Things Getting Me Through January: This Puffy Duvet Robe

Somewhere between uttering my final "Happy New Year!" and before my "How many days are left in January?" scaries set in, I obtained what can be best described as a comforter (yes, the kind that lives on your bed) with sleeves. How I wound up swaddled in the gentle-yet-secure embrace of this bedding-apparel cross creation can be traced back to Casper, the eponymous mattress maker that read the gloomy room and came to our collective rescue with a new sleep-centric collection called Snoozewear. The essential three-piece lineup officially launched this morning, featuring a pair of slippers, a sleep mask, and the aforementioned blanket robe that looks and feels like a legitimate puffy duvet. Crafted from a 100%-cotton shell that feels baby-blanket soft and stuffed with a 100%-polyfill that verges on cloudlike, the unisex style was designed to allow you "to take the comfort of your bed with you throughout your home" — an intriguing idea in the doldrums of winter, when rising and shining out of my snug sheets feels particularly challenging.

The descriptor "wearable blanket" is one I'm guilty of slinging around lightly when describing oversized, swaddle-y articles of clothing. If I consider what actually wearing a down comforter might feel like, it doesn't seem all that feasible or pleasant: Would I be able to freely move about in it? Would my arms be swallowed up inside its cushy depths? Would I sweat to death beneath its insulated weight? Would I look like a bonafide blob? In a literal wearable blanket, the answers to these questions are likely yes. But in Casper's new Snoozewear Blanket Robe? Not quite. If your interest is piqued, find my answers to these burning inquiries below.

Before donning the thing and upon opening up the sizable box it was delivered in, I was struck by how rich the color was. In the product photo (see above), the "robe" looks like a flat navy blue; in person, it's serving a much more dynamic and mood-boosting royal sheen. (It also comes in creamy oat milk and bright white colorways, too.)

Its weight was surprisingly light for something so plush that covered a substantial area when draped across my California King-size bed. Its material was nuzzle-against-my-cheek smooth with just the right hint of cool crispness you'd expect from a well-made, breathable duvet blanket.

As soon as I slid it on, I was struck by the impressively tailored-yet-balloon-like fit. The entire silhouette (especially the arms) was cropped in a way that provided surprisingly unencumbered coverage. I was further delighted to discover two very deep pockets to serve as pillowy hand hammocks along with a single blue button that would allow me to further cocoon myself inside its downy embrace. The available size range is Small, Medium, or Large; I went with a Small. For some visual reference on how that fit, see the above picture of me wearing it in contrast with a shot of it absolutely dominating my Cal-King bed.

It's both. (If anything I would call it a kimono-meets-cocoon-coat-meets-Company-Store-comforter hybrid.) It felt distinctly robe-ish as I wore it around the house, and even outside on occasion. It was comfortable in a cozy, snug way, not at all suffocating, and actually — dare I admit it? — trendy-looking. When I curled up on the couch, it seemed to transform itself into blanket mode by softly expanding around my frame.

For some presumably not, for others maybe so; it all comes down to the budget you're working with and what exactly it is that you're in the market for. For me — a passionate couch-lounger who works from home — the extra layer of security getting me through January's final dismal days came in the form of a $169 puffy duvet robe. It's well-made, very snuggly, has a cheerful novelty appeal that looks more cool than cartoonish, and does the job of two for the price of one; it's a housecoat AND a throw blanket. In conclusion: I fully plan on existing inside its cuddly confines until spring thaws me out.