Loungewear, Robes, Socks and Slippers: Staying Warm at Home

For warmth at home, wear a fleece or plush set, add a fleece robe for cold mornings or a terry one after a bath, and finish with wool or fuzzy socks under slippers that have a rubber sole. Fleece traps air for warmth without much weight, and on a hard floor a grippy sole matters more than any lining.

Start with the fabric

Most cozy clothing comes down to four fabrics, and each one does a different job. The right pick depends on whether you run cold, whether you wear it wet, and how much washing it has to survive.

Polartec, which makes fleece fabric, says its knit construction and raised pile trap air in the fibers, which is why fleece feels warm without much weight. Cotton Incorporated describes thermal knit as a waffle or honeycomb fabric made to trap warm air in its pockets, often worn as a base layer. It is thinner than fleece, so a waffle set on its own is the lighter choice for a warm house. Boca Terry calls waffle weave a single layer without the bulk of terry, and terry’s thick loops are made to dry you off.

Lounge sets: fleece or waffle

A matching top and bottom is the base layer for a day at home. Fleece and plush sets are the warmest; waffle and thermal sets suit people who overheat or want something to sleep in as well. Our best loungewear sets guide compares the fabrics, fits and care, and explains the rules for kids’ sizes.

For fleece, Polartec’s care advice is to wash cold with a mild detergent, skip fabric softener, and tumble dry low or hang to dry. Check the garment’s own label first, since blends and trims can change the advice.

Robes: pick by when you wear one

The question to ask about a robe is not which is warmest, but when you put it on. Straight out of the shower, terry is the one that dries you. On a cold morning with dry skin, fleece or plush keeps you warmer. Waffle robes are the light option for warm homes and travel. Our warm robes guide compares the three and explains how to choose a length.

Socks: wool for bed, fuzzy for the sofa

Fuzzy and sherpa-lined socks feel warmest on dry feet, because the deep pile traps air. Wool is the better choice for bed and long wear: the Woolmark Company says wool can absorb up to 35% of its weight in moisture before it feels wet. A small 2018 study of six young men in a cool room found they fell asleep faster and woke less often wearing bed socks. Our warm socks guide compares wool, fuzzy and sherpa-lined pairs and how to wash them.

If you have diabetes, the NIDDK suggests wearing socks to bed for cold feet rather than using a heating pad or hot water bottle on them.

Slippers: choose the sole first

Socks alone are a fall risk on hard floors. The National Institute on Aging advises against walking on floors in socks or in slippers with smooth soles, and recommends nonskid, rubber-soled, low-heeled footwear. A closed back helps too, since the NIA lists backless shoes as a hazard. After the sole, pick the upper: moccasins, slipper boots, scuffs or memory foam. Our slippers section covers each style and how to size it.

Care depends on the material. Dearfoams says its machine-washable pairs go on a gentle cycle and air dry, and its suede pairs stay out of the machine. If you want a branded sheepskin pair, our UGG slippers guide explains the styles, how sizing differs between them, and how to check that a resale pair is genuine.

Put the layers together

A warm evening at home is built from the feet up. Start with a rubber-soled slipper, add wool or fuzzy socks, then a fleece set, and keep a robe by the door for the first cold hour of the morning. If you are still cold on the sofa, a throw does more than a thicker set; our throw blankets guide compares the fabrics. For heat you can switch on, see our heated bedding and warmers section.

Robes, socks and slippers also make easy presents once you know the size. Our cozy gifts for new parents and cozy gifts for parents and grandparents pick out the safest choices, and the full cozy gifts section sorts ideas by person.

Loungewear guides in this section

Best loungewear setsFleece, waffle and thermal sets compared.

Warm robesFleece, terry or waffle, and which length.

Warm socksWool, fuzzy and sherpa-lined pairs.

SlippersSoles that grip, from moccasins to memory foam.