Thursday
Jan192012
Nocturne
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Pondering nightwear/loungewear. Working from home, and being something of a night owl, I can often spend the best part of a given morning or afternoon pottering around the house in my pyjamas or something equally loose and comforting. I tend to prefer cotton nightshirts, solid colour tshirts, occasionally layering up with soft, woollen cardigans or loose jumpers (angora is always so tempting, regardless the fluff shedding), chunky bedsocks or cashmere knee highs, and for the colder months a cozy pair of slippers. I have recently had to update my sleepwear collection - the older pieces were wearing thin or had simply become shapeless - and what struck me, surprisingly, was that the manner in which I began selecting new garments had become very similar to the way in which I might generally select non-nightwear. The truth is, I had previously been dressing like a clown to go to sleep....... also to chat with clients over the web/telephone, answering the door to the grocery delivery boy and hanging out indoors with friends. No big deal, really, of course. But somewhere along the line the mismatched, multicoloured spectacle that met me in the mirror resulted in an active choice to become a tad more discerning towards my downtime attire. This doesn't mean that my new loungewear necessarily has to be more expensive, but it does mean that each separate item (I don't like sets!) ought to be better chosen with a view to quality, practicality and - why ever not? - style.
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Which brings me to the subject of colour. However aware I might consider myself with regards to which colours either may or may not compliment me, it isn't actually something that I have given any great deal of thought to in the past. But mistakes maketh the woman (ha), and I have made my fair share, at least 'sartorially'. I should even venture to say that this very area is where the majority of my mistakes have been made. You kind of possess an intuitive reaction to colour, it isn't always quite so obvious or even conscious, but as we change and grow over the years, I would imagine that our relationship with colour will likewise follow suit. I used to wear quite a lot of rich red shades, pale blues, and almost always avoiding yellow, grey and black. Nowadays the red feels a little bit too rich for me, too loud, perhaps (unless it's party time), and the paler blues, with the exception of my beloved oxford shirt, just bore me. I have found that I am most comfortable, currently, wearing combintions of grey, navy blue, white and black (which the picture collage above illustrates). The exception is mustard yellow or that delicious ochre (pictured below), which I intend to incorporate more of as soon as funds allow. I am quite surprised that I hadn't given as much attention to this aspect of dressing previously, especially since I have grown much less tolerant of busy patterns, with solid colour garments forming the larger part of my wardrobe. And concerning nightwear: the same conclusions apply (no more rabbit patterned pants, unless there's an appropriately romantic occasion which calls for them!). I now wonder how the changing seasons will affect my mood...although living in the UK, the seasons tend to blur into one another, with only the two extremes of mid-summer and mid-winter really calling for any actual variation (I shall be wearing my woollies through to July, I'm sure).
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My favourite of the images in the first collage (grey cardigan and navy lounge/track pants) fairly amazed me due to the fact that it is more or less an exact replica of what I myself have been wearing around the house over the past two weeks. The cardigan is by Toast, I'm certain, for it is the same as my own, and I have been wearing it paired with loose navy pants and a white tee. Odd!
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Home, over the holidays.
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CDG Play, light grey cardigan & wallet (boxed).
I absolutely adore this cardigan. However, I am still at something of a loss as to fathoming what we are actually paying for? Oh well.....the quality is exquisite, I must admit, and i am so, so pleased that I gave in to the irrational urge just this once. I opted for a size medium, because I should prefer it to fit slightly loose, and am delighted to say that I made the right choice. This is definitely an item that I shall cherish for many years to come.
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Jaeger tote.
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Gold colour ponytailer/YSL Rouge Pur Couture ♥♥♥.
I also contributed a few Q&A's over at one of my favourite blogs this week - La Mignonette - if you should like to have a read! x
Apologies for the little dots between paragraphs and images: I appear to be experiencing a Squarespace bug of some sort and cannot separate paragraphs.
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20 Comments →
Reader Comments (20)
Oh, this is lovely post. Also, I read your interview on La Mignonette and I'm figuring out which print to buy from your store :-)
A perfect selection of new buys I must say, you have great taste. And I enjoyed reading your interview too
Interesting topic! I work from home 2 days a week and tend to wear the most shapeless, weary old pieces of clothing on those days. I wish to change that since I somehow feel worse and less productive than if I would be properly dressed. Yet I don't want to 'ruin' my best clothes wearing them at home. I should probably upgrade to more stylish loungewear...
Lovely photos!
lovely post! just wondered where you got the gold ponytailer from? I have been looking for one for ages!
I totally agree! Given the opportunity I would spend 80% of my time in loungewear (or slothwear, as I like to call it) or pjs - why shouldn't they a little bit stylish and coherent with how I otherwise dress? Only problems is that I either need to wait for my scruffy/much loved t-shirts to fall apart or someone needs to give me a bunch of moneyz to splash on such luxuriant things...
Still, lovely to read this post and I am slightly gobsmacked and/or guilt-filled by how uncluttered and tidy your place is!
Amanda / pinkbow : thanks so much! x
Viv, I felt just like that about the Toast cardigan - it isn't so much the type of thing I would wear outdoors, yet I felt it was too 'nice' to only wear indoors - so I purchased it in the sale...and have since worn it as everyday-wear after all (but never to sleep in).
