St. Louis ? When it’s chilly outside, why not chill out indoors in loose-fitting loungewear?

Lazy weekends, with the mad dash to scoop up the newspaper, rarely require fashionable duds. Jeans and a T-shirt are always comfortable options, as are those oversized “jammie” tops and sweats. But some of today’s loungewear — er, pajamas — can easily move between the house and the neighborhood grocery without a blink.

“So many people are on the go these days. They prefer to wear something at home that is comfortable and presentable,” says Laurie Solet, owner of a Clayton, Mo., boutique by the same name. “They want to be able to just get up and go if they need to.”

Solet’s store sells such dual-purpose pieces. They’re great for curling up on the couch with a book and returning that book to the library.

While designers have often gotten inspiration from lingerie for some of their creations, Solet advises resisting the urge to make obvious sleepwear daily wear.

“You don’t want to run to 7-Eleven in flannel pajama bottoms,” Solet says. “You have to strike a balance. My feeling is you can be comfortable and still look cute.”

One option: a cocoa sweat set from joomie joolz that’s studded with rhinestones. “You can lounge throughout the day in this,” Solet adds. “You’ll look good, feel good, can hang out with the kids and still step outside.”

The whole concept behind the J. Jill store, headquartered in Quincy, Mass., is about dressing for comfort. While most of its apparel is designated as “relaxed career wear,” it includes a considerable collection of casual weekend options, too.

“Comfort is always what we’re looking for as women in need of relaxation,” says Nancy Kener, assistant manager at J. Jill in Plaza Frontenac, Mo. The clothes, Kener says, are mostly wash-and-wear pieces that you fluff in the dryer and then dash off to do errands.

One couch-worthy ensemble includes a strawberry-and-gray striped turtleneck with overlock stitching and a pair of gray sweatpants. It’s the sort of outfit, Kener says, that’s as appropriate in the house and out.

“It’s easy. You throw it on,” she says.