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Before you buy: Everything you need to know about robes
Here at Baturina Homewear, we are your experts for personalized loungewear and have many years of expertise when it comes to sinfully luxurious dressing gowns. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know before you decide to invest in a dressing gown or smoking jacket (or pajama set).
Robe design features
- Main body fabric
- Trim fabric: It comes in different styles.
- Lining fabric (fully lined inside)
- Inner fastening ribbon on the left and right: allows you to tie the robe so it stays closed even when the belt is untied.
- Piping: It comes in different styles.
- Adjustable turn-up cuffs
- Chest pocket (with monogram embroidery in the middle)
- Deep side pockets
- Long adjustable waist-tie
- Tassels: Available in different styles
Additional details:
- Shawl collar style cut with spacious fit
- You can comfortably wear pajamas or clothing underneath
- Has a discreet hanging loop at the back below the shawl collar.
Each robe is made to order and comes in different sizes and lenghts that you can choose.
A variety of robe styles
As you can tell from our illustration, a dressing gown is made up of a few parts: the main body fabric, trim, lining, piping, tassels. Each part can be styled differently. Typical main body fabrics include velvet, jacquard cotton, wool, silk etc. For the trim, we usually choose a contrast color and it can be made of plain fabric or adorned with quilting. The lining is meant to be in direct skin contact and must be chosen wisely. Tassels and piping add a beautiful finishing touch to your robe and can be chosen from a variety of styles and colors. As a result, a robe can be customized to suit any taste, from extravagant to minimalist.
What fabrics are used for dressing gowns?
Main body fabric
Typically fashioned in velvet, cotton, wool and silk, this is the centerpiece of your robe. It must be chosen wisely and should fit your lifestyle.
Are you looking for a warm and heavy robe, or a lightweight and breezy one, or something for year-round wear? Do you prefer patterns or solid colors? Answering these questions will help you narrow down the selection.
Tip: Use our practical filters and the search bar to find your perfect robe.
Lining fabric
We offer a lot of different lining options. Pure cotton, polyester blend satin, cozy fleece, mullberry silk satin, just to name a few.
As a rule of thumb, pure cotton is best for direct skin contact, when you wear the robe over the naked body, same goes for fleece linings. Fleece is especially cozy and warm, so it’s a great winter option.
Satin is ideal if you intent to wear your rober over shirts or a want to layer it over other clothes in general. We do polyester blend satin and pure mullberry silk, so there is something for every taste.
Trim fabric
For the trim fabric, we either use cotton velvet or satin — or the same main body fabric. There is a lot of creative freedom here but the trim fabric needs to be substantial enough to hold its shape. It can be adorned with quilting, our signature diamond shaped pattern that comes in large and fine.
What kind of embellishments are there?
Piping is a decorative and functional trim used in clothing. It’s sewn into the seams of a garment. The result is a raised, corded line that runs along edges, giving the garment structure and a refined finish. Available in many different colors and here at Baturina we offer it in two different finishes: plain and twisted cord.
The navy and white striped and gold and black striped cord is a Baturina-exclusive design.
Tassels are decorative ornaments made of threads or cords. They are often seen on military uniforms, church vestments, and luxury home furnishings. In Victorian and Edwardian loungewear, tassels were common on robe waist ties and smoking caps, symbolizing elegance and refinement. They remain a vintage-inspired detail that gives a garment personality, movement, and that unmistakable luxurious flourish. At Baturina Homewear, tassels are available in two styles: round and fringe.
Monogram embroidery is a timeless way to personalize your robe. From M to Matthew, to numeric codes, or simply “Dad”, there are many ways to add a personal touch to your robes and pajamas. We have made the chart below with gold embroidery on burgundy velvet (a favorite) to give you a practical overview.
A variety of robe styles
Size and length of a robe
Now that you have read this far, you know everything there is about the style of our dressing gowns. But what about size and length?
Every piece is individually handmade in our own studio in Hamburg, Germany. From start to finish, all our robes and pajamas are handcrafted with passion and great love for detail. Because each design is individually handmade, we offer an inclusive range of sizes and custom tailoring. Read our detailed Size Guide for more information.
Choosing the right length is very important. Some may prefer a floor length robe, while others prefer mid-calf or mid-thigh. Ultimately, it comes down to your lifestyle and comfort preferences.
As for the style, a short robe — or smoking jacket — range generally from 80 to 95 cm, while everything longer is considered a dressing gown. The typical dressing gown length ranges from 100 to 150 cm and we also offer lengths up to 170 cm for those whore are quite tall.
When choosing the length, it’s best to consider your height and where you’d like to hem of your robe to reach.
Long robes are better when you want full coverage, while a short smoking jacket is best styled with some chic pajama bottoms or boxer shorts. Check out our robe length guide below!
What length should I choose for my robe?
How to measure robe length
Measure from the base of the neck at the back down to the preferred point.
We recommend the following styles, based on body height. Use the information below to get a better idea what length to choose.
175-189 cm: 85 cm
166-176 cm: 80 cm
185-196 cm: 90 cm
5'9 - 6'1: 33 7/16
5'5 - 5'7: 31 1/2
6'2 - 6'5: 35 7/16
175-189 cm: 115 cm
166-176 cm: 95 cm
185-196 cm: 120 cm
5'9 - 6'1: 45 1/4
5'5 - 5'7: 37 3/8
6'2 - 6'5: 47 1/4
175-189 cm: 125 cm
166-176 cm: 115 cm
185-196 cm: 135 cm
5'9 - 6'1: 49 3/16
5'5 - 5'7: 45 1/4
6'2 - 6'5: 53 1/8
175-189 cm: 135 cm
166-176 cm: 125 cm
185-196 cm: 140 cm
5'9 - 6'1: 53 1/8
5'5 - 5'7: 49 3/16
6'2 - 6'5: 55 1/8
175-189 cm: 140 cm
166-176 cm: 135 cm
185-196 cm: 150 cm
5'9 - 6'1: 55 1/8
5'5 - 5'7: 53 1/8
6'2 - 6'5: 59 1/16
Smoking jacket, dressing gown, robe or housecoat?
Lastly, let’s take a look at the semantics of the robe. Is it a dressing gown, smoking jacket, a robe or housecoat? Let’s discuss the differences between these terms.
A “dressing gown” is a loose garment worn at home, a “smoking jacket” is a specific type of loungewear worn while smoking, and a “robe” is a more general term that can include both dressing gowns, smoking jackets, and other types of loose-fitting garments worn for various purposes. The context and cultural norms play a significant role in distinguishing these terms. That being said, the modern-day smoking jacket is not just for smoking cigars and you can wear it regardless whether you own a mansion or smoke tobacco.
The term “housecoat” is more commonly used in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada. In other English-speaking regions, such as the UK, Australia, or New Zealand, the term “dressing gown” or “robe” might be more prevalent for similar garments. Additionally, this term is often associated with women’s loungewear.
And no matter which term you prefer, here at Baturina Homewear, you will find your perfect robe.
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