Just When You Thought We Were Done with PJ’s

I just found out that April 16^th is both National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day, and thankfully a Saturday, when the office is closed. ! I must admit, at I. Buss & Allan, we don’t happen to partake in this holiday as I am not a fan of my staff showing up for work in animal patterned onesies or anything pajama-like for that matter. However, as I was researching pajamas last week I noticed that sleepwear has influenced street clothes in a number of ways over the last few years, so while there is a very definite line in my mind of what is acceptable to wear to the office, the line of what is acceptable in public is a little blurry.

Christina Binkley wrote a great piece about this in the Wall Street Journal last month. She cited Marc Jacobs who showed up for his job as the creative director at Louis Vuitton in pajamas, repeatedly during 2013. Of course Jacobs is a leading designer so he can get away with wearing whatever he wants, and I would guess he was likely working through the night on designs, and thus just went to work in his sleepwear. Others might not feel quite so entitled, but if done with the right flair of style, mixing and matching sleep and streetwear can work.

I definitely see how pairing a relaxed silk print such as this one from Olivia Von Halle with white slacks can make a statement on a late spring or summer day. Pajama bottoms with a work shirt or t-shirt are certainly fine for the beach and some styles can even work as evening wear.

these 2012 outfits from Topman, an English menswear chain. These are highly stylized but even just throwing on a pair of casual jammie bottoms such as these Paul Smith striped pajama pants are a good casual look with a white t-shirt maybe if you are having some friends over for brunch to your beach house. Seems a beach house would, of course, be required to complete the fantasy.

Pajamas are comfortable because they are usually loose fitting and made from soft materials. This is why nearly one hundred years ago Turkish trousers or harem pants became fashionable in Paris. People have always wanted that comfy cozy feeling and if we take those aspects of pjs that we most appreciate and combine it with a higher sense of fashion, why not flaunt it in public. But that is a far cry from wearing checkered footie pajamas in the boardroom or finding your dentist’s receptionist in frumpy flannels when you go to have your teeth cleaned. I wouldn’t be surprised if I see more pajamas influenced fashion this summer than in years past but if you feel tempted, keep in mind that keeping is stylish is key.