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Multi-Use Wardrobe Items ... Would That Work for You?

Anonymous

As I rebuild my wardrobe, 3Style gave me some advice that could be a game changer for me.

She wrote: At this point I only buy Talbots or jjill sleeveless tops because they have a lot of non-sheer bra-straps covered options. I wear them for by themselves, or for layering and don’t buy camisoles. Then they get downgraded to gear and then eventually sleepwear. The quality is so much better than most items actually sold as sleepwear. Very efficient. Learned that trick from a book. Closet Confidential: Style Secrets Learned the Hard Way by Winona Dimeo-Ediger.

This fell into the category of "why didn't I think of that????"

I wear a lot of sleeveless tops. I find them incredibly comfortable ... especially for my climate and my life style. It never even occurred to me that the older tops could be downgraded to active wear and then to sleep wear.

I am going to investigate both these brands in the very near future because sleeveless tops that cover bra straps are an essential to me. The fit across the breast and the length are important.

Shopping

54 replies

Latest reply was from The Cat

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have done this -- not for active wear, but I have repurposed linen tee shirts from J. Crew to my sleep wardrobe. Not because of wear but more because in one case, I wasn't crazy about the cut for streetwear (but had cut off tags) and yet it was a flattering colour and cool for sleeping in, and in the other case because again, while the colour flattered me, it didn't work as well with my wardrobe but looked terrific with some summer sleep shorts. I wore it for a season as streetwear and then began to use it as PJs.

I don't really care for the idea of "downgrading" items because I like to look and feel fresh and crisp in all my clothing, whatever the category. But if an item works better for another purpose than the purpose I originally purchased it for, I don't see why I wouldn't give it a try.

LaPed

Veteran

I do this! I can't say I've ever bought a shirt expressly for the purpose of sleeping or lounging in (I do buy sleep shorts and sweatpants, though). All of my sleep tees are old graphic tees, band tees, etc that I can't bear to part with but also don't want to wear out in public. In the winter, I have five hand-me-down Boden breton tops that quickly became to ratty to wear in public, but are so wonderfully soft that I decided to keep them for sleepwear. Really, they are so, so soft now that I can't imagine anything I could buy new would be more enjoyable to wear. But the necks are quite stretched out and there are pinholes forming along the hems. I'm okay with that for home use. I understand that many like to feel more polished, even at home. I'm just so uncomfortable with the idea of my clothes going into the landfill (my town had municipal textile recycling for a while but had to discontinue it due to costs//low participation), that I feel better wearing things to literal shreds.

I demote gear, too. New stuff is for day trips, older grungier stuff is for multi-day backpacking trips (no point bringing shiny new clothes on a trip where it nothing gets washed for days or weeks on end!). But that's pretty lifestyle specific. When I go for a dayhike, I like my gear clothes to be presentable enough to grab lunch or a beer on the way home, but on a backpacking trip how my clothes look is pretty far down my list of concerns.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I just downgraded several tee shirts and a casual jersey dress to lounge/sleep wear. I have even done this with a very soft, lightweight chambray shirt, and some tencel joggers from a few years ago. I think it’s a great idea for keeping something while it still has some use.

Like the Season

I usually buy four or five lightweight tees every spring, then wear the holy heck out of them through summer. At the end of the season, they become lounge/sleep wear.

Becky

Veteran

Yep, I downgrade t-shirts and gear to pajama status when they're too ratty to be worn out and about. My favorite sleep tee is so, so soft, one of my favorite colors (raspberry), and has a tiny bleach mark that I don't even see when I'm sleeping.

Murph11

Veteran

Makes sense. I culled the majority of my short sleeve tees from my closet and moved a few of the softest to my pajama drawer, and the two open, drapey, long cardigans I thought I'd wear but never did became my summer lounge robes. The exception is worn-out pieces. It would make me sad to lounge or sleep in something that tired.

