sleepwear

Building a Chronic Illness Wardrobe

Kate Sloan

Weirdly, one of the saddest parts of my slow descent into chronic pain hell is being unable to dress the way I used to. 💔

Even setting aside the issue of how my body shape/size has changed since becoming less mobile (because I ain’t about that fat-shaming life), there are some types of clothes I just can’t wear anymore, or at least not very often. My beloved rockabilly dresses have nipped waists that dig into me uncomfortably; luxury lingerie stabs me with its underwires and lace; even jeans often feel painfully restrictive. I was never much of a high heels person, but now even sturdy heeled boots sometimes hurt me. It suuuuucks.

However, slowly but surely, I’ve been re-learning how to dress myself in what feels like a completely different body than I had in my teens or early twenties. Here are some of my top picks; maybe they’ll help you if you also have chronic pain/illness, or even if you just like comfy clothes!

 

Leggings and lounge pants have become foundational to my style. I used to wear tights under dresses most days, but over the years I’ve slowly transitioned to wearing leggings under my dresses instead, because they’re comfier, more durable, easier to put on in a hurry, and can double as pants for sleeping in or lounging around the house. (Or wearing out, frankly. The “leggings are not pants” brigade can fuck right the hell off.)

These TrueSleep modal joggers by the Gap are some of my faves right now; I have a few different pairs. Modal is one of the comfiest materials for my particular body. It’s stretchy, non-scratchy, and feels light as air against my skin. These pants have pockets – always a plus – and they have a slim enough cut that they can pass for leggings if I throw a dress over them before leaving the house. They’re marginally see-through because the fabric is so thin, which is admittedly a drawback, but I barely wear them out of my apartment so it doesn’t really matter. I also love my Ureshii leisure pants, which were made-to-measure and are soooo comfy and soft.

 

Cute tops help me feel like a human even when my body isn’t cooperating. I’ve recently sought out soft lace-edged tank tops as a replacement for the oversized T-shirts I tend to rock with my lounge pants, because any little thing I can do to feel more femme is helpful when I’m achy and insecure.

Looking in the sleepwear section of any clothing store is always a good bet for pain-friendly clothes, because those garments tend to be specifically engineered for comfort and mobility. I always keep an eye out for “sleepwear” items that don’t look like pajamas; they are truly the holy grail.

 

Modal slips are a lifesaver for me. My first one was a black satin-edged Calvin Klein one that I bought a decade ago, and it’s held up so well and gotten me through so many pained days that I recently ordered a couple more: a short one in black and a longer one in a rosy red. These are way more glamorous than sweatpants but just as comfy (if not moreso), and can even be worn out of the house if layered appropriately with leggings and a cardigan or somesuch.

I’m curious about silk slips – they seem like a summertime equivalent of my modal ones, and are ultra-glam – but the one I want most isn’t available in my size, so I’ll keep looking, I guess! I also dream of someday ordering a bespoke Ureshii jersey dress; their cuts are gorgeously flattering but they’re made of super-soft fabric.

 

Bralettes are a must-have for times when I want some boob support but am in too much pain for a proper bra. Truth be told, I don’t wear bras or bralettes all that often, because I’ve basically stopped caring about my nipples being visible or whatever, but sometimes I want to feel a little fancy so I’ll put one on.

Some of the comfiest ones I’ve found are by Aerie. I usually avoid lace because I can’t handle the itchiness against my skin; soft fabrics are where it’s at. If I ever want to go the whole nine yards, I could order some made-to-measure jersey bralettes from Ureshii (drooool).

 

Cashmere sweaters are super comforting and cozy. They especially help me when cold weather is causing pain flare-ups; one day I’d love to own a pair of cashmere leggings for similar reasons (feel free to recommend some in the comments!). My favorites right now are by J. Crew but it’s pretty easy to find vintage cashmere for a steal on eBay, Etsy, Depop, etc.

Cashmere also layers really nicely with materials like modal and silk. The extreme softness of it makes me feel swaddled in safety. Truly ideal.

