Extraordinary Everyday: The dressing gown
5/20/202612 min
Today, the dressing gown is as likely to appear over pyjamas during a dash to the bins as it is at a lazy breakfast table — but it wasn’t always this casual. Once, this was a garment that signalled leisure, status and a certain velvet‑chair‑owning elegance. In this episode, we wrap ourselves up and trace the surprisingly stylish design history of the dressing gown, from indulgent luxury to everyday comfort.
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First 90 secondsNicole Jenkins· Guest0:00
[upbeat music] ABC Listen, podcasts, radio, news, music, and more.
Anthony Burke· Host0:05
[upbeat music] We spend most of our days using ordinary objects that make our lives easier. A chair, a cup, a classroom desk, a light switch. They fade into the background of daily life, but each one carries a story of ideas, materials, people, and the decisions that shape how we live. This show is about uncovering those stories. Each episode takes a closer look at the everyday, the objects we rely on without thinking, and reveals the design thinking behind them. From iconic pieces to overlooked essentials, we explore how design transforms simple things into tools that support, comfort, and connect us. Because once you start to notice, nothing is really ordinary at all. Welcome to Extraordinary Everyday. I'm Anthony Burke. [upbeat music] These days, you might fling one over your pajamas for a heroic dash to the bins or lounge in it while conducting the very serious business of weekend breakfast. But dressing gowns weren't always this relaxed. Once upon a time, they were downright fancy, the sort of garment that suggested you might also own a velvet smoking chair. So let's wrap ourselves up and wander into the stylish design history of the dressing gown.