Women's teddy bear onesie: chunky cable knit or brown bear fleece?

Looking for a women's teddy bear onesie? The shop has two styles: the Cable Knit Teddy Bear Onesie, in chunky ribbed knitted fleece with a teddy embroidered on the back, and the Family Fleece Onesie in its brown bear version, in women's sizes S to XL. The first looks like a big winter jumper that carries on down to your ankles. The second goes for the whole animal: ears on the hood, a paw on the pocket. Here's what sets them apart, the sizes given on each product page and how to look after them.

Two teddy bear onesies, two styles

The cable knit plays it soft and subtle; the brown bear fleece goes full animal. Both fasten with a zip and have a hood with ears, but the fabric and the look are quite different.

The Cable Knit Teddy Bear Onesie: a winter jumper in one piece

Photo: Nadav Spiegelman / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

This is the one to pick if you want teddy bear pyjamas for women that don't look like fancy dress. The fleece is knitted in chunky vertical ribs, thick and fluffy: the product page describes it as "closer to a throw than a sweatshirt". The teddy only appears on the back, embroidered in the middle with its paws spread wide, and two little round ears are stitched onto the hood. The zip runs right up to the collar and there's a patch pocket on the front.

The cut is long and straight, with no defined waist and wide legs that fall to the floor. It comes in four colours: red, pink, charcoal grey and off-white. The grey and the off-white work all winter long; the red is just right for the festive season.

Choosing your size

The product page doesn't give heights, but the measurements of the garment laid flat:

To compare, measure your chest at its fullest point with the tape perfectly level, and leave some room: the cut is designed to be roomy and the product page recommends taking your usual size. The total length barely changes from one size to the next (143 to 146 cm), so if you're petite, expect the legs to cover your feet. Our guide to choosing the right size of adult onesie explains how to take your measurements.

The brown bear fleece onesie: the whole animal

If you're after a bear onesie for women that shows from the front, the Family Fleece Onesie in brown bear is the most faithful to the animal. It's made of thick, cosy fleece, with the bear's ears on the hood, a cream belly and an appliqué paw on the front pocket. The zip runs the full length, so it's easy to get into and out of.

Its women's sizes combine height and weight:

If your height and weight fall into two different sizes, take the larger one. Beyond women's XL, the same brown bear comes in men's sizes, from L (165-172 cm) to 3XL (180-185 cm, 90-100 kg): our article on plus-size onesies covers those sizes in detail.

The style also comes in kids' sizes, from Kids 8 (90-105 cm) to Kids 16 (135-145 cm), so you can dress the whole family as bears. Each listing is for a single onesie: add each size to your basket separately. For more matching outfit ideas, see our guide to matching family pyjamas for Christmas.

Where the teddy bear comes from

Photo: Thomas Quine / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0), cropped

The teddy bear owes its English name to an American president. According to Wikipedia ("Ours en peluche", in French), in November 1902, on a hunting trip in Mississippi, Theodore Roosevelt, nicknamed "Teddy", refused to shoot a bear cub tied to a tree. A newspaper cartoon made the scene famous, and by 1903 a Brooklyn shopkeeping couple were selling a stuffed bear called "Teddy". The same year, a jointed mohair bear was shown at the Leipzig toy fair in Germany.

Washing it and keeping it soft

Both product pages give the same instructions: machine wash at 30 °C on a delicate cycle, then air dry. The cable knit adds one precaution: no tumble dryer, which flattens the cables.

• Do up the zip and turn the onesie inside out before washing, to protect the ears and the embroidery.
• Dry it flat or on a wide airer, away from the radiator.
• Store the cable knit folded loosely so the ribs keep their texture. Our article on how to fold and store a kigurumi shows you how.

The other care tips (detergent, bobbling) are in how to wash and care for fleece pyjamas, and our comparison of winter pyjama fabrics explains the difference between fleece and knit.

Wearing a long onesie safely

Legs that fall to the floor easily catch underfoot: turn up the hem before you head down the stairs. That goes double for the cable knit, whose total length is over 1.40 m even in size S.

Keep fleece and knitted fleece well away from flames. London Fire Brigade advises never to put a candle near anything that can catch fire, clothes included, and suggests LED candles as a safer option (London Fire Brigade, "Candles"). For bedtime, our article on sleeping in a fleece onesie explains how to avoid overheating.

In short

For a women's teddy bear onesie, choose the Cable Knit Teddy Bear Onesie if you want a thick, throw-like knit, a teddy embroidered on the back and four colours to choose from, in S to XL. Choose the Family Fleece Onesie in brown bear if you want the whole animal, women's sizes based on height and weight, and the option of matching the whole family. For a cosy Sunday indoors, have a look at our ideas for the perfect winter Sunday in. Every style is in the shop, with free delivery.

Cover photo: Dan Bollinger / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)