Mara Ellis
The best kimono robes for women come down to three choices: the fabric against your skin, the length, and the size range. After that it is color and print. My short list: a short silk-blend satin robe for getting ready, a floor-length satin robe with a matching slip for evenings, a cotton robe for after the bath, and a long satin robe that runs to 5XL.
I'm Mara, and I have tried more robes than I care to admit, in hotel rooms and on ordinary Tuesday mornings. A good kimono robe has wide sleeves that stay out of the sink, a belt that holds, and a fabric you want on your shoulders at 6 a.m. Here are the six I recommend from our own racks, why each one made the list, and how to pick yours.
- Best overall: Dressing Robe Silk, a short silk-blend satin robe with a crane print, S to XXL, $44.99.
- Best long robe: Long Satin Robe, floor-length burgundy satin with a matching slip, $59.99.
- Best cotton robe: Cotton Kimono Robe, knee-length pink cotton for after the bath, $64.99.
- Best size range: Long Kimono Robe, navy floral satin in XL to 5XL, $54.99.
- Choose the length first, then the fabric: thigh for getting ready, knee for after the bath, ankle or floor for lounging.
The best kimono robes at a glance
Six robes, six jobs. All of them have the kimono cut: a wrap front, wide sleeves set straight into the body, and a belt in the same fabric. Prices are the ones on the site today.
| Best for | Robe | Fabric and length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Dressing Robe Silk | Silk-blend satin, thigh length, S to XXL | $44.99 |
| Best long robe | Long Satin Robe | Satin, floor length, with a matching slip | $59.99 |
| Best after the bath | Cotton Kimono Robe | Cotton, knee length, M and L | $64.99 |
| Best size range | Long Kimono Robe | Satin, floor length, XL to 5XL | $54.99 |
| Best light color | Silk Robe Women | Silk satin, ankle length, S to 4XL | $49.99 |
| Best for brides and gifts | White Satin Robe | Satin, knee length, S to XXL | $44.99 |
Every robe here is a current best seller, and several are among our most reordered styles, which is the test I trust most. A robe can photograph well and still end up at the back of the closet. The ones people buy twice, in a second color or as a gift, are the ones that feel right at home. You can see the full ranking in our best sellers collection.
Choose the length before the color. Thigh length is best for makeup, hair and packing. Knee length covers you after a shower. Ankle or floor length is the one for slow mornings and for answering the door. If you are between sizes, go up: a kimono robe closes better with more overlap at the front.
What makes a kimono robe good
A kimono robe is a robe cut on the lines of a Japanese kimono: a flat T shape, a V neckline formed by the wrap, and sleeves wide enough to push up without a cuff. That shape is why it flatters almost everyone. There are no shoulder seams to hit the wrong spot and no buttons to gape. The belt sets the waist where you want it.
Four details separate a robe you love from one you tolerate. The fabric should glide, not cling. The sleeves should end between the elbow and the wrist, so they stay dry at the sink. The belt should be long enough to tie in a bow with tails. And the print should be placed with care, with cranes, peonies or blossoms that run across the back and the sleeves, since that is the side everyone else sees.
Best overall: Dressing Robe Silk
If I could keep one, it would be this. The Dressing Robe Silk is a short robe in teal silk-blend satin with a crane motif running along the sleeves and body. Teal sits between blue and green and reads as rich, not loud, and the cranes give it the Japanese character people come to a kimono robe for. It is cut to the thigh, light enough to layer, and it comes in five sizes from S to XXL.
The fabric is the reason it tops the list. Silk in the blend keeps the softness and the sheen, and the satin weave lets it slide over a slip or bare shoulders without catching. It is the robe for getting ready: makeup, hair, coffee, suitcase. It also packs down to almost nothing.
Who it suits
Anyone buying a first kimono robe, anyone who travels, and anyone who wants one robe for mornings and for summer evenings on the balcony.
Dressing Robe Silk
Teal silk-blend satin with flying cranes, cut to the thigh. Sizes S to XXL. Our number one best seller.
Shop now · $44.99Best long kimono robe: Long Satin Robe
A long robe changes how an evening feels. The Long Satin Robe falls to the floor in deep burgundy satin, printed with a delicate floral branch that catches the light as you move. It arrives as a set with a matching slip, cut from the same satin, so the whole look is finished the moment you put it on.
This is one of our most reordered pieces, and the drape is why. The satin hangs straight from the shoulder and moves with you instead of standing stiff. Burgundy is forgiving, it flatters most skin tones, and it looks as good in December as in June. If you are wondering what belongs under a robe like this, the slip in the set is the answer, and my guide on what to wear under a kimono covers the other options.
Who it suits
Anyone who wants a robe for evenings, guests and slow weekends, and anyone looking for a gift that feels complete in one box.
Long Satin Robe
Deep burgundy satin to the floor, with a floral branch print and a matching slip included. One size.
