Satin robes and sleepwear for the quiet end of the day

This shelf exists because the same brand that makes vinyl toys also makes a genuinely large satin range, and the two have more in common than they look. Both are judged on how they behave the second time you use them. A robe that feels cool and heavy in the hand on day one and limp after three washes has failed, whatever the photograph promised.

Most of the range is the short kimono cut: a wrap front, a tie belt, elbow length sleeves and a hem that lands above the knee. It is the standard getting ready robe, which is why so many of these listings carry printed or embroidered roles such as bride, bridesmaid, maid of honour and mother of the bride. The long versions swap the hem for something closer to the ankle and are the better choice for a hotel corridor.

Sizing runs generously and the plus size cuts are genuinely cut larger rather than relabelled. The size names on these listings cover two sizes at a time, so a Small to Medium label really does fit both, and we would take the lower end if you are between the two. The lace slips and chemises are the exception and run closer to the body.

Wash cold, on its own, inside out, and skip the dryer entirely. Satin takes a hot machine badly and takes an iron worse. Hang the robe damp, let it drop for an hour, and it will settle flat without any heat at all. A set bought for a wedding morning will then still be wearable for years of ordinary evenings, which is the only honest reason to spend on one.

Sizes, ages and the morning these are bought for

Nearly every robe here is bought for one morning and worn by several people at once, which makes sizes the whole problem. The listings split into two blocks: a standard run that goes to extra-extra-large, and a plus block cut from 1X to 4X with the shoulder seam moved rather than the body stretched. If the group spans both, buy from the plus listing for everyone, because the shoulder line is what shows in a photograph.

The lettered robes add a second decision, which is who gets which title. Bride, bridesmaid, maid of honor, matron of honor, mother of the bride: five variants on one listing, and the ages in the room usually sort them out without anybody having to ask. There is no assistant here to check your order against the guest list, so count the titles twice before you buy.

Satin is unforgiving about two things and relaxed about everything else. Wash cold and hang to dry in moving air rather than in a dryer, and keep printed lettering face-down. Beyond that it packs small, it does not need ironing if it comes out of the bag the night before, and it photographs the same on everybody. Our standards for this shelf are a sewn belt loop and a published size chart, because a robe with neither is a gamble and getting ready should be the fun part.

One practical note on a bigger group. Robes are part of the getting-ready activities rather than the ceremony, so they get worn for two hours and photographed for ten minutes. Buy for the shoulders, hand them out by name, and let the morning play out from there.