Can We Talk About Sheer, Flowy, Cotton Nightgowns For Just A Minute
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by Audie Metcalf
What to put on our bodies during slumber now that we’re over 40 is truly like the riddle of the sphinx.
The dream, of course, is to wear our oversized, threadbare t-shirt we’ve had since our senior year of college, paired with enormously wide, cotton pajama pants.
With a drawstring.
The reality, of course, is that if we want a functioning marriage, we can say that he should love us no matter what we wear to bed, but then he would get to say the same thing. And then that would mean he wears tank tops in the summer which would swiftly, and understandably, lead to divorce.
So I am petitioning to bring back the slightly old fashioned, seemingly matronly, Little House on the Prairie nightgown.
But there’s a twist.
Because it’s sheer.
And so this is why this is genius.
We get to feel the loose but perfect embrace of the thin-strapped nightie that allows us to fully exhale after dinner.
He gets to see the outline of our body when the light hits just right. Is this some anti-feminist, trad-wife rant disguised as an empowering preference? Uhhh, no. I just created a scenario in which we get to feel superior because we’re wearing what our grandmothers wore to bed in 1928. We’re good.
The real rub here is … where to find one that’s actually pretty and chic and comfortable? It must be cotton, it must never be some sickening fabric that creates static, and the straps must be gloriously thin, otherwise the shape turns too little girl and everything falls apart.
I believe I have found the one. THE one. It’s not exactly cheap but if you essentially wear it every night, your cost per wear becomes pennies within a few weeks. Ladies. Friends. When it comes to sleepwear, we mustn’t be stingy. This is something that dons our body every single day. It should feel deliciously soft and be supremely comfortable.
The Great The Eyelet Ruffle Tank Night Dress
As a thin cotton, sheer nightgown aficionado, this one is it. It feels like nothing at all, the straps are divinely thin (which makes us thicker armed gals look and feel less like linebackers) and it’s made of gloriously lightweight cotton voile for steamy summer nights. And unlike something clingy, your bosom, even if it’s ample (like mine) can roam free without any feelings of sag or overt nipple outline. Unlike a t-shirt material or shudder some grotesque modal fabric which makes anyone with a C cup who goes braless feel like we have udders, this sheer, impossibly thin fabric simply floats over the boob like a puff of air. Listen, I know the price isn’t the best thing you’ve ever experienced, but I can tell you as someone who owns it in two colors and spent my own hard earned dollars on them, they are perfection. And if I could find this perfection elsewhere for cheaper, I would. But I have hunted for many years, and I cannot. Proof of perfection:
Price: $175
Jacaranda Living Madeline White Cotton Nightgown
Sadly, I cannot expose my knees because they are hideous. But if you have non-hideous knees, a little shortie nightie is a GREAT way to bring this whole scenario to life. This one is nice.
And so is THIS one, which is a bit shorter but wildly pretty.
Price: $91
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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