Shop now · $59.99Best cotton kimono robe: Cotton Kimono Robe
Satin is for lounging. Cotton is for water. The Cotton Kimono Robe is the one to reach for when you step out of the shower: a soft pink cotton with a tonal floral print and a wrap front in the traditional kimono shape. Cotton absorbs moisture fast, stays comfortable on warm skin and gets softer with every wash.
It falls to the knee, which is the practical length for a bath robe, long enough to cover and short enough to stay off a wet floor. The print is subtle, more texture than pattern, so it suits people who find bright satin too much first thing in the morning. It comes in M and L.
Who it suits
Bath lovers, warm sleepers and anyone who wants a robe that goes in the wash every week without a second thought.
Cotton Kimono Robe
Soft pink cotton with a tonal floral print, cut to the knee. Absorbent, breathable, sizes M and L.
Shop now · $64.99Best size range: Long Kimono Robe
Many robes stop at XL. The Long Kimono Robe starts there and runs to 5XL. It is a floor-length robe in navy satin with a floral print that spreads softly across the fabric, with wide sleeves, an open front and a fluid drape that falls straight to the ankle without bunching at the hem.
The navy ground keeps the flowers from feeling too sweet and gives the robe a grown-up look. Five sizes mean you choose your fit instead of hoping one size works: closer to the body, or loose with a deep overlap at the front. It is proof that a long satin robe can fit well at every size.
Who it suits
Anyone who has been let down by one-size robes, and anyone who wants full length with real room to move.
Long Kimono Robe
Navy satin with a soft floral print, floor length, wide sleeves. Sizes XL to 5XL.
Shop now · $54.99Two more worth a look
Silk Robe Women is the light one: a pale mint silk satin with a floral and crane print, cut to the ankle with wide sleeves and a wrap front. Mint is calm without being plain, and the size run from S to 4XL is one of the widest we carry. At $49.99 it is the robe I suggest to anyone who wants a long style in a fresh color.
Silk Robe Women
Pale mint silk satin with a floral and crane print, cut to the ankle. Sizes S to 4XL.
Shop now · $49.99White Satin Robe is the one for brides and for gifts. White satin, a floral and peacock print, knee length, sizes S to XXL, $44.99. It photographs beautifully on a wedding morning and keeps its place in the closet long after. Both sit with more than a hundred other styles in our kimono robes for women collection.
White Satin Robe
White satin with a floral and peacock print, cut to the knee. Sizes S to XXL. Made for wedding mornings.
Shop now · $44.99How to choose yours
Start from the moment you will wear it most. One of these five will sound like you.
- Getting ready and travel: a short satin robe. Light, quick to pack, easy over a slip.
- After the bath: cotton, knee length. It dries you and washes easily.
- Evenings and guests: a floor-length satin robe, ideally with a matching slip.
- Warm sleepers and hot climates: cotton, or a short satin robe worn open.
- A gift: a set with a slip, or a classic print in white, navy or burgundy. Pick a sized style if you know her size, one size if you do not.
Then pick the print. Cranes stand for long life and good fortune, peonies for prosperity, cherry blossoms for the beauty of a short season. A robe with a meaning behind it makes a better present, and a better morning.
Making a kimono robe last
Robes are worn against clean skin and washed often, so care is simple. Follow the label first. These habits keep the color and the sheen.
- Satin: cold water, gentle cycle in a mesh bag or by hand, mild detergent. Hang to dry.
- Cotton: machine wash with similar colors. It softens with each wash.
- Drying: skip the tumble dryer for satin. On a wide hanger it dries in a few hours.
- Wrinkles: steam, or iron on the lowest setting on the reverse side.
- Storage: hang by the shoulders, with the belt tied loosely around the hanger so it never goes missing.
Keep satin robes away from rough surfaces, velcro, jewelry clasps and pet claws. One snag pulls a thread across the weave, and the line shows on the glossy side. Take rings and bracelets off before you slip your arms in.
Treat it like the nice thing it is and a kimono robe will look new for years.
Frequently asked questions
A robe cut in the shape of a Japanese kimono: a wrap front, a V neckline, wide straight sleeves and a fabric belt. It is worn at home as a dressing gown, after the bath, or open over clothes as a light layer.
Satin and silk blends for lounging, sleep and getting ready, because they glide and feel cool. Cotton for after the bath, because it absorbs water. Many people end up with one of each.
If you are between sizes, yes. Kimono robes are meant to be loose, and extra width gives a deeper overlap at the front so the robe stays closed when you sit or bend.
A slip or nightgown for sleep, a camisole and shorts for lounging, or nothing after a bath. A matching satin slip is the classic choice under a long satin robe.
Yes. The loose cut makes sizing forgiving, and a robe is something people rarely buy for themselves. A set with a matching slip, or a classic crane or floral print, is a safe choice for birthdays, Mother's Day and bridal parties.
Yes. A satin or printed kimono robe works as a duster over a tank top and jeans, or over a slip dress in the evening. Choose a longer style in a dark print, belt it or leave it open, and it reads as a jacket.
The best kimono robes for women are the ones that match your mornings: short satin for getting ready, cotton for the bath, floor length for evenings. Start with one, and the second usually follows.
Wear it your way. Mara