Aquamarine

Veteran

I only downgrade items to my housework or yard work capsules, never to sleepwear. I was brought up by a European mother who placed great importance on sleepwear and robes for some reason, and still at age 82 refreshes that capsule quite often. So I have been conditioned to only wear nice jammies

kkards

Veteran

I also do this. I have a pair of company pjs for summer & one for winter, but most of the time it’s fleece or knit bottoms with downgraded tees & tops

Style Fan

Veteran

I downgrade my "good" items from going out to house use. I don't sleep in downgraded items. The T-shirts I wear to sleep in are too boxy for me to wear during the day. I like the graphics on them and they are usually of sentimental value so sleeping in them means they are not just in a drawer taking up space.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I do this. I am very RATE when it comes to sleepwear. My cost per wear must be $0.0000... something

Murph11

Veteran

In reverse, I have a beautiful pair of satin black print pajamas I’d love to don as evening wear with heels, but always chicken out

bj1111

Veteran

I usually wear worn out duds to bed and found my sister’s wardrobe of fancy (ie matching) pjs faintly ridiculous. Then I was gifted a pair. Wow! I’m a convert. But I haven’t bought myself a pair —too spendy.

Windchime

Veteran

I’ve been downgrading old, tired tee shirts, jeans, and athletic shoes to gardening for years. My personal preference at this time in my life is to buy sleepwear new; it’s probably a reaction to years and years of wearing my cast-offs for sleeping.

Bonnie

Veteran

I do this, too. I usually buy 8 long sleeve all cotton tee shirts (lately from Eddie Bauer) in the fall. I wear 4 for for walks or hikes, and 4 for sleeping in cool/cold weather. When hot weather arrives and we leave the desert to camp in cooler places, they are added to my stack of camping tees.

Joy

Veteran

sleep wear? What is that? I find that sleeping a natural is most comfortable since menopause. Your body adjusts to temperatures better. It is also rather elegant. when there are others in the house over night, I find it hard to put no night clothes and keep a heavy terry robe close by.

3style

Veteran

Joy, as an ironically amusing in hindsight type of aside, I thought I was getting hot flashes this month. But nope, turns out I was getting feverish from a kidney infection. Boy medical stuff can suck. Best wishes for you and your husband in managing his surgical recovery.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I have done this in the past, but I don't anymore. It doesn't make me happy. I prefer to buy nice sleepwear and loungewear, or I feel dowdy.

Anonymous

Yup- I do it also- shorts and tee in summer, yoga pants and turtleneck in winter.
First is comfort
second is extended use of well loved items
third-if there is ever an emergency you are dressed to respond. I grew up in area that saw frequent car accidents. Sleeping in loungewear just made it easy to grab first aid stuff and run out the door to respond. Also, Someone I know had house fire at night. Nothing worse than watching house burn while in underwear and Red Cross blanket.
Btw when did sleep become so pricey anyway?

Staysfit

Veteran

I used to do this. Now I like Joys method! Although I have some pretty lingerie to use when we have company. I also buy functional gear. My needs changed when I started to run longer distances. The only purposes my clothes get downgraded to is for gardening, house cleaning, and painting. I give away my clothes to DD or my friends before they wear out, or I wear them into the ground for their intended purpose.

Efgben, my neighbors house burned to the ground at 3am. Everyone came out wrapped in blankets and we all gave them clothes. It was winter......snow was on the ground, so they also needed footwear. It was the most awful thing I have witnessed besides a tornado and it’s aftermath when I was a kid.

cindysmith

Veteran

As I've started settling into my new house, I've begun ruthlessly examining my closet. I have purged shoes (it was hard, y'all, but I've made a good start). I've taken items from my not-work wardrobe and moved them to my work wardrobe, and I've even purged several items because I'm not allowing myself much room for wishy-washy.

