Staying home can be as glamorous as a night on the town-if you do it right. Just imagine the boudoir style of Clark Gable, Fred Astaire or William Powell. You`d never catch them lounging around in gray sweats.
Start by turning off the television. Light the candles, unpop the cork and challenge your partner to a midnight game of Scrabble.
What to wear? The devil-may-care elegance of the newest luxury robes, of course. Try one in silk jacquard, warm-as-toast terry or pure, lush cashmere. And don`t overlook the details. Great robe style includes everything from roomy pockets to contrasting piping, de rigueur crest and corded silk tassels. Pajamas are optional.
Manufacturers knee-deep in tradition such as Brooks Brothers, Sulka and Hermes, along with relative newcomer Ralph Lauren, have long recognized the importance of the investment wrap and offer a wardrobe of options on which to splurge.
Popular styles include `30s-inspired silk twill prints, ubiquitous cozy tartans and the ever-suave smoking jacket. The more classically designed, the better.
Such luxury does not come cheaply, however. A handmade silk robe from Sulka, for example, will set you back anywhere from $1,250 to $2,500. A cashmere number from Brooks Brothers, a mere $1,250. And for those on a budget, try a terry look from Hermes for $450.
Though such an extravagant purchase may seem overly indulgent, when you calculate the number of hours you`ll spend dreaming about getting home and slipping it on, combined with the time you actually enjoy wearing it, why, it`s almost a bargain. And unlike most fashion splurges, a good robe never goes out of style.
Besides, pampering yourself from the harsh realities of the outside world has become downright fashionable.
”We`re a nation of cocooners,” says Tom Julian, fashion director of the Men`s Fashion Association. ”We`re devoting our time and energies to developing our home life with the best quality products we can find. And that extends to what we wear at home.”
So whether you`re shopping for yourself, dear old Dad or your best friend`s bachelor party, you might consider this age-old uniform for leisure sports.
Adds Julian, ”Frankly, the best reason for indulging in a luxurious robe is its power to seduce.” Enough said.
