5 tips and tricks for buying lounge wear

Here we are over a year into this pandemic, most of us have been working from home for over a year with not prospect of returning to the office any time soon (perhaps permanently). Because of this, lounge wear has become a real staple in our everyday lives. As someone who worked in an office environment in the past, I rarely wore jeans or sweats at during the week. 

If you are looking to add to your loungewear wardrobe or are looking to get some key staples, I did a small recent haul from Aritzia where I purchased 4 basic items and I am confident I will be able to wear and pair with a number of things I already have and with each other. 

It is very rare that I make an order online without sending ANYTHING back but this time a round I really did LOVE everything I purchased. Not the best for my low-buy but makes for great content so I’d like to share. 

Temperatures in Toronto are starting to go up which means we ditching our coats and heavy fleeces and opting for more light weight fabrics. That was definitely in the back of my head as I made this recent order.

Here is what I purchased, in no way do you need these exact items and if you have something similar in your closet, I encourage you to experiment and mix and match your pieces to create new combinations. Keep reading for 5 tips for creating your own loungewear capsule (items are linked below).

Bodysuit by Babaton | Sweats by Tna | Hoodie by Tna

Crewneck by Tna | Sweats by Tna 
Crewneck by Tna | Leggings by Tna

Hoodie by Tna | Leggings by Tna

Tips for creating the perfect loungewear capsule

1. Choose a colour family or colours that go well together 

This is a given, but make sure to choose colours that work well together as this will ensure that you can pair your pieces with many other things. 

This time around, I decided to purchase a beige sweatsuit. I don’t already own one and I find that black sweatsuits are prone to fading. In terms of black bottoms, I much prefer a comfortable pair of tights as a black bottom. 

I purchased this beige matching set. I love that it is light-weight and the colour is great for all year round. I also love that the top is a zip up which makes it more flexible as I can layer it or wear it on its own. 

If you get your colors right, you can create a chic and seamless monochrome lounge set with items you already have, you’ll see in my photo above that I already owned a bodysuit that is the exact colour of the sweatset which afforded me versatility. 

2. pay attention to fabrics and weight

This is equally important as colour because making sure you have different weights will allow you to have a capsule that will last you the entire year. The sweat set I purchased was light weight and perfect for the spring/summer. Purchasing pieces at different weights will allow you to mix and match in order to suit the given weather conditions. Thermal (or waffle) material and cotton are the best for lightweight sweat sets for warmer weather. However during the cooler months, fleece is great and usually more thick (depending on the quality).

3. pay attention to stylistic elements 

What I mean by this is to include variety in  your capsule for example:

high waist vs. mid rise 

cropped vs. full length

zip up vs. pull over 

hoodie vs. crew neck 

The key to any capsule wardrobe is cohesive variety. A variety of items that work well overall together. Make sure you aren’t just purchasing duplicates as that can really make new outfit combinations more difficult. 

4. prioritize comfort and practicality 

Think about comfort and practicality when purchasing your pieces. Colour is one thing but you also need to look at the fabric and fit to know whether the material and fit is one that you are comfortable. If you are not comfortable with a cropped hoodie, do not purchase it just because it is “different”. You will likely never wear it. Prioritize comfort – this will look different for everyone. I find that everyone has their own priorities when it comes to certain pieces. If your lounge wear is not practical, you will not get as much use of it as you may anticipate. 

5. focus on fit

I touched on this a little bit in the previous tip. Every body is different and everyone has their own insecurities and things they like/dislike about their body. Make sure when you are purchasing your pieces to know what looks good on your body type or what styles you like and find pieces that work with that preference. There is a balance between stepping out of your comfort zone when building your capsule and purchasing something that may not be the most flattering fit for you. We are all different!

Hope these tips have been helpful for as you embark on your own journey to building a loungewear capsule.