email my good friend in Sussex and ask him if he has one. He’s older than you and me. If he doesn’t, I’m calling you out. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/71 "2021-05-14T20:11:18Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Current England. And I’m 45 and not especially old fashioned. I’m sure I know some people who don’t own a dressing gown, but most definitely do. I bet most Americans have something that would qualify as a dressing gown. Most women have housecoats or robes, and a lot of men have robes. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/72 "2021-05-14T20:40:27Z")
I own a bathrobe. If someone saw me wearing it and said, “hey, nice dressing gown”, I’d reply, “well, fuck you Charlie”. ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/73 "2021-05-14T21:11:33Z")
“A bathrobe is a dressing gown made from towelling or other absorbent fabric and may be donned while the wearer’s body is wet, serving both as a [towel](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towel) and a body covering when there is no immediate need to fully dress.” > **[Bathrobe](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathrobe)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > A bathrobe, also known as a housecoat or a dressing gown, is a loose-fitting outer garment (a robe) worn by people, often after washing the body or around a pool. A bathrobe is considered to be very informal clothing, and is not worn with everyday clothes. > A bathrobe is a dressing gown made from towelling or other absorbent fabric and may be donned while the wearer's body is wet, serving both as a towel and a body covering when there is no immedi... ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/74 "2021-05-14T21:51:55Z")
You are correct. But that’s just the way I talk to Charlie. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2021, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/75 "2021-05-16T22:10:21Z")
He probably does. I suppose men are slightly less likely to though. Even if he’s one of the few who doesn’t own one, I bet he’d confirm that most people do. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2021, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/76 "2021-05-17T05:43:00Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > when staying over at people’s houses they’ve usually offered a towel and a dressing gown to use (the ones that don’t offer a dressing gown also don’t offer a towel), and everyone wanders around in one early in the day. This has never happened to me when staying in England - I always get towels, but never a dressing gown. And I’ve never seen any of my UK friends in one. My friends range in age from late 40s to 20s, all solidly middle class and up. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2021, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/77 "2021-05-17T13:13:48Z")
> [@HughGoply](#): > > I bet most Americans have something that would qualify as a dressing gown. Most women have housecoats or robes, and a lot of men have robes You might be right. I have a non-fancy robe (oversized men’s robe in a simple cotton weave) that provides ample coverage and would be suitable for answering the door or hanging around with overnight guests or just covering up between drying off and getting dressed. I call it my bathrobe, but it’s not really absorbent. I think there’s simply a difference in typical American vs. British terminology. We call both the absorbent and non-absorbent types “bathrobes,” while the British seem to differentiate. I knew the difference, but I use the American terminology. Congratulations on your purchase. It’s really cool! ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/78 "2021-05-17T15:34:38Z")
Yes, I have several garments that I call “bathrobes”. One is made of heavy terrycloth and lives in the bathroom, and I wear it after I shower. The others are made of light fabric and I wear them over PJs when I wear PJs out of the bedroom. I don’t use them very often, but Christmas morning I always go downstairs in my bathrobe (the one I use is actually a Japanese yukata) and wear it while opening presents and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2021, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/79 "2021-05-17T19:03:29Z")
Ha! My bathrobe also gets most of its use around Christmastime. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162/80 "2021-05-18T17:08:52Z")
I’ve asked around my friends in England, and so far they’ve all confirmed that they do, indeed, own at least one dressing gown. I guess there’s a chance I’m wrong and Americans who’ve been on holiday to England are right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dressing-gown-do-you-prefer/933162.md?page=5)