Advice and guides

Fleece dressing gowns: warm, light, but not absorbent

The most-sold fabric in Britain, and almost every complaint comes from buying it for the wrong job.

Waffle dressing gowns: light, flat and quick to dry

The fabric hotels chose, and the reasons apply just as well at home.

Lightweight dressing gowns for summer and travel

Not just thin: it has to breathe, dry fast and pack flat. Only a few fabrics manage all three.

Hooded dressing gowns: who they actually suit

A hood does one job extremely well and is otherwise in the way. Here is which side you are on.

Fluffy dressing gowns: teddy, borg and sherpa compared

Five names for the same idea, and the differences that decide which you want.

Cotton dressing gowns: 100% cotton or blend?

What the polyester adds, what it costs you, and why the weave matters more than the percentage.

Long or short dressing gown: how to decide

Length decides warmth, movement and drying time — and sizing up to gain length never works.

Zip up dressing gowns: the easiest to put on

A zip stays closed and works with one hand. Who that matters for, and the one sizing rule that comes with it.

Towelling dressing gowns: what GSM really tells you

Grams per square metre is the most useful number on the label, and heavier is not better — it is a trade.

Kids' dressing gowns: sizing by age and height

Age labels are height bands. Here are the heights behind each one, and the rule that stops a robe becoming a hazard on the stairs.