I usually wear my loungewear after I get out of bed before I decide what to wear for the day, and after dinner, just before I put my kids to bed. I wear pajama bottoms and leggings with tees. If it's cold, I'll sometimes wear an older cashmere sweater. I like wearing these outfits, but somehow I feel less energetic and clear headed in them, so I like to wear my MOTG clothes at home. Often, though, if I'm working on a project or cooking, and concerned about getting a shirt or sweater dirty, I'll change out of my top, and put on a tee (but keep my jeans on).

In answer to questions 1 and 2, I don't spend very much on loungewear, although I should. I've had the bottoms for several years, and the tops are usually demoted items from my MOTG capsule. I did buy several tees at the Gap last year that have worked well. And in answer to #2, my loungewear drawer is very full of old items I don't wear very often. I probably should replace most of it, but for some reason I feel guilty about it. I guess I should go back and read Angie's posts on loungewear!

My pjs are mostly from Target, these days, although I've got flannel from Eddie Bauer and Garnet Hill for winter. Places like Marshall's and Ross often have nice sets on sale, or separates. It depends on what you like - nightgowns or pjs, knit or woven, etc. I try to make sure they still fit well - I prefer a roomier fit for sleepwear - and are in flattering colors.

A couple of years ago I decided to invest in loungewear and sleepwear. I love looking my best when I go out but dressed like a slob at home. I went to my local K-mart and Walmart and bought 8 pair of palazzo pants in differing colors. I also bought 7 days worth of knit tops with varying designs and I bought a whole bunch of colorful ankle socks in differing patterns and colors because I don't wear shoes in the house. This way I feel good even if I'm sleeping. I love how this makes me feel even when I am by myself. If I have unexpected guest then I can throw on a scarf or jewelry and still feel presentable.

Diana, I really like the look of those Zella Move Pants. Are they noisy?

Kerry, they're not very noisy. They do make more noise than, say, jersey pants, but nothing like old school track pants or anything.

I'm definitely on the sloppy end with my loungewear, but I'm okay with that. Which probably goes to Diana's point about people who work out of the house all day being more likely to embrace full-on lounge when they can. And my lifestyle probably influences me here in other ways too (no kids, so no kids' friends or kids' friends' parents dropping by, not really in a neighborhood where everyone knows each other, etc.). Anyway, onto the questions:

1. I don't really have a regular budget for loungewear. I can go for months at a time without spending anything, but would guess I spend maybe $50-$75 a year on things I'm buying primarily to be loungewear. Which means mostly bottoms for me, since everything else tends to be stuff I've demoted. Or t-shirts I can't resist buying because they're funny or sentimental, although I should probably stop with these because I have a lot and really only wear them as loungewear. New stuff I get is usually just from Old Navy since they're cheap and they have nice soft jersey. I usually wait for a good coupon code, then replace whatever needs replacing.

2. I'm really bad at replacing loungewear. I'll add new bottoms when the old ones are looking ratty, but keep the old ones for a while just in case I'm really low on laundry or something. I also feel guilty and wasteful getting rid of loungewear if it's still in decent condition and isn't so ancient and stretched-out that it just depresses me. Which is really silly, especially if I'm buying new stuff once in a while anyway. I think I have stuff from 6 years back, easily!

3. My loungewear capsule has lots of variety to cover different kinds of weather. For bottoms, I have yoga pants, a few pairs of fleece sweatpants, a few jersey skirts, and even an old pair of jersey gauchos or two. I actually just got a pair of black knit harem pants from H&M, too. Not sure if I'll wear them out of the house, or just to lounge in. For tops, I have the funny/sentimental t-shirts, and also a bunch of tank tops and solid t-shirts I used to wear for layering when I dressed a little more casually. On top, I wear demoted cardigans if it's cold. I also wear demoted jersey dresses sometimes in the summer.

So hopefully I've made anyone who feels bad about their loungewear feel better. Whatever you wear, you're probably not as bad as I am!