Kate, the ponytailer was from Asos:)
Chuck, there's a comfortable in-between which doesn't have to involve expense - my 'slothy' tees are from Debenhams or H&M, and anything more costly would be purchased in a sale. It's always a good idea to work out if there are any daytime items that you tend not to use, which could be assigned to the loungewear list! I guess you could say that I have simply upgraded from slubby family handmedowns and pj pants which were still jackson pollocked with emulsion stains from decorating back in 2003, haha!
My place never seems to get cluttered, which is a mystery to me - there are more rooms than I need, so I imagine that this is the reason why. My last place was quite tiny.......a whole different story indeed..
x
Hello, just discovered your blog, a real gem! I`ve been toying with the idea of purchasing that exact CDG Cardigan for a while now, but can't quite bring myself to spend that kind of money on a cardigan, albeit a very covetable one. Is it worth the expense? You wrote that the quality was exquisite, which you would expect for that price, but is it outstanding to a degree that justifies the price?
It would be lovely to hear back from you!
x
Hanna
Hanna - I would suggest that no cardigan on earth would be worth such a price unless it had been sculpted by Rodin in pure gold, or else extremely limited/rare. In this case, I feel that the expense is nonsensical, however much I love it. It comes down to personal desire, really, and defies any rational explanation that I could attempt to offer. I am actually slightly embarrassed about the branding (the little heart) being visible, but at the same time I adore it (not because it is a cdg symbol, simply because it touches me in its own sweet way!)......so I cannot recommend spending this amount of money on a cardigan which - apart from the visible branding - barely differs from those which I have purchased from Toast, for example, in terms of quality and fit.
I am somewhat torn by this subject: a part of me delights in the occasional, impulsive act, but for the most part the marketing and general aura which surrounds luxury goods kind of sickens me. I do not condone it, and feel fully aware that I have spent more money on this item than it was worth - but - it was an exception to a rule, a treat to myself, which thankfully fulfilled the desire which had initially tempted me to consider purchasing it. This is so rare!
It is also worth considering ..... I have spent similar amounts of money on computer software, gadgets, furniture and travel, all of which I did not technically 'need'. I think that we are conditioned to perceive spending on clothes as somewhat irresponsible. And this may be true, but I guess you could argue that I may (or may not) come to get more use out of this garment than a child who quickly becomes bored of his/her playstation within 6 months, or when Sony 'decides' to make it obsolete! So yes, it is such a personal thing, dependent upon your reasons for purchasing, how much wear you would get out of it, how much you would truly love it ...
But, no, it does not justify the monetary price, in my own opinion.
(and thanks for popping in!)
x
Wow, thank you so much for giving me such a long and detailed answer. I think I can relate to what you say, and I have decided to wait and see whether i still want this cardigan in a few month. And true, I have thought about the topic of spending money on clothes vs. spending money on electronic items and such, and I feel like expensive clothes are regarded much more frivolous than mobile phones, laptops etc.. Maybe that's because a H&M jumper covers your body in the same way a jumper from A.P.C does, the difference is not immediately perceivable, whereas a more expensive technological gadget has obvious features that "justify" the expense, more memory or whatever.
In any case, thank you again for your answer and have a lovely day!
x
I love your new purchases. I was so excited to see your interview on La Mignonette. And now I too am trying to decide which prints of yours to buy (something which I've been meaning to do for while). Is there a possibility that you'll have any more 'Red Hair Twins' prints in stock? xxx
Hanna, it is always a good idea to wait, as I did, although in my case the items usually sell out...typical! But thanks for bringing up the question, I can rarely express my thoughts about this subject very well, and it is a valuable topic for discussion.
Hana, thanks so much! The image you mention is one of my best sellers so always comes back in stock quite quickly - next week for the new batch! And now you will see my obsession with red hair unfolding.....
Hello, I've just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it! And La Mariniere is such a great idea:) Best, Dag
Dag, so very happy to have found your blog too! Thankyou.
really enjoyed the interview you gave :) so jealous of the grey cardigan, that's a piece that will last forever, xx
Your first paragraph had mr enraptured. You basically describe exactly how I wish I looked swanning around the house in my nightware... alas the reality is definitely more clownlike!
I do all my freelance work in silk pajama sets. Best idea I ever had!
xxdaily.weakly
http://dailyweakly.blogspot.com/
I just found this website through la mignonette blog, and I'm so glad I did!
You are amazing, so lovely and a great source of inspiration ^^
xxx
kissmequick
Thankyou! x
Love this post! I have become a bit obsessed with the thought of having the perfect curated "loungewear" wardrobe as well. I usually wear my ugly pyjamas (huge t-shirts and tights/sweatpants) but one day I was feeling so good at home despite the messy hair and no make-up.. and that's because of my attire. Just a more comfortable homey version of my uniform – a breton shirt and comfortable pants.. haha. So if I start buying nice clothes to wear at home (I never do that, I just wear hand-me-downs or free t-shirts I get from, say, a magazine I subscribe to, haha), I can finally start opening the door and picking up the mails without changing before going out.. haha.
Fleurette - "a more comfortable, homey version of my uniform" is the very thing thing that I have been aiming for. Ideally I should like some Repetto shoes for indoor comfort but cannot justify the price. And yet....I would probably get more wear out of them indoors as opposed to outdoors, which sort of contradicts the whole point!