Women's Nightgowns (Sleepwear & Robes)

Nightgowns take the shape of a dress: a fuller skirt than a chemise, and a hem running anywhere from just above the knee to the ankle. Shop names track that length. Waltz length stops around mid calf, ballet length reaches the ankle, and short gowns land near the knee. Sleeves are normal here rather than an exception.

Width at the hem is what makes a gown work. Enough sweep in the skirt lets your legs move independently as you turn over, so the cloth stays put instead of winding around you. Gathering at a yoke, the flat panel across the chest and shoulders, or a raised seam under the bust adds that fullness without bulk at the shoulder. Cotton lawn and flannel gowns are usually cut widest, while jersey gowns are cut narrower because the knit stretches instead.

Against a chemise, a gown trades the lingerie look for coverage and stays put better, since the extra width means less friction with the sheets. A sleep shirt is straighter through the hip, fastens with buttons and stops at mid thigh, so it never sweeps. Pajama sets beat a gown for anyone who tangles, because bottoms cannot ride up past the waist. Caftans borrow the same silhouette in cloth meant to be seen by other people.

Sleepers who overheat under two layers do well in a cotton gown, since one thickness covers the whole body. Pregnancy and the postpartum months favor it too, because nothing presses on the middle and a button or snap front allows nursing. Long gowns suit cold rooms with warm bedding. Avoid a floor-length gown if you use stairs in the dark, and avoid flannel if you already throw the covers off.

Hold the gown up and compare the hem width with the shoulder width; a gown barely wider at the bottom than the top will bind at the knees. Run a hand inside the neckline for a scratchy label or a hard seam, because you will feel it every night. Warm water and a low dryer setting suit cotton gowns. Order one size up in untreated cotton flannel, which does most of its shrinking in the first two washes.