Ha, you inspired me to post my loungewear WIW just now.

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....r-for-neel

Diana's post reminded me about my WIW featuring loungewear, although that particular day I decided to wear skinny jeans instead of sweat pants: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....wear-again

But, my skinny jeans are just as comfy as sweat pants, so I do wear them for lounging-around-the-house days. Leggings, too. I only dress in true loungewear once a week at most. I prefer to get "dressed" even if I'm staying home. The only difference is that I usually don't wear a blazer at home; I'll wear a fleece instead and change into a blazer if I'm going out.

My loungewear was bought new. I don't demote items to loungewear, because if I don't like it enough to keep it in my "real" wardrobe, then I won't like it enough to wear around the house, either. I'll keep a few things for painting or dirty work (we're finishing our basement now), but not much. It usually goes straight into the donation or trash pile.

Marmee - I think I need to update my basics capsule. My tees are just plain rags now! I think I should check Gap perhaps.

Laura - Thank you for your input!

Ladywone - I have a few palazzos too
Planning on cutting them and making them into cullotes. I have missed tripping on the excess fabric by my feet. Ack! But I love how they look! Glad they work for you!

Aubergine - you crack me up. We should go lounge wear shopping together. Lol!

I wear workout gear to encourage me to workout or fit in whatever training I can before I leave home, then when I get home I either put on workout gear again (for the same reason) or dress in an outfit I would be willing to be seen in. I don't spend much at all on workout gear apart from for the sports bras and footwear, but put it this way: if the postman knocks what I am wearing is not horribly embarrassing.

If you don't feel good in what you wear at home, it sounds like a fun project to come up with a new loungewear capsule wardrobe. With young children, at least for me, the emphasis would be on comfort and washability, but either way, I think it still helps to be dressed in a way that makes you feel good.

Sarah

Thank you pastrygirl. Your lounge wear is brilliant! Now that's how I would like to dress up! And you are so right about demoted items! I think this is exactly what is happening to me. My green jeggings from today's loungewear have an awful fit and expose my butt crack every time I bend. Annoying. And I am obviously not happy wearing them! It looks OK though.

I'm a twin with Mo in the pj department - Marshalls or TJ Maxx soft modal sets and Victoria's Secret flannel.

I also agree with MFF that putting on exercise clothes and wearing them until I exercise that morning is motivational.

Otherwise it's usually clothes for cleaning, entertainment/computer time, or cats so demoted other stuff is fine for me and I don't particularly want to spend money on it.

I'm another who generally wears workout gear as loungewear. I go to the gym most days after work, and stay in my workout gear until bedtime. On the weekends I get up and put on my workout gear and then keep it on after my workout unless I'm going somewhere (which I usually am). ETA: I spend real money on my workout gear and I get rid of it when it gets ratty. I spend a lot of time at the gym and I want to be comfortable and look nice.

On days when I'm not going to the gym, I wear shorts or yoga pants and decent tees or my new favorite lightweight sweatshirts. And I must admit I wear flipflops at home rather than real shoes.

ETA2: I wear aprons when cooking. It's much better than wearing ratty clothes and splattering on them!

My "loungewear" is what I put on after I get home from work if I don't plan on going out again for the rest of the day. For me, my go to is an easy, causal dress or skirt--usually something in jersey or sweater material. It's super comfortable and doesn't require any styling, but I still feel feel dressed enough to run to the mailbox or answer the door. I do not spend money on this category of clothes. 90% of my lounge clothes are from the thrift store with the occasional Target piece or "demoted" item.

I spend $100-$200 a year on loungewear. These are clothes that I do NOT wear out of the house (except to check the mail and once at 5 am to get 1/2 and 1/2 for my coffee because, well, you know.) In the winter they are a pair of cashmere pull-on pants, tee shirt (whatever's clean) and a cashmere hoodie. In the summer it's usually a pull-on linen or cotton skirt, and the rest of the year, a pair of black cotton pull-on pants from LL Bean. Oh yeah, and whatever's clean tee shirt.

