Clothes have symbolic meaning, and getting dressed up—real shoes included—is one way to help your brain feel some semblance of normalcy. But the logic extends far beyond footwear.
Through the sartorial peaks and valleys of 2020, which included weeks of loungewear followed by weeks of “real clothes,” I learned that dresses have the same transformative power. I’d throw on a dress after a weeklong sweats and pajamas spell, and feel less melancholy and more mentally prepared for each day—more productive even.
And what dress could be more suited to life at home than the aptly named housedress. These dresses are comfortable and easy enough for at-home wear, with non-constricting silhouettes, long hemlines, and comfortable fabrics. The key, however, is not just that it embodies all the aforementioned qualities, but that it will also look just as chic for all the inevitable upcoming soirées of the aftertimes. The housedress is a closet champion that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Here, shop the best housedresses to wear inside now, and out and about later. Throw one on and you’re instantly ready for the day ahead, even if that just means relocating to a different room in the house.
A surprisingly chic oversized hoodie dress that’s ready to replace your worn-out college hoodie permanently. Lots of reviewers also posted pics of them rocking this with over-the-knee boots, so it’ll double as a going-out look when you’re actually, well, going out again.
Promising review: “Flattering, sexy, and ridiculously comfy. We have all had the experience of getting home from a night on the town and being so happy and relieved to take off our clothes and put on our comfy wear. Well, I wore this for the first time tonight, came home, took my boots off and then realized I didn’t want to change. My main issue with this dress is that I’m going to have to fight with myself not to sleep in it regularly! I’m going to order another one or two of these and may even buy a few for Christmas presents for my sister and mom. We all have completely different body types and this will look amazing on us all.
