Can loungewear be chic? Yes!

Editor's note: Below you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson. Jordan's research on Sizeism was just featured in an article in the Everett Herald. Check it out! Love her and you will, too. Enjoy!

Dear Reader,

Few things are more gratifying than shedding your work clothes after a long day and putting on something comfortable. While pulling on my trusty old college sweats and a tank I wondered what others wore to hang about...So I went on a quest. I questioned family, friends, and co-workers looking to find what people preferred. I found that most like loose fitting pants that stretched yet still held a shape, and a jersey tank or tee. One gal mentioned that she called this look "lounge-chic." She described it as the balance between comfortable shoes that are easy to move in while maintaining the ability to open the door or run to the grocery store without embarrassment.

So I wanted to see how I could elevate my own lounge wear to "lounge-chic" and naturally, I wanted to share my findings with you. Because Poplin Style Direction focuses on knowing what works best for your body shape (as well as your personal style) I wanted to utilize the body types to help pinpoint some great choices for various body shapes.

Lounge Chic

1. Inverted Triangle

Your hips are narrower than your shoulders. This one already pushes the idea of going to the grocery store, but I'm a sucker for a little bit of mesh. Its a subtle combination of comfy and sexy. With a wrap sweater thrown over, you can make a run to the mailbox or for the more daring woman, to the store. It also helps to balance out a wider shoulder with the a-line of the top adding a bit of visual balance.

2. Triangle

Your shoulders are narrower than your hips. A slouchy cotton tee with a slightly denser material feels like pajamas but covers enough for walking the dog one last time or playing a quick round of hide and seek. It also adds some diagonal visual trickery that balances out a smaller shoulder line by making it appear a bit broader to balance with wider hips. Beyond that, it just looks plain cozy, and as someone who owns a t-shirt dress in this same material from ASOS I can say without a doubt it is phenomenally comfortable and versatile.

3. Hourglass

Your hips and shoulders are equally proportioned and your waist is significantly smaller. Okay so really since this is lounge wear you can wear what is comfy, but to elevate to the lounge chic look, showing off that tiny middle while also allowing for plenty of wiggle room is essential. A pair of knit harem pants are a great way to have the ease of movement with simple waist definition. And for those of you afraid of looking like Aladdin, keep your top fitted, and no fez's.

4. Diamond

Your stomach is your widest point, while your hips and shoulders are in proportion. My go to lounge accessory, especially living in the chilly Northwest, is a wrap sweater. My long time favorite is a wool blend Free People sweater that was handed down from a friend. After talking with friends and family, it seemed that this was a pretty popular addition to any coffee drinking newspaper reading ensemble. This super soft bamboo cardigan from Nordstrom hits all the rights notes, and also has a high degree of versatility. Win Win!

5. Rectangle

Your figure appears to be straight up and down, with your hips, shoulders and waist all being about that same. Okay so I cannot leave this list without a pair or deeply cozy sweatpants, and for the ladies looking to add a little curve to the bottom half, a more fitted version of this lounging favorite is just perfect. If like me, you often get too warm in the traditional sweat pant, this cotton version is a present from the temperature goddesses.

Well I hope you are inspired to re-boot the over-sized t-shirt and cut offs like I have for your lounge wear. Style need not be separate from comfort. Even in the safety of your own home on a Saturday morning you can still feel stylish and put-together.

What are some of your favorite lounging go-to's?

Happy Shopping!

Jordan

Jordan Richardson is an Image Consultant for Middle Women, and a Stylist with Emily Dymond Photography. She is a guru on finding fashionable plus size clothes and shares her take on current plus size fashion regularly on the Poplin Style Direction blog.

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