 

Ugg boots are a controversial pick, but whatever. They’re incredibly comfy, even when I’m having one of those weird pain days where just walking around hurts my feet and legs. I often even wear mine around the house.

The ones I have are adorned in sequins, but I’d eventually like to get a classic black pair because they’re subdued enough that they don’t scream “Paris Hilton in 2003.” (Not that there’s anything wrong with Paris Hilton… but she and I have different aesthetics!)

 

Jumpsuits and rompers are best for those days when I just can’t be bothered with separates. My favorites are by MeUndies, whose rompers are so sinfully soft that they’re even comfier than being naked (for my body, anyway). And they have pockets. Incredible.

The Gap makes a Softspun V-neck jumpsuit and a modal romper that both intrigue me. In summer I could wear these out of the house and probably no one would bat an eye. Cool!

 

Fellow folks with chronic illness/pain, what changes or additions have you made to your wardrobe to accommodate your condition?

Sensual Sleepwear for Rhapsodic Napping

Kate Sloan
An old picture of one of my favorite sleepwear items ever, a turquoise and pink romper by Leg Avenue.

I know I just talked about loungewear recently, but now I wanna talk about sleepwear, too!

There’s a fair amount of overlap between these two categories, but there are some notable differences. Loungewear is the sort of thing I’d mostly wear around the house, but would have no reservations about sporting to the store or a local café if I needed to, or wearing on a casual Zoom call. Sleepwear, on the other hand, tends to be a little slinkier, a little skimpier, and not exactly grocery store-appropriate. It must also be comfy enough that I can toss and turn in it and not wake up a sweaty, tangled, wrinkled mess.

Now that we’ve got that distinction sorted out, here are some sleepwear items I’ve been eying lately…

 

Remember when the word “mask” could refer to stuff that didn’t remind you of the global health crisis we’re all facing?! (Gulp.) I think silk eye masks are the best type of mask (fight me, N-95s… just kidding) and don’t know what I would do without them. One entire wall of my bedroom is a window, which ordinarily I love, but it can be tricky when I’m trying to squeeze in some mid-day zzz’s. There is just something about the pressure on my eyes, and the total blockage of light, that helps me sleep so much more easily and peacefully.

I probably already have too many masks of this sort, but this pink silk one by Emily Au is calling to me nonetheless. There’s something so delightfully meta/Dada about napping while little illustrated eyes cover your actual peepers.

This mask would be best paired with a black silk slip, pale pink striped thigh-high socks, and a white noise machine. Mmmm.

 

Excuse me, this matching pink satin robe and nightgown set is far too cute to exist. What I love about this is that it makes coordination effortless, so you can have your glamorous Cat on a Hot Tin Roof moment without needing to spend hours getting ready like Elizabeth Taylor did!

I also love that each of these items could be worn separately, depending on the situation. I can imagine falling asleep in just the nightgown and then slipping into the robe to go make breakfast and coffee in the morning… or wearing the nightgown during a hookup and then throwing the robe on to walk my date to the door. So many possibilities!

I would pair this ensemble with shiny black stiletto heels, hot pink lipstick, and big hair for an over-the-top selfie photoshoot… and then I would kick off the heels, blot the lipstick off, tie my hair back, and curl up for a nice comfy snooze, draped in stunning satin. Ah, heaven.

 

Sometimes you just wanna feel like a cartoonishly hot babe, and this cotton Lola Bunny nightgown from H&M is just the thing for those moments. It’s essentially an oversized T-shirt, which are the best thing to sleep in anyway (particularly when borrowed from a beau). I like that the design is juuust presentable enough that you could throw on some leggings underneath and maybe a denim jacket on top and you’d be fine to pop by the store or answer the door.

H&M also makes one of these bearing the NASA logo, and I love that juxtaposition. Imagine the kind of person who would own both of these. They seem like they’d be awesome to hang out with.

I’d pair sweet Lola Bunny with black cashmere socks and a pale lavender sleep mask. Bunny ears optional.

