Sleepwear has been making international news of late. I had my own jaw-dropping experience recently when confronted by the offending 
headline makers. While out to lunch with my niece, sister and mother, Audrey, in honor of her 83rd birthday, our table was approached by a woman wearing plaid pajama pants, indistinct footwear and a shapeless oversized jacket. I couldn’t stop wondering what on earth made her think this was OK for public appearances. Did she see this trend in Vogue, Allure or InStyle? It was a disturbing moment.
Only a week before, I found the following news stories online: After customers complained about other shoppers’ outfits, a Tesco supermarket in Cardiff, South Wales, banned customers from shopping shoeless
and in pajamas, according to thisissouthwales.co.uk. In Ireland, a school also developed policy preventing parents from dropping off or picking up their children while wearing pajamas. Joe McGuiness, head teacher of St. Matthew’s Primary in Belfast, sent a letter home calling women who wear pajamas to school “slovenly and rude,” according to Daily Mail.
Since when did being comfortable substitute for rational thought? You can be comfortable and appropriate by following a few simple guidelines. Rules for thought follow:
-We spend more than a third of our life sleeping. Don’t you think we should put a little more thought and effort into what we wear prior to and during our resting period?
-Comfortable can become sloppy in the blink of an eye, so invest in a few flattering pieces of lounge wear/sleepwear for goodness sake!
-Is it that hard to put on a pair of jeans, slip on shoes or espadrilles, a T-shirt and maybe a coat?
-Ill-fitting does not equal comfortable.
-Sweatpants fall in the same category. The weight of the fabric was not made for everyday wear. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
-These types of pajama fads were the legend of teenage slumber parties, certainly not of the civilized society we hope to reside in. (Curmudgeon Alert!)
-I don’t care what anyone says, pajama bottoms are NOT a fashion trend.
What should you wear? Loungewear and sleepwear were made to make you both comfortable and feel that you look great. I am a fan of
old-fashioned pajamas and have a collection of vintage robes, too. It makes me feel kind of cosmopolitan, like William Powell from the movies or something. Would I wear these out on the street? No.
Recently I met with the team from SkirtPr, and they told me that the Karen Neuberger Collection has the answer for those who want comfort and style. Sold at Nordstrom’s and other high-end stores, her sweetly old-fashioned premium PJ sets will have a more modern sister soon. Perhaps this will help cure the rash of bad PJ sightings. She has developed a line of comfortable sleepwear that is hip enough with details such as empire tops, bed jackets that could double as a belted sweater, and pants that have a substantial waistband and could be mistaken for yoga pants or tailored knits. The good news is that they are done in subtle tones so as not to draw attention to the fact that indeed you are wearing sleepwear. But they still have the trademark the KN Collection is known for: superior fabrics as well as fabrication. Does your mom need a sleepwear makeover? Just check out the variety available, and don’t settle for Packer logos or any other cartoon-like print. Look for something that is actually sleek, fashionable and comforting to the wearer.
Enough is enough on the whining about being comfortable in public spaces. If what defines that for you is sloppy sweats, logos on your behind or the return of the dreaded “Zoomba” pants from the ’80s, I must be living in some sort of alternate universe. They’re even making pajama jeans for heaven’s sake. Stay home if you just can’t play by the appropriate-for-public-view fashion book. Stop the madness now!
