THE JOURNAL
Don’t sleep on pyjamas. Or, rather, do sleep in pyjamas, but also don’t sleep on wearing them when you’re very much not sleeping. That was the message we got from the fashion weeks earlier this year – when, truth be told, we didn’t get much in the way of shut eye at all. And it’s a motif that is now filtering into collections and actual wardrobes, like the day residue of a wonderful dream.
Championed by the likes of Dries Van Noten, Auralee and SAINT LAURENT, it should be noted that while some of the pieces in question are sleepwear adjacent in the way they look, the construction is luxurious and more in the spirit of eveningwear. As in worn in the evening, but before bedtime.
“Pyjama dressing has been circling menswear for a while now, and at this point it feels less like a trend and more like a shift in how men want to dress,” says Rachel O-Williams, Assistant Personal Shopper at MR PORTER. “Relaxed but still considered. Worn the right way, a pyjama shirt doesn’t look like loungewear, it reads as effortless, especially in warmer months.”
“I love the Auralee or SAINT LAURENT take on pyjama – mixing them with much more street-worthy clothing,” says Lauren Cochrane, senior fashion writer for The Guardian and author of The Ten. For her, it’s about breaking up an outfit.
“Make it clear these aren’t actually pyjamas,” Cochrane says. “You wear them with non-pyjamas. I think a pyjama shirt could look great with vintage-wash straight-leg jeans.”
She also suggests wearing one as an overshirt, on top of a T-shirt. “Experiment to find the way to make the trend work for you. To not feel like you haven’t got dressed in the morning. There’s something louche about this trend, so lean into that.”
“Location does a lot of the heavy lifting,” O-Williams says. “This kind of look tends to land better in the evening or on holiday, when people are already a bit more relaxed with texture and silhouette and you’re less likely to feel out of place. Pyjama shirts have an easy, slightly undone feel, so the rest of the outfit should follow suit. Pair them with relaxed, free-flowing trousers – linen works particularly well – and keep the footwear soft. Think loafers, or even clogs if the setting allows. It should all feel intentional.”
“Context is key,” Cochrane agrees. “It certainly would be noticed in the supermarket, but I have seen men at fashion events in pyjama-style pieces without anyone batting an eyelid.”
When asked for the men who wear this look the best, Cochrane lists Cary Grant, James Stewart… and Stephen Doig, men’s style editor at The Telegraph. So, it makes sense to speak to the expert himself.
“I think it’s perfectly fine to swap out a standard shirt for a PJ version in any situ,” Doig says. (Grant and Stewart were unavailable for comment.) “But I particularly like the pyjama look for [the] evening. That distinctive, rounded collar looks great tucked out and sitting on a collar and suit lapel – a Dolce&Gabbana playbook – as it lends this delicious contrast between the soft and structured.”
“Pyjama shirts with a tuxedo jacket can look sensual and a little bit 1970s SAINT LAURENT”
For Doig, it’s the fabric that sets the pyjama as eveningwear apart from everyday nightwear. “Silk varieties tend to look more luxurious and set the tone. Cotton pyjama shirts are great, but they do say ‘and so to bed’ a little bit more.”
“Lighter cottons and linens in softer spring tones feel more natural and wearable during the day,” O-Williams offers. “If you do go for silk, opt for patterns and keep the styling around it pared back so it doesn’t feel like you’re leaning too far into the statement.”
“Steer clear of any in towelling varieties,” Doig says. “I’ve seen versions like this, but to me, they’re beach attire and overly chunky. And you’re likely to broil in them in warmer weather. Go for cotton and silks instead.”
Something else you should avoid is going head-to-toe Wee Willie Winkie. “The full shebang can get a little ‘shuffled out of bed to head to Tesco’,” Doig adds. “But I have been known to wear a robed jacket – from Dries Van Noten – with the Venetian furlane slippers. I think a jazzy robe can be great for black tie, if it’s properly opulent, but wear it with a formal shirt and bow tie. And pyjama shirts with a tuxedo jacket can look sensual and a little bit 1970s SAINT LAURENT. And slippers with everything, always.”