Choosing Fabric

Fabric selection is the most important part of finding the right robe. Will you wear the robe inside only? At the beach in Mexico? Your health club? Running between the hot tub and the porch door on a chilly winter night? Fabric makes or breaks a bathrobe. Put some thought into which material you want to be wrapped for any given situation. The silkiest satin might be little comfort on your next ski vacation.

A Silk by Any Other Name

Most people would say that satin and silk are similar animals. To the touch and in the mind, these materials have similar properties: smooth, cool, strong - not to mention luxurious in a silk or satin bathrobe. However, satin is a fabric and silk is a fiber. Silk can be woven into satin, organza, chiffon, shantung, and velvet. Satin, on the other hand, is a cloth made by a special weaving technique that leaves one side of the fabric dull and the other side shiny. Satin can be made of silk fiber, but is often made of rayon or nylon. When satin cloth is made of "short-staple" yarns like cotton, the fabric is considered sateen.

Terry Cloth Bathrobe Tips

Terrycloth, sometimes called loop terry, is a fabric with excellent moisture absorbing properties. For this reason, it is a popular choice for bathrobes. It is easy to launder and needs no ironing. The fabric has loop pile on one or both sides and is normally made of cotton. The longer the loop, the greater the absorbency. Higher quality terry cloth has a close, firm weave and closed loops.

Cleaning Your Bathrobe

If you've cut out the care label from your soft bathrobe, be sure you treat it right when it's time to clean it. Who wants their comfortable cotton robe shrunk to immodest proportion? Or their silk robe distorted into warped ripples of fabric? Each fabric type has special care instructions, so take a moment and look up how to care for that cashmere or lyocell before you wring it through the washer or toss it in the drier.

Choosing Cut

There are bathrobes cut for men, cut for women, for children and plus sizes, and for that ubiquitous one-size-fits-all shape. Think about how much leg you want to show and be sure your new robe covers are much or as little as you like. How about the neckline? Some bathrobes come up to the chin, others down to your navel. Sleeves can reach to your wrist or end at the elbow. These details should be considered before your next robe selection.

Size Matters

Bath robes for kids begin at the toddler size. To size for your boy or girl, measure from the back of your child's neck down to just above the knee. Compare the measurement to the robe's length. To reduce tripping hazards, make sure your toddler bathrobe does not pass the knee. Older children might think it's fun to have a robe "just like dad's", but in their own size.

Not all Cotton is Created Equal

As terrycloth is generally made with cotton, sometimes with a slight blend, the source of the cotton has a large impact on the quality of the fabric. Cotton was worn by Egyptian royalty almost 5,000 years ago, so they've figured out what makes a quality fiber. Turkey is also famous for it cotton production. Terrycloth robes boasting Egyptian or Turkish cotton usually are of excellent quality.

Soft as a Baby's....

Little people have sensitive skin. When choosing a bathrobe for your child, avoid scratchy synthetic fibers. Pick something soft and tactile, like high quality terrycloth or cotton velour. A kids microfiber robe might just become your child's new favorite thing to wear.

Cute is King

Is your child fussy in the bath? Try a bath time survival kit! Such a kit might include a hooded terry towel with ears, a printed terry sponge, and a couple terry puppets. Child bath robe sets can be found - even with matching slippers. If your handy with a sewing machine, add some eyes, ears, button nose and smiling mouth to a terrycloth wrap. Hooded robes are fun for playing peek-a-boo.

Chenille Bathrobe Tips

"Chenille" is a French word meaning caterpillar. Look at a furry caterpillar and you'll see why. Chenille is a pile yarn made from cotton, acrylic, wool, rayon, or silk. Bathrobes and wraps made of this yarn are extremely comfortable. To bring back its like-new softness, steam the fabric.

Kids Sock Hop Slumber Party

Kids love to run around in their casual clothes. Next time your young one has a slumber party, tell all the guest to bring a comfy cotton kid bath robe. Imagine the whole house full of white socks and bare ankles. When life shifts away from the "norm", children have more fun!

Baby Shower? Baby Bathrobe!

Everyone in your crowd is suddenly having babies and you can't afford another Tiffany rattle! Don't worry, just get crafty with a terrycloth bath towel and make the little tot a personalized bathrobe. The baby will feel comforted by the soft, absorbent terry cloth. A variety of sewing patterns for these cute, soft and simple snugglies are easily found using your favorite search engine.

Buy the Best You Can Afford

Spa quality bathrobes make a fantastic gift - particularly for weddings and anniversaries. Egyptian cotton and waffle weave robes are the "comfort food" of garments. Get the best quality you can afford as a cheap robe isn't a pleasure to wear. Consider adding a monogram or other personalization that commemorates the gift occasion.