 

I’m absolutely losing my shit over everything made by Prayers and Plans, a Black-owned luxury loungewear company. However, this midnight-blue silk slip might just take the cake. The cut is so sexy yet so simple, and that color is just… va-va-voom. Silk can be so amazingly vividly hued; there’s a reason I keep gravitating toward it in this post!

I love when nightgowns are designed with actual sleeping in mind, rather than just being optimized for visual sexiness (there’s no shame in that, it’s just not what I’m after when I talk about sleepwear specifically). There’s enough looseness in this slip’s design that it seems like it’d be comfy all night long. Plus I’m pretty sure that if I had a one-night stand with someone and woke up to see them wearing this in bed the next morning, I’d have a hard time leaving…!

I’d pair this with… ideally nothing at all, honestly. And it looks like it’d actually feel fine when worn naked, unlike a lot of more lingerie-leaning slips that can scrape you with lace and poke you with seams.

 

I’ve always loved Yokoo‘s quirky collection of handmade knitwear (they made an absurdly warm raspberry cowl I’ve treasured for a few winters now) and I know from experience that these items are the best accessories for wintertime naps, especially before your landlord turns the heat on in your building (le sigh). The Pembroke Cowl is HUGE – like, almost Lenny Kravitz huge – and can be custom-made in a wide array of autumnal and wintry shades just for you. This scarf in the “warm blueberry pie” color has been calling my name for years now…

Yokoo’s scarves are also the absolute best for cold winters in general, especially if you’re someone who uses your voice professionally as a singer, podcaster, etc. (I used to have a voice teacher who insisted I should wear a scarf EVERY time I left the house, to “protect [my] throat,” and I don’t quite go that far, but…) I remember it feeling very comforting when, in winters past, I would sometimes wake up from a nap in my Yokoo cowl while sick with a cold or a flu, and head out the door immediately to go pick up medicine or soup without needing to first change my outfit.

For naptime, I’d pair this massive grey scarf with a long black modal slip dress, and (if it was really cold) black cashmere gloves. For bonus points, pull the scarf up over your eyes to act as an impromptu sleep mask!

 

What sleepwear are you craving these days?

Loungewear in the Time of Coronavirus: A Wishlist

Kate Sloan
Silk nightgowns are the ultimate in loungewear glamour, IMO.

For those of us privileged enough to still be able to stay home while the global pandemic rages on outside, loungewear has become an important consideration. This category of clothing that otherwise may have been reserved for weekends and evenings is now creeping into the everyday, as we seek comfort both physically and emotionally.

Clothing retailers are reporting record sales in this category since COVID kicked in, which makes sense. I, too, have been expanding my collection of comfy clothes – but as any fashion-conscious materialist will tell you, there’s always more to want! Here are some lounge-appropriate items I’ve been lusting after lately…

Gap Dreamwell Tiered Dress in “Off-White Geo Dot”

Have you checked out the Gap’s “Dreamwell” collection recently? It’s full of sleepwear essentials in comfy fabrics and fun prints. It’s also the perfect name for such a section; if a friend asked me during a Skype chat what I was wearing, it’d feel so much more glamorous to say “It’s Dreamwell, darling” than to simply call it pajamas or a nightgown!

This froofy little number reminds me of this recent article by Rachel Syme about the “Nap Dress,” a creation by Hill House. However, the actual Nap Dresses are frankly way more expensive and way more matronly than I’d prefer, so I like this Gap nightgown better. It looks like the sort of thing you could roll around in on insomniac nights if need be, and that wouldn’t cause you to wake up sweaty after a humid summer night.

There’s also just something so iconic about a white dress. I imagine I would wear this out of the house at some point – I’m big on reappropriating sleepwear as streetwear if at all appropriate – and I doubt I could resist standing on a subway grate to have a bit of a Marilyn moment.

Playboy x MissGuided Pink Bunny Oversized T-Shirt Dress

I have a secret habit of scrolling through eBay and Etsy late at night, looking at vintage Playboy merch from decades past. They’ve made some truly wild things: I’ve found Playboy-branded martini glasses, pink leather jackets, even a cake pan.

