In praise of the bed jacket

[AnyFucker]

In recent times (keeping the heating down ‘cos COL crisis) I have been wearing a woolly cardigan to sit up in bed whilst reading, watching tv or MN’ing

It’s great. Less bulky than a dressing gown. Better than an Oodie because I can just unwrap rather than pull over my head and spoil my curlers when I am ready to snuggle down. Can just chuck on the floor until the morning.

Them old ladies did things right. I am thinking of sourcing a Teasmade.

Anyone else use a bed jacket ?

@AnyFucker - I love that - if I could find one in navy blue I would buy that

Now where to get a "housecoat" anyone - so not a bathrobe a proper going over pyjamas warm thing ( longer than a bed jacket ? ) 😁

It's a yes to a Teasmade and shawl here, (or just a blanket or throw folded into a triangle to fashion a shawl). I have to admit that my head has recently been turned by a new-fangled heated throw.

Sugar lumps are also a must with a Teasmade, although the new-fangled name for them seems to be sugar cubes.

A poncho as worn by Clint Eastwood in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly would work well.

A warehouse coat? Doesn’t matter if you spill tea down it. It’s brown already.
I used to have one of those. Stops the smell of horses transferring to your clothes.

Not forgetting the humble hot water bottle or ideally two if really pushing the boat out, one for the middle area and one exclusively for the feet.

And then, of course, there are bed socks.

I see you a bed jacket and raise you a bed cape:

I do love an unflattering old fleece zip up for this job. I still live with the metal frame single glazed windows with no heating, so winter nights can be quite harsh. It's a good job I'm single and not looking really, because I thought my fleece zip up is the most unsexy item known to man.

Until I saw this 😀. It doesnt cover the lower arms... It's just hanging there covering the shoulders. It's like a doily for a person.

Does anyone else wear a night cap? My head’s felt cold recently, so I’ve dug out an old fleece hat.

I find a sweatshirt works well as a bed jacket.

Not only do I love them but I have them!😁They are/were my gradmothers.

The trick is light but cozy fabric (no over heating), loose but not enormous (won't catch under your elbow as you move or some such) and, this is key, correct length - to the bottom of your rib cage more or less. This means you are not getting any annoying bulk around your back that needs constant fixing.

😂😁
I have my grandmothers - they are lovely and not at all like that.

I’m in the nighttime cluster feeding stage and was just about to start a thread about bed jackets!!

currently using a blanket draped over my shoulders but can definitely improve on this.

You need Woods of Shropshire:
www.woodsofshropshire.co.uk/nightwear/nightcaps.html

I bought one, in Bonmarche this year, zip up type.

It's like a doily for a person.

My Nan would definitely have knitted me a bed jacket were she still alive, we had some fabulous ponchos she did in the 70s. I have an ancient oversized Tu cardigan in a soft lightweight knit that lives alongside my dressing gown for reading in bed. Sometimes worn back to front as mentioned above.
Amplebosom (love the name) has some <ahem> timeless bed wear by Slenderella which I discovered when searching for a cotton housecoat for my MIL. They obviously have a market and are no doubt doing great right now!

😆

When I had my first child in 1979 my DH bought me a lacy bedjacket to keep me warm while feeding at night . I think I have seen similar ones on nightwear stalls in proper old fashioned markets . I also had a short wrap round velour one from M&S which was great for reading in bed .

This looks like the place to go - tons of them and even a cotton one.

My mother had a pink satin quilted one in the 1950s, it was for best (ie hospital, lying-in after childbirth). It wasn’t normally worn because she got up when she woke up and didn’t read in bed.

I was talking about this with my friend yesterday, we both send everything to granny for repairs/patching/beaver badging because neither of us can sew properly. Our grandchildren won’t have that option!

I’ve always been a fan of the bed cardy for reading in bed, get chilly arms and shoulders otherwise. My mum had an embroidered silk actual bed jacket from Hong Kong. It was beautiful but I don’t know what she did with it.

I'm so jealous!! May I ask which one you have as I'm very tempted!

I've seen teasmade's in charity shops

May just have a mooch for a bed cardie too next time I'm in

I was hitherto very happy with my morning situation - cup of tea in bed, replete with cup of tea and oodie. Now I'm musing my oodies failings and weighing up bed jackets. As far as I remember my grannies had bed jackets of highly flammable materials, silky and lightly quilted and the sort that would possibly combust if you moved your arms too quickly. I would guess some kind of 60/70's invention - rayon? Polyester? Crimplene?
Also, I have been very appreciative of my hot water bottle collection of late and not only take one to bed but often go wild and sit on the sofa with one of an evening. I must also dust off my teasmade - bought fairly recently and tremendous. The most bizarre element of it is the small plastic frame on the front which accommodates a photo of choice. I have never replaced the black and white swan photo which it came with which adds to the element of bizarre.

I've never heard of a bed jacket.

But I want one.

Now

While I mostly read in bed on my phone Kindle app with the duvet pulled up to my chin, I wanted to plug multipurpose shawls / ponchos for bed or extra cosiness at any time of day. I wear mine on top of a jumper / jumper dress WFH and even in the office.

The only times they aren’t suitable is outside as they don’t really work with coats or for jobs where lots of dangly fringe is a problem, e.g. cleaning the bathroom. Otherwise I’m basically going to embrace the cosy and wear them until May.