Last night, I had to stop myself from purging a bunch of sweatshirts and stuff. Even though it's hot as blue blazes right now and just thinking about those sweaters makes me nauseous, I was actually able to remember that I've requested people keep me from doing just that, because this winter I will hate myself for it LOL

I used to have lots of garments that could serve in several capacities, but lately I've found that differentiation is a must. My work life chews up too many clothes to be wearing something I love and want to wear for years while I'm on the job. There's a learning curve, for sure.

Kathie

Veteran

I keep t-shirts for working out, yard work and cleaning, but otherwise wear everything for it’s intended purpose until it’s worn out. My work clothes wouldn’t be practical/comfortable for those purposes. And like Aquamarine, my mom has always loved proper sleepwear, so I continue that tradition.

anne

Veteran

I wear clothes for casual and demote to loungewear, though as Kathie says, don't do it with workwear as it wouldn't be comfortable.

In theory, I like the idea of having separate and proper sleepwear, but it is often at the end of a purchase list and doesn't get bought. (DD gave me a lovely set for my birthday but SO warm it is almost more for lounging than actually wearing to bed)

In practice, I often just wear my loungewear to bed, since its comfortable and I can't be bothered changing (specially on cold winter nights)

Jane

Veteran

I keep separate items to sleep in. I don’t have a huge amount of space, I haven’t worn t shirts very often and only have 1 currently (eek). I like to wear a cotton nighty and have a matching gown.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I’ve written posts about downgrading or demoting wardrobe items. Guess I need to write about the topic again

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I sleep in what I call "nighties" year round- sleeveless cotton in summer, short-sleeved in spring and autumn, and long-sleeved with warmer fabrics in winter. The winter ones are longer length than the others but all at least to the knee. I downgrade only to gardening or painting or farm visit clothes. Otherwise they go to charity or for rags via the "clothing bin".

Liesbeth

Veteran

I have done this in the past, but now I don’t buy such basic tops for regular wear any longer. My upper body is not flattered by a simple camisole or sleeveles top on its own and I even feel exposed wearing just that. I use those kind of tops for layering when I won’t need to remove the second layer and then I use them to shreds becaus they’re not very visible anyway.

Anonymous

This thread was most enlightening. 3Style's comment seemed enlightening to me when I first read it. It still does, but it does not seem like something I have ever put into practice myself. A clothing demotion to me is putting it in the Goodwill bag.

In reality I want a separate and unique lounge/sleep capsule. In fact, I had been moving in that direction since 2017. I especially love PJ sets in crisp cotton during the summer months and soft flannel in the winter months. And yes, PJ sets are expensive. My favorite are Ralph Lauren. I recently found some from Uniqlo that I have definitely come to love.

My BF and I visit his family for weekends during the winter months. I would never feel comfortable in anything other than a long sleeved, full length, slightly oversized PJ set during those trips. I could carry robes with me, but they are so bulky that I always leave them them home.

3style

Veteran

I’m such a curmudgeon sometimes. When I was growing up and Victoria’s Secret had just started, for about 15 years they made the best very affordable cotton jersey nightgowns. I’ve tried all kinds of brands since then and nothing else begins to compare.

Even this year I thought I’d get some proper pjs from Talbots, but nope, ripped shoulder seams, torn belt ties, dye that bleeds and fades. I feel like sleep attire is code for junk quality, even from some decent brands.

I tend to have far, far better luck deciding that certain street wear works better as pjs than purchasing anything sold as sleepwear.

Daisy Avalin

I guess I have 'upgraded' rather than 'downgraded' recently! I bought a sleep top from Primark, a short sleeve tee with broderie anglaise on the shoulders and making the small breast pocket. It's so pretty that I bought two, in white and pale blue, and I wear them as tees, with jeans!

I have downgraded a couple of tees to sleepwear, one because it's a bright yellow, which does not go well with my skin tone in such a block, and another because it 'caught' in the washing machine and tore a hole in the stomach area. No longer suitable for wearing in public!

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