There was a time when I looked down my nose at this brand – they’re not exactly known as a paragon of female empowerment, to say the least. But their mission seems to have changed a lot over the years; as of this writing, there was a Black Lives Matter section on their homepage, along with articles about erotic knife play, the racism of drug laws, and how BDSM interacts with mental health. Increasingly, I feel like rocking their logo on my person – while definitely capitalistic and materialistic – would be more of a progressive statement than a regressive one.

All of that said, I need to draw your attention to MissGuided’s collaboration collection with Playboy. It’s full of athleisure gems that would look just as good on the street as they would in your bed. This loose T-shirt particularly caught my eye because of the cute hue and the soft jersey fabric. Imagine waking up beside your lover in this – you’d feel as foxy as a centerfold!

Re Ona Scoop Long-Sleeve Bodysuit in Black

Re Ona is a Black-owned business (thanks to the Zoe Report for introducing me to them!) that focuses on simple basics. Most of their pieces are available in just 2-3 colors and are all about clean lines and classic shapes.

This bodysuit is made of a double-layered viscose/spandex blend that would make it heavenly for lounging around in (so long as you can put up with the thong back, which I know some people aren’t into). But it’s also designed so that you can wear it under jeans, shorts, or a skirt, without needing to worry about panty lines or the kind of riding-up that happens when you wear a T-shirt this way.

With its deep scoop-neck and PANTY SNAP CLOSURE (!!), this bodysuit is almost impossibly sexy, and also very easy to get in and out of when you need to pee (normally an urgent struggle in any bodysuit/romper/onesie). This is the kind of infinitely useful basic piece you could wear 100 times and still have more ideas about how and where to wear it.

Yoga Jeans Rachel Skinny Jeans in “Red Lip”

Okay, normally I would not consider jeans to be loungewear – days when I’m wearing jeans are days when I strip naked IMMEDIATELY upon arriving home. Begone, leg prisons!!

However, having owned a pair of Yoga Jeans for years (mine are these same ones in the color “Orchidée“), I can attest that they are shockingly comfortable and stretchy. This company – which, by the way, makes all its jeans right here in Canada in an eco-friendly and sustainable way – is called Yoga Jeans because you supposedly can do yoga while wearing their pants, due to their fabric which is specially designed for “4-way stretch.” Pretty neat!

I’m including these mostly because I know it sometimes doesn’t feel great to wear loungewear day after day when you’d rather dress up a little – but at the same time, you don’t always have the energy to put a whole fancy outfit together. For some people (like me), the ideal solution to this problem is fancy nightgowns or silk robes – but for some people, maybe a garment that looks like jeans but feels like yoga pants is the better pick! (These are also available in basic navy denim and honestly, I am tempted.)

Calvin Klein Sophisticated Lounge Sleep Pants in Black

Calvin Klein made one of my favorite nightgowns ever, which I’ve worn many many times both as sleepwear and as a base layer for various outdoors-appropriate outfits, so I trust this brand for my loungin’ needs.

I wouldn’t blame you if you looked at this image and at first assumed the model was wearing a full-length black dress – but no, that’s actually two separate pieces, one of which is this WILDLY wide-legged pair of pants. They describe it as “an updated Calvin Klein ’90s silhouette” but I think this shape actually would’ve looked delightfully out-there in almost any decade.

Made of modal – which is, IMO, the best material for any clothes you’re gonna lounge in, bar none – I suspect these would make you feel like a Greek god(dess) swishing around on a sunny day. It’s great to feel runway-level fashion-forward while you’re just lying in bed drinking coffee and reading a book!

 

Are you rocking lots of loungewear/sleepwear lately? Any favorite pieces you want to gush about in the comments?

 

A note for full disclosure: None of the links in this post are affiliate links, because most clothing retailers wouldn’t dream of accepting a sex blogger into their program – so if you want to support me as a writer (which I always appreciate very very much), you’ll have to pick a different avenue!