Timothy Mulcare
SHOP $195, huckberry.com
SHOP $195, onsentowel.com
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Here's an oh-so-cliché story about me: I didn't know I needed or wanted a bathrobe until I had one. Sure, the lounge-time classic has scored enough credits on silver screen stars to be considered a wardrobe essential that pretty much everyone owns. But, as I told myself again and again whenever I felt like buying a bathrobe: "Just dry yourself with a towel then put on pajamas and go—no need to add a robe to the mix."
That "less is more" ethos persisted for many years until I stumbled upon Onsen's bathrobe. It grabbed my attention because of two things: The waffle weave, and the hood. I've known the super-absorbent, unbelievably soft sides of waffle towels for some time, so seeing it on a bathrobe made me spare a thought for why I could possibly need a waffle robe. But a hooded waffle bathrobe? That was like discovering a new continent. Is that why those boxing champs and male leads look so swell in robes? And could I possibly look like one myself, while feeling all comfy and like I live in a spa? To satisfy my own curiosity, I tried Onsen's hooded waffle bathrobe, and I've never wanted to take it off since.
Timothy Mulcare
Forget about bath towels. Just use this robe.
Here's the thing about waffle weave fabric: It soaks up water like a sponge, but it's still dreamy-soft and lightweight like a throw blanket. This absolute bliss is the case for Onsen's bathrobe, which can trap moisture as effectively as its waffle towels. I now barely bother to wipe myself off after stepping out of the shower. I just put on Onsen's robe, maximize its contact on skin by hugging or patting myself here and there so the dripping water can be absorbed, use the hood to dry my face and hair, and that's about it. No rubbing myself all over the place needed. The waffle wonder also helps the bathrobe itself go from damp to dry with ease; every morning I find Onsen's robe as good as new, purged of the wetness from the night before, and ready to plunge me into lounge time before I can even let out a deep breath after a steaming hot shower.
SHOP $195, huckberry.com
SHOP $195, onsentowel.com
Timothy Mulcare
It's full of swagger.
The hood totally changes the game. I, in fact, felt like Sylvester Stallone's Rocky strutting into the boxing ring the first time I put on Onsen's bathrobe—with the hood on, of course. I wasn't trying to beat up anyone, only my own fear of hoodies. Was I channeling my inner Muhammad Ali or Assassin's Creed? Can't say. I looked like someone, that's for sure: All sleek and mysterious, turning heads of neighbors and other tenants when I walked about my building in Onsen's robe (one even gave me a wink). That leading-man drip is not just owing to the hood. There's also the bathrobe's '80s-like, broad-shoulder build and a double-breasted-trench-coat-ish, figure-hugging silhouette once tied around the waist. It's got the right amount of attitude to make you not look lazy or idle, but more like Brad Pitt in Fight Club or Sean Connery as James Bond, instead—robed Hollywood royalty.
SHOP $195, huckberry.com
SHOP $195, onsentowel.com
Timothy Mulcare
Wear it all day. Wear it out. Wear it however you like.
We're not supposed to don a bathrobe all day long, or out and about in public—unless it's Onsen's hooded waffle robe. No one can call you out as inappropriate if you're in something truly meant for lounging from sunrise to sunset. With texture that caresses your skin and an excellent fit, Onsen's robe is made for more than lounging. Travel, run short errands, (possibly) attend Zoom meetings...anything can be done in this bathrobe. I've even gone to a nearby grocery store at night several times wearing it, feeling as snug and cozy as if I were still at home. Though my devil-may-care look might've raised some onlookers' eyebrows, do I give a damn? Not at all. It's holiday resort for me anytime I'm hanging out in Onsen's bathrobe, and no opinions or judgement shall spoil my vacation. Because with the robe on, only you and your own comfort matter.
SHOP $195, huckberry.com
SHOP $195, onsentowel.com
Photography by Timothy Mulcare. Prop styling by John Olson for Halley Resources.
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