Housedresses are what women used to wear when they stayed at home. They didn’t flop around in their pajamas like we do today and sweats didn’t exist yet. People, both women and men, dressed at home, casually yes, but always presentable in fear of the unexpected guest.
Usually made of cotton, housedresses were a simple drop waist in the 1920s or a shirtwaist in the 1940s. The sheath silhouette in the 60s gave way to the billowy boho housedress of the 70s. Styles changed but the purpose didn’t – something nice to wear at home while doing housework or just lounging. (Men wore khaki slacks and a polo shirt, maybe jeans.) But by the 1980s women were working outside the home and the whole idea disappeared.
That is until Pandemic Year 2020. Stuck at home for months, by summertime last year women were looking for an alternative to leggings and tunics and designers were on it – the housedress.
Check back in with ODFL tomorrow when Housedress Week continues with a post about a vintage dress turned housedress.
OverDressed for Life 
Have the book.Have found some cotton knit dresses & caftans for At Home Wear. Miss being able to just whip up some things on machine. Don’t have the desire @ this time. Finding 100 %cotton fab. That inspire me ? Not yet. Looking at what fab. Stores STILL around Bay that I can browse. Wont put a lot of moola & time into these kinds of clothes.easier to find in consignment stores. Discover shop- W. Creek- best vintage finds in natural fibers!
JG
Saving up my resources for making higher end things!