Forgotten glamour: the bed jacket

When's the last time you saw someone wearing a bed jacket? Unless you're a vintage clothing aficionado, you may not even be aware of these darling little garments and their ample utility and practicality.

Bed jackets were garments made to be worn in bed, particularly in the morning hours while reading or breakfasting. They were made in a wide variety of fabrics and styles, dependent on the season as well as the level of formality. Jackets that were knitted were often referred to as "bed sweaters."

When you think about it, the bed jacket is a perfectly practical garment. Sitting up in bed and trying to read a newspaper, work on your crochet, or drink a cup of tea with a comforter tucked up to your neck would be virtually impossible. A bed jacket allows you free movement of your arms and hands to make use of your time in bed while still feeling warm and cozy, and looking chic!

A bed jacket's boxy, roomy silhouette made it easy to take on and off. They were hemmed to the waist, eliminating the uncomfortable bulk of wearing a full length robe in bed. Most jackets are held around the shoulders with a simple tie at the neck and were intended to be worn over one's pajamas or nightgown. Not only did the bed jacket provide warmth, but it also lent itself to an air of modesty and put-togetherness in front of one's family or public. 

Bed jackets were the middle ground when you opted for an appearance more formal than a pajama set, but not as "ready" as a full-length dressing gown or peignoir.

Not all bed jackets were created with utility in mind. The heyday of the bed jacket would have been from the 1930s through the 1960s, when the garment was beloved and celebrated by the glamorous actresses on screen. These jackets were often made from luxurious silks and satins, and decked out with all the trimmings including ostrich feathers, lace, and tulle. It was a completely feminine and frothy affair.

So what spurred the invention, and inevitable decline, of such a garment? Well, the most likely conclusion seems to be the need to keep warm. Homes in the 1930s and 40s  did not have adequate heating, and families bundled up with layers consisting of long undergarments and woolen dressing gowns to keep warm. In the post-war years, heating began to improve and some homes had central heating for the first time. Also, more and more women began to enter the workplace, which meant less time for breakfast in bed... quelle horreur!

The popularity began to taper off as the years passed, and by the 70s, bed jackets were often relegated to the back of the wardrobe - only to kept in alive by elderly women, convalescents, and new mothers on bed rest. Women used to spend up to two weeks in bed, by Victorian standards. I don't know about you, but two weeks in bed sounds just the ticket... 

Yes, it does seem that the bed jacket has been lost to time. In fact, I have never found one during my vintage shopping excursions, so my wardrobe has a distinct lack of bed jackets - that just won't do! I hope to add one to my lounge wear wardrobe so I to can recline in bed, taking breakfast on a tray like the elegant lady of the house. Perhaps I will also finish off my daydream with a gorgeous quilted eiderdown at the foot of the bed... more on that next time.

― TYG