I really don't like looking sloppy because you never know when you will have a date with destiny, and cashmere pull-on pants and hoodies are just as comfortable as old sweat pants. So why not?

...most of the money goes towards replacing the cashmere hoodie every other year because I always get HUGE holes in the elbows (I wear them that much).

My lounge wear is mostly demoted items but after joining YLF started buying them @ old navy. It's cheap and not total rag Kwim?
I usually buy when they have $5 tee sale and $10 bottom sale.
Works for me

I am in the leopardluxe school of loungewear, and most of mine makes me look like a homeless person. It's terrible. I wear "loungewear" ONLY for inside the house. I ALWAYS put on normal clothes to go out, even if it is just to drop the kids off at school. Workout wear for me is for working out, and I always shower after working out because I "glow" profusely and the workout clothing is damp.

I really wish I had a better loungewear capsule, but I often cook or clean the house or do other things that are liable to get my clothes dirty. I hate wearing regular clothes to cook in because I feel like the scents from cooking cling to clothing and I sometimes need to wash things twice just to get the scents out (I tend to be very sensitive to smells; DH thinks it is crazy that I am bothered by scents lingering on clothing).

But this thread has me thinking I really ought to step things up a bit...

Wow! Thank you MFF, Rabbit, MaryK. Wearing workout gear for motivation is a very nice tip! I could use that too!

Thank you periwinkle, em and stuti for your input. Pull on pants, skirts in linen, cotton or jersey is just what I think I need.

I need a strategy?!? Just kidding. Things in the lounge wear capsule were in pretty dire straits until recently.

I was never completely comfortable lounging in my gym clothes---sometimes spandex is not comfy for me. I found Champion brand moto style track pants at Target and was so thrilled after trying for 2 weeks, I bought 2 more pairs. They are mostly cotton, medium gray w/ black accents, a comfy elastic waist and a functional drawstring. I cannot find a link---I bought around 3 months ago. They great thing is that they are long enough.

Like others have said, I find wearing these pants to be very motivating to exercise when not dressing for gym classes and they are comfy enough to sleep in.

Good luck in your hunt Neel!

Echo, we cross posted. I cannot possibly like you wear regular clothes for home. I am a clumsy cook and mum! All my home wear is stained! Lol! So no! But yes, we could always step up our home outfits a tad bit by creating a special capsule that allows us to get down and get dirty and won't give us a heartache when something does get ruined. I am working on it now. A lounge wear closet purge is on the cards today.

Thank you LACeleste! The target pants sound super comfy! And something that you can sleep in is a winner in my book

Haven't read most of the other responses (lots of input here!), but I agree with Bella's assessment. I work at home only (no on-site work), so I resemble you in that, but I am not a mom. At home, I wear what would probably be called "smart casual": skinnies (whether denim or some other fabric), knit tops (as opposed to woven button-downs), and the occasional cardigan. There is nothing that is not presentable; in fact, some of it is quite dressy. However, it is all comfortable, even the dressier stuff. It will not probably be as comfy as the loungewear you describe, because what you describe is usually very loose-fitting, whereas what I wear is more fitted (though not necessarily tight).

Perhaps go shopping with a capsule idea in mind, like Bella said. Think about some colors that you would like to wear and will all work with each other. I think Angie's capsules are generally six tops and three bottoms. Personally, I like to change out my bottoms just as much as my tops, so I prefer more bottoms than three. Maybe look for items that are more fluid in fit so as to try to mimic the feel of your current loungewear. And maybe start with just a day or two wearing the new outfits, or else decide you're going to wear the new stuff until evening, at which point you can change into your current loungewear. Building a routine around when you will wear the new stuff will maybe help your body adjust to the feel of the new clothes.

Thank you Gigi! I think 3 bottoms and 6 tops would be a good place to start. But since I always tend to dirty them too quick, I would add a few more the next month. Thanks for the tip on going for fluid fits. Something that feels like sweats butt not really sweats!