Hello Everyone,

When I reviewed the fabulous Fleur’t with Me Wild Child lounge collection several months ago, I alluded to how challenging it can be for boutique owners to find inexpensive sleepwear for their inventory mix.  Most small businesses stake their reputations on providing customers with more unique and better quality items than can be found at big box or chain stores, and many boutique-oriented manufacturers focus on smaller, ethically-sourced collections which utilize indulgent fabrics, eye-catching details, and a superb fit.  In short, quality shows through in all things, even pajamas, and quality costs more.  However, not everyone can afford to splurge on higher priced lounge wear, and I am always watching the market for something fashionable and wallet-friendly.  Enter newcomer Silk & Soul.  The brand contacted me last year, and while the bra styles were not a good fit for the shop, the lounging collections were absolutely adorable.

As a consumer and a retailer, I love when manufacturers create seasonal palettes with an element of compatibility among styles because it offers maximum mix-and-match capabilities.  Silk & Soul follows this pattern by creating miniature capsules, of which the Lunares is one, that work interchangeably together, and in many cases, the pieces transcend their own collection to work with elements of another.  As a result, a customer can purchase a few items from a capsule that recombine with each other or with other items in his/her lounging wardrobe. The ability to offer a quality product with such easy versatility greatly appealed to me, and we began carrying the line last fall.

My constant eyeing of the Lunares set did not go unnoticed, and my dad and brother squirreled away a few Silk & Soul pieces as a Christmas gift.  I believe I mentioned in the past how divergent my image of “ideal” sleepwear is from the pieces I actually wear.  Left to my own fantasies, my sleep and lounging preferences are full-on glamorous, worthy of any starlet to grace the silver screen.  I am draped in slinky chemises with vintage lace and topped with decadent robes made from silk and feathers, my hair and makeup expertly done while I stare wistfully out an open window enjoying a warm breeze.  My overactive imagination aside, it astounds me how I am instantly attracted to sleep and lounge pieces which are, at their core, not really “me.”   The real me sucks at doing hair and lives with it in a pony tail or loose braid when home, and my make up (which is mostly just lots of eye shadow and liner) is only put on for workdays.   I am not sitting indoors by the window either.  On my days off, you can usually find me barefoot on my deck wearing a well-worn tee shirt and shorts with one dog monopolizing my lap while another tries to maneuver into the coveted position.  And for sleeping?  I’m straight cotton nightgowns or over-sized men’s shirts.

Consequently, though I love some of the more gorgeous lounging pieces I’ve seen others rocking, casual shorts and shirts are more my actual speed, and my dad and brother snagged me two pairs of shorts, a short-sleeve shirt, a racer-back tank, and a nightie all in the size large.

Because the shorts are strictly for lounging, the shorter length works well although I do admit to not wearing them much at the moment simply because it’s been cold here.  When spring takes root in a couple weeks, I imagine they will come out often, particularly because the neutral colors mean they work with everything.  Of the two pairs, I prefer the woven, black and white shorts the best.  While the stretchy knit fabric and classic drawstring design on the solid black shorts is comfortable, I love the lightweight, breezy feel of the woven fabric better, particularly because they seem to cling less.  Sizing up could have also fixed this issue too, but since I am trying to lose weight, I am hoping these will fit better as my size changes.

Even outside the Lunares collection, all of Silk & Soul’s tops are basic enough to transition from lounge to casual attire, similar to the Wild Child pieces from Fleur’t, and the use of interesting details like see-through mesh, lace, and ruching add visual interest.  Featuring a tag-less design and soft cotton-blend fabric, the tops sport a relaxed fit which I enjoy.  For lounge, I prefer to have tops which are not overly tight in the shoulders or stomach but which still are figure flattering, particularly because I often pull from my lounge and PJ drawer on the weekends or when guests are visiting.  Added stretch accommodates a larger bust, and the frequent use of solid colors, as with my pink and black tops, make them ideal for layering underneath clothes too.

As I mentioned above, I tend to sleep more in shirts or nighties than shorts partly because every night, I am lucky enough to go bed with two very handsome, very hot, very snuggley males—and by “hot”, I mean they put off the heat of a thousand suns right against my back.  It is not unusual for me to wake up quite warm because one or both of them has wedged their furry bodies against my back and clicked the heat setting to amplify.  As a result, lightweight, breathable nightgowns are a must, and the Lunares nightgown delivers.  The length provides enough coverage in the front and back to let me feel comfortable, and the strappy shoulder and back design keeps me cool.  My one critique is that the straps are longer here, and if you are very petite or have a shorter torso, the nightie may dip too low in the front.  Otherwise, it’s very comfortable to wear.

Comfortable designs and soft fabrics aside, the aesthetics are also perfect for me too.  Black and white is kind of my thing.  Over half my wardrobe is some combination of black, white, and/or gray and has more or less remained that way since I was in high school.  Naturally, a set which relies heavily on one of my favorite contrasts is going to appeal to me, and I think the interjection of the hot pink is a classic way to add a pop of color to the neutrality of the pieces.  In fact, I’ve mixed my Lunares items easily with other pieces in my lounge wardrobe as well as wore them to the store.  Some of the other collections use more sleep-oriented prints like stars or clouds, but the sharp mod-inspired black and white dot print is flashy and bold.  The nightie concerned me because I wondered how those dots would look, but I love it and think it offers a more unique twist on sleepwear.

All of the pieces have washed well and held up over time which is nice too.  Because of the lower price point, the cotton-blend is not as soft as the modal based sets like Fleur’t with Me or the Tia Lyn Bliss set (which is on my review agenda), but you’re also looking at an entire set for under $50.  Overall, I’ve been really pleased with the quality and durability and am considering ordering more from them this spring.  However, I do have one quibble:  The items are sized small through x-large, and I would love to see something like this offered in plus-sizes.

Review Bonus: All sleepwear is on sale right now!!