Best loungewear for women

Of the very few silver linings that came out of the pandemic years, our love for loungewear is one.

We wholeheartedly welcomed the move to casual clothing as we waved goodbye to formfitting garments and ushered in our comfortable bras, super soft lingerie and tops and bottoms that were in equal part loose-fitting as they were sumptuous on the skin.

These house-ready ensembles took on a life their own, and are no longer reserved for your four walls. Beyond just the supermarket and putting the bins out, loungewear is part of our everyday rotation where even those of us who have returned to the office have elevated the oversized nature of the hoodies with more form-fitting bottom halves – doing our best Lady Di recreations.

While they may not be boardroom-ready and perhaps are better served for casual Fridays, this new and ever-growing genre of clothing has given us the encouragement we need to leave the muted pieces that make up the rest of our wardrobes behind and opt for brighter hues that have a mood-boosting effect. This, readers, is dopamine dressing at its finest.

If the tatty two-pieces that made up your lockdown uniform are looking woefully worse for wear, or if the thought of putting them on gives you traumatic flashbacks of banana bread and puzzles, here’s the latest loungewear for your comfy dressing needs.

Shop the edit now, and lounge on.

Panagaia Tracksuit

You will have likely spotted Panagaia on your Instagram feed as the pastel hued tracksuits are a favourite among the style set. While the fabrics and relaxed silhouettes are cosy, there’s an eco-conscious twist too. The sustainable label crafts its pieces from a blend of organic and recycled cotton and donates a portion of sales when bought through Selfridges. Detail comes from the extensive colourways in the likes of pale blue, pink, green, red and more neutral grey, navy and black as well as the text-print for a subtle logo finish.

Shop the bottoms here (£110).

Buy now £140.00, Selfridges

Uniqlo Women Soft Fluffy Sleeveless Top

When you’re on the hunt for the basics, Uniqlo should always be one of your first ports of call and the label has brought loungewear to summery heights with this top and shorts set. In this soft green hue (as well as grey, white and cream), it retains all the sumptousness that you’d hope for in loungewear with a fluffy construction and yet won’t cause you to overheat when the heatwave hits due to the sleeveless nature and short shorts.

Shop the shorts here (£14.90).

Buy now £14.90, Uniqlo

SKIMS Soft Lounge dress

We were first introduced to the world of Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS through the brand’s invisible-feeling bra that has changed our lingerie forever. So it comes as no surprise that the collection of loungewear lives up to the high expectations set by the strangely comfy yet supportive nature of the underwire-free bra. This is the lounge dress worn often by the reality star and entrepeneur herself and it’s just as soft as it seems, while still offering after-hours appeal. It comes as a long-sleeved silhouette as well as more slip-like variations that channel the coveted 90s retro aesthetic.

Buy now £86.00, SKIMS

Eberjey Gisele stretch-modal pajama set

Eberjey boasts some of the most sumptuous pyjamas on the market with a jersey-modal fabric that is so cosy you’ll be snoozing your alarm each and every morning. But enter this set, which may still be technically considered pyjamas, however has a more discreet look that so you can look put together during work Zoom calls or even at a restaurant with anyone batting an eyelid. It has a black or pastel pink colour and uses the same lightweight soft material as the rest of the collection. The track pant has the subtle embellishment of a constrast drawstring tie that adds both fashion and function - allowing you to adjust the fit.

Buy now £141.00, Net-A-Porter

Cos Relaxed-Fit Poplin Shorts

Instead of stealing from your partner, get your own oversized shirt and short set in an attractive pale pink hue with a pinstripe pattern. It is made from cotton with a lightweight feel and best of all, you can roll right out of bed and straight to your 8am call looking put together and chic - as long as they only see from the waist up.

Buy now £35.00, Cos

Adanola Sweatpants - Navy Blue

This Instagram-favourite label has hit the nail right on the head with both its fitness clothing and its loungewear, placing comfort and style in equal measure. The lounge set is made up of sweatpants and a hoodie with a cotton fleece construction and a logo detailing. Mix and match the set, going the full whack or else the hoodie and cycling shorts whether you’re heading to a workout or brunch.

Shop the sweatshirt here (£49.99).

Buy now £49.99, Adanola

Alo Yoga Muse Hoodie

With a cropped silhouette, this hoodie from Alo Yoga is made for those uncertain summer days where the weather can change at any moment. Lazy days at home or something to throw over your gym clothing calls for a style like this. It has a knit ribbed design and can be paired with the matching shorts or trackies.

Buy now £105.00, Alo Yoga

Rails Alice and Jane color-block cotton-blend jersey pajama set

This set doubles up as pyjamas as well as park sunbathing wear - keep the hoodie on hand for when the sun goes down or a chill comes through (this is England after all). It has the mood-boosting pastel hues of yellow, blue and coral with a soft design that shouldn’t offend even the colourphobes. They are set in colour block sections at each element of the piece. It is made from a soft cotton-blend jersey fabric.

Buy now £250.00, Net-A-Porter

Stripe & Stare Sweatshirt & Lightweight Jogger Set - Breeze Dye

The tie-dye revival shows no signs of wavering and Stripe & Stare has it all over its collections of underwear, pyjamas and loungewear - including this jogger set. Not only is the soft pastel variation attractive but the fabric is on another level of cosiness. The label’s signature material is a trademarked TENCEL Modal that is derived from Beechwood trees and so it makes for a planet-friendly choice.

Buy now £125.00, Stripe & Stare

Olivia von Halle Carmel cashmere and silk-blend sweatshirt and track pants set

Olivia von Halle may be best known for its silk party pyjamas with patterns so playful and fun that they could take you from bed to the bar, but the brand takes a different approach with this set. First and foremost, the design is super demure, and comes in navy, gray or white without any detailing. Next up, the material oozes luxe: it’s cashmere, with silk also in the offerings. For this reason, you can be sure you are treating yourself to the most luxurious, softest and cosiest loungewear - but be warned: it has a price tag to match.

Buy now £1195.00, Net-A-Porter

Commando Butter stretch-modal jersey jumpsuit

For those times when sartorial inspiration is at an all time low, you want pieces in your wardrobe with a throw-on-and-go quality and this jumpsuit is exactly that. You only need to focus on one item and you are dressed, ready and rearing to go. Commando also ensures that there’s an effortlessly chic appeal to it as well as a cosy stretch-model construction so you’ll feel like you’re in pyjamas all day long.

Buy now £190.00, Net-A-Porter

Pure Cotton Cool Comfort Lounge Set

This lounge set from M&S will put a smile on your face everytime that you pull it from the drawer. The mood-boosting yellow hue is sunshine personified - no matter the time of year. It is made from cotton, but this is not just cotton, this is M&S cotton that will help to regulate your temperature throughout the night.

Buy now £28.00, M&S

Chelsea Peers Satin Stripe Oversized Button-Up Long Pyjama Set

Full disclosure: this is actually just a pyjama set now but if over the last few years you’ve lost any qualms about stepping out of your house in your bedwear (we applaud you and relate), then this is the set for you. It has a Hugh Hefner charm to its with its satin construction and constrast stripe detailing and will keep you cool, calm and collected on even the most balmy of summer nights.

Buy now £37.50, Chelsea Peers

Faithfull The Brand Paradise striped cotton-voile shirt

From beach to boardroom, this shirt, while not strickly loungewear, has an effortless ease to it that puts it on the same level. It comes complete with the matching shorts and gives a tropical island vibe whether you’re home or abroad. Throw over a swimsuit, wear unbuttoned with a white tank underneath, or as is for a look that will work time and time again with no effort required.

Buy now £149.00, Net-A-Porter