These terms are often used interchangeably, but in essence a bath robe has absorbent properties and is designed to be used after you climb out of the bath or shower, whereas a dressing gown might be used for modesty or warmth when you get out of bed in the morning. In fact, all our robes can be used for either purpose as our lightweight robes are decorative as well as absorbent because they're made from 100% linen.