Are you a Robe, Gown or Peignoir Girl?

Now the weather has taken on a slight chill I have changed a vital piece of my wardrobe - my dressing gown - from silk to fleece.  This small act started me thinking about the humble dressing gown or robe as some call it. From whence did it originate?

The Medieval female  robe.

Well, according to the word root dictionary, the word robe comes from old English and literally means garment, but it's thought that it originated from the Frankish language (which is an extinct old West Germanic language) from the word 'rouba' . Scholars think this comes from the word 'to rob', meaning of gowns and clothing, because material was very expensive and time consuming to produce in the Middle Ages. Especially if it was of fine quality, it could be worth a lot. This word then has travelled down to our language of today to eventually mean a woman's dress or long wrap, hence the word dressing robe. The distinction of difference being that a robe had long sleeves, as opposed to being a cape or a cloak.

Pattern for 1920's Housecoat.

Over the years there have been many variants on the usage and words associated with robe. There's the dressing robe - which years ago meant a male garment or the dressing gown - a loose garment with a wrap belt worn when one is relaxing about the house usually in bedwear attire.

Then there's the humble bathrobe made of absorbent material to wear after a bath, and the housecoat - worn in the 1930's and becoming very popular in the 1940's. This was not worn for bed or relaxing, but generally about the house as the title suggests. Perhaps it's other commonly referred to name will give you a clue to it's usage, 'the duster' . Longer than an apron, but less coverage than a pinafore, the housecoat was worn to protect the lady of the house's beautiful dresses whilst she bustled about the house doing her daily chores. They were made from a variety of light fabrics and some were even quited for extra warmth. Woman it seems found them so comfy that they started wearing them in longer styles in the evenings for lounging around, making the fashion industry design more stylish numbers. This then is the pre-outfit to our modern dressing gown......but where did it originally originate from in history?

Nicolas Bylston in a green Banyan,
painted 1767.

An aged Sir Issacc Newton in a Banyan,
painted by James Thornhill 1709-12.

It seems that looking back over history the dressing gown or lounge robe, whatever you wish to call it has been with us since the early 17th Century in disguise with a rather peculiar name, the Banyan.

Vintage Male Banyan.

The Banyan originally only worn by men, of course, was a dressing robe - rather like an English Tudor styled nobles robe but with sleeves reaching to the knees and a heady mix from the Persian or Asian style clothes that had begun to influence society. The word Banyan means in Arabic and Portuguese - merchant.
With the Orientalist movement in Art it was only fitting that it moved over into fashion.The exotic oriental style had become the latest fascination for Europe and so the robe took on an exotic matching flavour becoming more flamboyant and resplendent in it's fabrics and colours. It was around this time that it started to become known in our English culture as a morning gown, or robe de chambre - nightgown, becoming a floor length gown and at last it took on the appearance that we feel familiar with today. The range of materials increased to include Indian and Chinese silks and bedtime chic was created in Europe.

Dressing robe for women.

But what of the women? When were we allowed to wear Banyans and nightgowns..........well of course we did but not as extravagant as our male peacocks, that didn't occur until the 18th Century I'm afraid with the introduction of the Japanese Kimono into Western thought.

1920's Kimono styled robe.

1930's Hollywood glamour in black.

Then of course in the 19th Century we had the delectably named Peignoir. What a delightful word, it just simply rolls of the tongue with ease and sophistication and a touch of naughtiness.......peignoir.



1930's robe.



With the Peignoir 'comfort' was the ultimate key word. A woman's comfort in those days was hardly ever thought of in clothing that was so very restrictive in every way shape and form, yet here was a delicate little number that allowed just that.....comfort so women could breathe away from the dreaded laced corset.

Usually made of lace and chiffon, it was light and airy to wear and felt cool against their skin. The word Peignoir comes from the French word 'peigner' to 'comb ones hair' from the Latin pectin/comb. Which is when woman brushed their hair the most - at night. Remember, one hundred stokes girls to make it shiny and lustrous.

Peignoirs were later sold as a whole set of gown, panties and stockings with which to wear to bed. I should think that that appeal alone was enough to men to make the Peignoir an instant hit as the number one saucy Christmas gift of the 19th Century! There is no other era that shows this better than the Hollywood glamour of the 1930's - 1940's with the movie stars and their black and white photography.
The male Banyan developed into the smoking jacket and then sadly both males and female attire seemed to mere into the androgenous terry toweling dressing gown that we see hung on shops rails today. I must say they're jolly comfortable not very glamorous or sexy - what's wrong with a little bit of sexy glamour?! Bring back the peignoir! Of course it's still around and the best places to find them apart from the high street lingerie shops are in the vintage boutiques. Perhaps a peignoir will be on your naughty Christmas list this year? I know it'll be on mine. ;)