pyjama dressing

Welcome to the world of Pyjama Dressing. Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna in Born Free are responsible for imprinting the romantic notion of pyjama sharing onto my young brain. It is somehow less lovey dovey sickly when it's advocated in a hot safari tent in Kenya and in the name of 'practicality' with she in the candy striped top, and he in the candy striped bottoms. I used to think that all couples could stick it out until the end as long as they halved a pair of pyjamas. My pragmatism has since got the better of me, but I still maintain this is a nice touch where 'pyjamas on film' is concerned.

During the years of telling myself that the pleasure of bedtime was to be had in comfortably worn old t-shirts, the idea of 'proper pyjamas' seemed the height of luxury and one of the hallmarks of 'proper people.' Those people who take pride in themselves, who probably spend an evening each week handwashing their underwear rather than leaving a pile to accumulate in the corner of the bedroom. The sort of luxury of spending their days in the Ritz with no need to change from their silky bedtime attires. Or the sort of properness that could only be achieved by children in their fluffy Christmas pyjamas or elder generations who just knew how to navigate such a realm as pocket edging at night. Things changed when I bought myself a pair of Tootals pyjamas in a sage green last winter. A pocket with a pleasing navy stripe and a lovely white drawstring on the trousers, surely I was a fully fledged member of the very 'pyjama club' that had eluded me? I could go from slobby student to 'means business' on days off!

The 'pyjama as outerwear' trend is one that I thoroughly approve of, though I must admit it falls into the category of trends that doesn't translate quite so well in real life. Ryan Gosling epitomises what is brilliant about this look by remaining smart rather than conveying a 'yeah, I just rolled out of bed' nonchalance. The Araks pyjamas worn by Heathermary Jackson above look brilliant for chilled summer afternoons but I doubt that either the top or bottoms could be worn without it being blaringly apparent an early morning dressing mishap had occured. Oy vey. For this reason the pyjama style jackets that Topshop have been rolling out recently have a nice 'beddish' quality about them without leaving the wearer psychologically confused (yes) about their state of undress.

Winter seems to be the solution when layering is the saviour of tricky trends and pyjama tops can be worn underneath long macs with suede skirts or black trousers and topped off with big scarves a la those draping fake-fur stoles at Unique. Which is rather more fitting for 'sneaking down the the fridge in the middle of night in my pyjamas and winter layers' authenticity, a formula that loosely translates as Wee Willie Winkle meets the Anywho girls..