Where do you get a nice bathrobe?

November 1, 2014 10:21 PM

For Christmas, I'd like to buy my close woman friend a really nice bathrobe/lounge robe, but not a super heavy terry cloth one. But where?

Budget is $50 or so, but I will consider higher.
Must be available in the US, online or retail totally fine.
I'm shooting for sensual-but-practical, cozy-yet-slightly-sexy. It's important that it not be bulky, see-through, dry-clean-only, or from the men's department. It gets down to 40F sometimes but not that often, so it doesn't need to be excessively warm.
It should be easy to dry out, apartment has poor ventilation.
It should be full length on a long-legged, medium-sized, 5'11 woman with somewhat broad shoulders and wide ribs, and not super form-fitting. I think she wears somewhere between a 6 and a 12, typically around an 8, depending on the brand and style (the ribs/band size and height are usually the dealbreaker for dresses, but I doubt that's a big issue for fit in bathrobes.)
I don't think color matters but natural/beige/gray or jewel tones are good. Tiny cute polka dots would be OK, but big outrageous florals would not be. Please, metafilter, you're my only hope!

posted by blnkfrnk to Shopping (10 answers total)

Sensual but practical? Difficult. If you want practical though, try L.L. Bean.
posted by maledictory at 10:44 PM on November 1, 2014

Maybe bamboo? Something like this. (Not a recommendation per se - I just found this site poking around, I've never bought from here.) Bamboo fabric tends to feel amazing, it's absorbent and anti-microbial, and the cream color here is a nice neutral. It seems to hit all your marks except sexy, which is hard to do in a practical robe.
posted by current resident at 11:21 PM on November 1, 2014

I've always thought the ones at Novica were quite snazzy. $50 is the lower-end of their price point, but doable.
posted by Trifling at 11:34 PM on November 1, 2014 [1 favorite]

TJ Maxx. The bathrobes in the UK branches (where it's called TK Maxx) are lovely and are usually imported from the States and so I'm sure you'll find something great in a TJ Maxx near you.
posted by essexjan at 1:57 AM on November 2, 2014

My wife and I bought bathrobes at Restoration Hardware 5 years ago, and they're holding up very nicely. Just a touch above your $50 budget, starting at $69.
posted by mellon at 1:17 AM on November 2, 2014

Do you know anything about the usual retailers she buys clothes from? That can say a lot about where her tastes tend to run.
posted by Sequence at 6:24 AM on November 2, 2014

Oh, I don't have this one, although I did get mine from Macy's, but something like this is longer but modal is going to dry faster than cotton and should be pretty light. Might want to find one in-store to see about stuff like opacity, though, pictures can be deceiving for lightweight items.
posted by Sequence at 6:35 AM on November 2, 2014

I hate to suggest it, but I had at one point five bathrobes from various retailers including ll bean, and the one from Victoria's Secret is the only one I kept. It's not as well made, but it's the most flattering. Consider getting one with a hood, if she ever wears anything with hoods.
posted by umwhat at 9:08 AM on November 2, 2014

I have this robe by Natori in two different lengths because I love it so much. It's such a comfy, drapey material and doesn't look sloppy. It has an inside tie to keep it wrapped and the belt is attached in the back so it doesn't get lost. The regular price is above your budget but it shouldn't be hard to find it on sale, especially if you're flexible on the color.
posted by houseofdanie at 7:25 PM on November 2, 2014

Response by poster: Thanks everyone for the excellent answers! I am not marking a best answer because they're all helpful. I agree that sensual/practical is a "know it when I see it" condition, so thanks for making a stab at it anyway.

I appreciate the helpful suggestions and starting places!
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:29 PM on November 30, 2014