At the end of a long fulfilling day, waking up early and puttering around the house, whatever your day looks like it helps to have a pair of ideal pajamas. Ideal pajamas. What do they look like? How do they feel? Where can you purchase them? These questions and more will be addressed as we proceed through this writeup.
Who needs ideal pajamas?
That question, like many others, is a matter of personal preference. If you’ve slept nude you know that clean sheets against night-warmed skin is a luxurious feeling. I don’t always wear pajamas but there are certain times and occasions when it’s nice to have a pair of pajamas to throw on first thing in the morning. These times include overnight conferences that require you to share a hotel room and trips to your mother-in-law’s home where you end up sleeping on the pullout couch in the middle of the living room. No one needs to know you didn’t actually sleep in the pajamas – that’s another feature of ideal pajamas. They’re there when you need them, whether you need all the pieces or not is a different story.
What do ideal pajamas look like?
Ideal pajamas should look and feel nice. I prefer cotton or other organic materials but let the buyer beware. All cotton is not equal. Not all cotton pajamas are ideal. Consider two pairs of summer pajamas that I used to own. The first pair was a chambray blue color. That pair was purchased from Victoria’s Secret. The top had buttons. The shorts had a drawstring. The fit was unremarkable and the fabric was harsh. The inside seams rubbed against my skin. It made the pajama wearing experience less than ideal so after a season of sweating, scratching misery those pajamas were discarded. The replacement model also featured a button down top and drawstring shorts but the difference here was the fabric was lighter, softer and this set included a camisole that could be worn underneath the shirt. Another advantage these pajamas possess is the camisole portion can be worn alone if the night is especially warm. Pajamas with layering capacity are better than stand alone pajamas because they can be worn as the seasons change. This reduces the amount of clothing you need to pack away at the end of summer and winter thus saving you time and money since you will be purchasing fewer pajamas.
What about ideal pajamas for children?
I spoke briefly about pajama sets in the preceding paragraph but I’d like to call your attention back to them because in my opinion, pajama sets fall under the category of ideal pajamas. Children’s pajamas are more often sold in sets than pajamas for grown-ups. The set consists of four garments. Two shirts and two items that are meant to be worn with the tops. Typically there is a regular shirt and a short-sleeved or sleeveless one. The pajama bottoms are a pair of long pants and a pair of shorts. These four mix and match pieces should get your child through the year quite comfortably as you can pair a long sleeved shirt with shorts and the tank tops with long pants depending on the weather and your child’s individual preference.
Are there four piece pajama sets for grown-ups?
So far I’ve not seen four piece pajama sets for adults. What I see for women are the three piece pajama sets. Nice enough on their own but lacking that fourth piece that would move them up to ideal in the pajama ranking system. Although companies such as Victoria’s Secret have gathered a following of loyal customers I no longer purchase their sleepwear. Tank-tops embroidered with words irritate the skin underneath. The quality is low and the prices are high. While there’s nothing wrong with sleeping in boxers and an old t-shirt I find that owning a couple pairs of ideal pajamas helps because they can be easily identified as pajamas when you're doing the wash. You can wear them around the house when you’re sick. You can run out to grab the mail, I’ve dropped my children off at school wearing my pajamas and surprisingly I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on my striped Land's End pajamas.
How do ideal pajamas feel?
Ideal pajamas are comfortable. They are usually lightweight. They move with your body instead of against it and they're slightly more attractive than sweats. You might be thinking that pajamas shouldn’t be lightweight in winter but I would disagree. A nice pair of cotton flannel pajamas is both warm and lightweight. Silk pajamas retain body heat without being bulky and this is another argument against sleeping in boxers and t-shirts. Pajamas are designed to conform to your body so more heat is retained. Less is lost to the external environment and your sleeping experience is more refreshing with better thermo-regulation. Note - this assumes you are chilled at night although silk as a breathable fabric makes excellent summer and winter pajamas.
Where can I purchase ideal pajamas?
Ideal pajamas can be found in many places. Joe Boxer makes nice pajamas. Gap Kids sells nice pajamas for children and many chain department stores such as Target and K-Mart sell pajama sets that are made from 100% cotton. I personally shy away from clothing with screen-printing as the print cracks and fades over time. When shopping, I touch the garments in question before purchasing to determine whether they are soft or not. It helps to have your child along when shopping due to everyone having a different body type and size. Some pajamas are cotton, the fabric seems nice but when you get home you find that the sleeves are too long, the wrist area is inadequate and the waistband needs to be smaller.
What are the disadvantages of ideal pajamas?
Shopping for ideal pajamas can be frustrating. Polyester pajamas abound. Poorly manufactured items seem to be everywhere so my advice is to find a brand that works for you and your child. Ideal pajamas can be expensive but I spend the extra money if the pajamas I'm buying are ones I consider ideal. Few things are as frustrating as sitting down at the breakfast table only to notice your child’s brand new pajamas have a gaping hole where the seam separated. Purchasing quality clothing that lasts may also frustrate your children. They will go to sleepovers and observe that their friends have the latest and greatest in fashionable sleepwear. This provides parents with a perfect opportunity to explain that their job is to humiliate, embarrass and enrage their children as they go through their lives. Investing in ideal pajamas takes time. It requires you to do some research and unfortunately it may cost you extra money when you consider that skin is free to sleep in.
Ideal Conclusion:
I’ve outlined a few of the reasons I think people should consider purchasing ideal pajamas. I find that ideal pajamas make for a better sleep experience. The extra money is worth it to me and ideal pajamas make a nice gift idea for that hard to buy someone. Ideal pajamas are sleepwear that follows you through the seasons. All pajamas should be soft, durable, thoughtfully designed and well manufactured. Ideal pajamas may be more expensive than some other options out there but a high quality pair of children’s pajamas can be passed down to other children who will also get valuable usage out of them. In the long run this is better for the environment. In closing I hoped you've learned more about pajamas and what constitutes an ideal set. One thing I have not covered is situations when pajamas are not ideal. This writeup deals with getting into ideal pajamas. How, where, when, why, and who you take them off for is up to you.