Lounging In Front Of Others

What to wear to breakfast at your in-laws or to hang out at your childhood best friend's house over the holidays.

Sure, we all have our favorite throw on t-shirt and beat up lounge pants we wear when we get home from a long day…that will never see the outside world. But what to wear over Thanksgiving weekend when you might be staying with your brother-in-law…and making toast in your undies and favorite sleeping t-shirt will not do? Some thoughts on what to wear when jeans feel too ready for the day, but PJs too underdressed.

A nod to our summer Saturday uniform story, a simple formula to help you pack and look decent while hanging fireside. You most likely have a lot of these elements, so just a little list of what I'm planning to put together the week after next.

The grey lounging sweater

Ok, I can already hear you saying, oh my god, snooze! Not another grey cashmere sweater!!! And yes you probably already have something along these lines, but the point here is to show you the precise design elements that lend themselves to “I just woke up and threw this on".” And these elements are: a medium to thin weight as to not be too hot for wearing indoors. An open hemline. A length that grazes or slightly covers your bum (because we will get to the pants later…) And grey, just because it’s the ultimate lounge color: the sweatshirt’s sophisticated cousin who just got back from study abroad and is now using “quite” as a descriptor…I kid, I kid.

Options are endless, but here are three divine options that will not disappoint. From top: Organic John Patrick hoodie. LouLou Studio pale grey sweater. Khaite dark grey sweater.

The knock around tees that are a little extra

A good knock around that you can throw on in front of others is made from cotton that is not too stiff or thick. I find when the fabric is too thick it doesn’t feel cozy and you don’t naturally gravitate toward layering it. It has sleeves that sort of hang or flutter down and a body that isn’t so tight that you couldn’t potentially ditch your bra.

Slouchy tees. Clockwise from top left: Feeling this Madewell brown stripe tee and for some reason just this color way is on sale? Great for us! CDLP, our favorite white t-shirt maker also makes black, which I’ve never quite gotten into…until now. I’ve been toying with the black lately, enjoying the graphic crewneck line under sweaters when everything else I’m wearing is super casual. It somehow crisps the whole thing up in an unexpected way. I would size up one size for hanging out. Sunspel’s oversized tee in white, made from the best cotton on the market! Skims grey long sleeve tee. The cut and color of this is just perfect, we have to give it to Kim (and Leandra who introduced it to us). Kule off-white t-shirt. IDK what it is about Kule’s off-white tee but for some reason it’s softer than all the other shades. I often gravitate toward it when I get home at the end of the day. Again, I size up one, sometimes two sizes in Kule to get the slouchy fit I want.

The lounge pants

Not to be confused with sweatpants, lounge pants usually have an open hem or are made from…something other than terry. As a New Yorker, knock around pants are essential because one cannot wear the same pants that sat on the subway to read bedtime stories in my kid’s bed. But I digress, I love knock around pants. So lots of options below, from the best pajama pants that don’t totally look like pajama pants to velour pants, ribbed pants, knit pants and even Brunello Cucinelli pants. The essential guardrail for this category being: machine washable.

A more flattering way to lounge. From Top: Nili Lotan’s terry drawstring pants, found by friend of 5 Things Rachel G. This shape is pretty universally flattering. And I always love her fabrics. Suzie Kondi’s harem pant in a pretty warm cream velvet. Kilte’s washable cashmere pants. These are super flattering and comfortable. And the compact knit feels great on the waist. Does it feel like the most luxe cashmere I’ve ever touched? No. But for a knit pant, they are super supportive seem surprisingly durable.

From left: Another Tomorrow ribbed knit pants. These have a pretty detail on the hem you can’t really see here and I like how thick they are (translates to: opaque!). But this is also where the sweater legnth becomes important. I don’t love showing my full bum when wearing knit bottoms, hence, the longer sweater. These, plus a sweater above and the little velvet shoes below?! HOW PERFECT! Ok but I digress…Also as cute as can be are these Brunello Cuinelli cargo pants. Fun to see at least, right!? And last but not least, a black pj/lounge pant from my ultimate favorite brand of loungewear, Skin. I have two robes, and now these pants because I had to buy them before I let the cat out of the bag. :) They are the most “pajama-y” of the bunch but sometimes that’s all you need!

The slippers

Who doesn’t love a little house shoe!? These don’t require much introduction. Just a fun little variety that are all easily packable. The Halflingers (IYKYK!) are slightly more bulky but IDK, maybe worth it.

From top: Drogheria Crivellini x Attersee, Muji, Halflinger, Morihata, Charvet

FOR THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS!

And should you want to swap your lounge pants for…lurex lounge pants come 5pm, I say: NOT NO!

From left: Tove, Oseree, Missoni (from the Outnet! Get em while they’re hot!)

That’s all for today. We will talk before you actually leave for your Turkey Day travels but at least this helps you get a head start on packing.

Yours TRULY,

Becky

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