After surgery, or an invasive biopsy, it’s nonnegotiable that all your clothes are the comfiest possible. They can be that, and they can also be a little bit chic too.
Here are Jadey’s favorite clothes and accessories for the smoothest, coziest recovery.
The Cutest Clothes for Comfort
To Wear Home: A Lightweight, Easily Washable Button-Up
A button-up or sweatshirt with a zipper will probably be the easiest and most comfortable way to dress after your procedure for your travels home, especially if you have some restricted mobility and pulling something over the top of your head is… impossible. We love these Faherty linen shirts: they’re casual, classic, simple, and soft.
A Soft, Sumptuous Sweater
This robe-like jacket from Varley is undeniably put-together. Thick and soft with a palette of neutral colors, it’s perfect for laying in bed and feeling warm, cozy, and fashionable, even if you’re on bedrest. Inside Edition reporter Alison Hall (read her Jadey interview here) says wearing “really cozy things that still looked pretty” was vital for her recovery after her double mastectomy. This wrap-sweatsuit shawl was one of her favorites, perfect for post-surgery and a restricted range of motion.
The Comfiest Slippers
We always love UGG slippers for tried-and-true comfort. They’re warm and soft and perfect for shuffling around the house as you recover. Christy Lingo, who had a mastectomy in 2021, was gifted these slippers and says they were game-changing while she was recovering from surgery and throughout her chemotherapy treatment, “to this day, I will never buy another brand… I love those slippers so much. I’m still wearing them and they’re [more than] three years old.”.
A Warm and Soft Hat
You probably don’t need a hat after surgery, but you may want one to get yourself to the coziest, most blissfully warm state possible. Doubly true if you're experiencing hair loss from treatment during colder weather months. That’s reason enough to try out this luxurious cashmere beanie from Quince, that’s so soft you’ll be delighted to know it’s also very affordable.
A Luxurious Robe
Robes: they’re easier to slip on than a sweatshirt or hoodie, and make you feel like you’re lounging in a fancy hotel bed, rather than lying in bed recovering from surgery. Alison Hall received this Barefoot Dreams robe as a gift and recommends it for ultra cozy recovery days.
An Unexpected Linen Top
If you must leave the house during recovery, and need something put-together, but still comfortable enough to be pajamas, may we suggest this lovely, button-up linen blend top from eberjey. Marcella Kelson, a licensed social worker, who primarily works with new mothers and women with cancer and who navigated her own cancer diagnosis a few years ago (read our interview with her here), loves eberjey for soft and luxe loungewear, and she specifically recommends this top, which also matches well with their White Linen Blend Relaxed Pant.
The Softest Bras
Sometimes the most comfortable set-up during surgery recovery is total braless-ness, and sometimes it’s having a bra so soft that its support feels like the most delicate hug. These are some of Jadey’s favorite, most gentle bras.
A “Barely-There” Sports Bra
“This bra fulfills an impossible request: it’s totally sturdy and something you forget you’re wearing,” says Jadey Editorial Director Maggie Lange, who loves this stylish, lightweight, and comfortable bra for resting after abdominal surgery. One of Lululemon’s bras designed for low-intensity exercise, it’s relaxed and comfortable enough to wear all day (including recovery naps).
A Scoop Neck Bralette
This Chantelle stretchy scoop bralette is perfect for lounging, resting, recovering—all of the above. The fabric is soft, moisture wicking and quick-drying–and there’s no underwire, making it easy to wear all day. Madeline* wore this bra throughout treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma and says it’s supportive enough for everyday wear, but not too tight like a sports bra, a simple bralette perfect for all parts of recovery.
Accessories and Other Recovery Tools
Wipes for When Showering Isn’t an Option
During recovery, you might not be permitted (by your medical team) to shower, but you still want to feel like you’ve showered. Also some days, you might not possess the mental or physical wherewithal to prioritize standing up for ten minutes. For times like these, we recommend a body wipe, specifically these ones from Honest. Made with simple ingredients and perfect for sensitive skin, they’re a low-effort way to freshen up.
A Shower Seat for When Standing is Too Much
Some days, the effort of standing through a full shower may not be in the cards. And, why stand when you can sit, anyway? We love this teak shower bench from Rejuventation, which has a handy shelf underneath for holding shower essentials, and feels less “medical recovery” and more “tranquil spa”.
A Tool to Help You Sip in Pure, Immobile Ease
Jadey Editorial Director Maggie Lange is firm in her dislike of straws. But during surgery recovery, even the smallest movement, like sitting up to drink a glass of water felt arduous. Her partner insisted she try a bendy (emphasis on bendy) straw for this purpose, and she now recommends them to you. With a bendy straw, you can simply pull the glass from your nightstand and lift your head the slightest bit to get the water you need, and get right back down to laying.
Electrolyte Tablets for Hydration
To make the water that is now much easier to drink, taste even better and be even more hydrating, Jadey recommends these electrolyte tablets from Nuun. Drinking lots of water during recovery is important, and can be tough to remember. These tablets can help you get more from your water and they taste less sugary than some comparable options.
A Simple, Reliable Dry Shampoo
This Odele powder dry shampoo really helps out if you’re skipping a couple showers. It is a powder formula, but it comes out of an easy spray that just needs a quick massage to be worked into your hair. Team Jadey recommends this simple, reliable and workaday, to keep the greasy hair at bay throughout recovery.
Pillows and Support Devices for After Surgery
Heart-Shaped Pillows for Post-Surgery
These heart-shaped pillows are made for mastectomy recovery. You can put them under your arm, to take pressure off your chest. This one also comes in a set that includes a pillow to go around your seatbelt, and a larger backrest pillow. After her mastectomy, Abbie Marshall loved these heart-shaped pillows from Etsy, “I used these while laying down in the hospital and at home.. For me, they made sleeping more comfortable.”
A Body Pillow for Total Support
Having a variety of pillows (especially of unusual shapes) is really helpful for propping yourself up after any type of surgery. Body pillows like this one can provide much needed full-body support when you find that elusive ‘this is the only thing that doesn’t hurt’ position.
A Portable Hysterectomy Pillow
After abdominal surgery, a hysterectomy pillow can be a helpful recovery tool. We like this one because it has adjustable straps for hands-free wearing, in addition to a pocket for a hot/cold gel pack and one for your belongings. You might want to consider bringing this pillow home with you in the car post-surgery; it cushions and protects your incision, and also helps to brace, for anytime you need to get up from a chair, get out of bed, or even just cough.
A Bed Addition to Prop You Up
Pillows are great to keep your torso elevated after surgery, but for a bit more stability, we suggest this rentable electric recliner The Lift Me Up to add to your bed (it's about $299 for four weeks). Each rental comes with a memory foam topper and a fitted sheet, and it’s a very sturdy option to keep yourself elevated. Abbie says she used one after multiple breast surgeries. “It was a lifesaver and very easy to install. I would have been in rough shape without it.”
*Names and some identifying details have been changed at the subject’s request.
