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Fashion's pajama party

Two-piece sleepwear sets have l eft the bedroom and ventured out in public, with fun colors and sassy styles.

By SHARON FINK
Published November 25, 2006

	The pajamas, from left: Victoria’s Secret, $49.50, stores, www.victoriassecret.com; Sleep Sense, top $30, bottom $26, Dillard’s; Nick and Nora, $24.99, Target.
[Times photo: Bob Croslin]

When Victoria's Secret broke out in the 1980s, many women thought that the secret was how they were supposed to sleep in the skimpy, silky lingerie it was selling.

Of all the things these fancy pajamas looked good for - seduction, self-esteem boosts, sitting on the couch with an adult beverage watching The Women - sleeping wasn't one of them. Nothing about them seemed practical or comfortable. When it was cold, they wouldn't keep you warm; when it was hot they'd be nasty things to sweat in; and the material would keep you sliding over the bed all night.

But that impracticality was the appeal, and it pushed mass market sleepwear for women into its fantasy life phase. And women looking for serious PJs - and something that didn't look like it should be worn on The Golden Girls - bought men's two-piece sets. They were roomy, comfortable and - bonus! - cheaper than their made-for-females counterparts.

This shift led to the next pajama revolution. Teenagers and college students began wearing men's bottoms as everyday casual pants paired with tank tops, T-shirts, sweaters and henleys, and not just for rolling out of bed and going straight to class. The new generation of moms, seeking comfort as well as convenience, wore them to drop off the kids at school, stop for coffee and make late-night runs to the video store. And those of us who wanted to be comfortable hanging out at home would toss them on instead of jeans.

Enough women also wore the men's tops that eventually the makers of women's sleepwear caught on. That's why today, even Victoria's Secret's main display at its front door is full of two-piece pajama sets and its 3-year-old Pink loungewear collection of long pants, shorts and tops.

Another consequence of pajamas becoming multipurpose clothing worthy of fun, funky colors and designs: They're no longer considered purchases that say "I had no idea what to get you" during gift-giving times. Making the right choice can even make you look like a very of-the-moment giver.

But the plethora of PJs can be overwhelming. Here are strategies to make your purchase easier.

- What's your budget? Kmart has fun two-piece flannel sets by Joe Boxer for $16.99. Karen Neuberger, who is a FOO Fave of Oprah, has sets that range from the $60s to $80s. The upscale Frontgate home catalog has cashmere sets ("fine Italian tailoring . . . piping trim . . . understated in a twill weave") for $699.

- What's the age/mind-set of the recipient? The teen-oriented American Eagle chain this fall launched a line of what it's calling dormwear, named Aerie. Victoria's Secret's Pink line is geared toward teens and college-age women, but its appeal extends beyond, and its two-piece traditional sets work for anyone who likes color. The traditional and discount department stores, offprice stores (TJ Maxx, Marshall's) and catalog war horses (Lands' End, L.L. Bean) have mixed in brighter colors and prints with their more sedate offerings.

- What's the purpose? If your recipient wears her pajamas out of the house, opt for a set that has a henley shirt, hoodie or T so it looks more like regular clothes. These pieces can come together in a set, or they can be bought separately. But even someone who will only sleep or hang out at home in their PJs might like this option.

- What size? Most pajamas are sized small, medium, large, extra-large. Buy a size up for those who like their PJs baggy for lounging and sleeping.

- Don't disparage the nightgown. Flannel, lace and Grandma have given it a bad reputation, but it, too, has gotten an image makeover. Credit the women who started sleeping in oversize Ts. Nightgowns (Lands' End even calls them Sleep-Ts, Victoria's Secret, sleep shirts) can be found in soft cotton, pastels and patterns that don't involve the Scottish Highlands, and they can be just as comfortable as pajamas, especially in knee-length styles and in warm weather.

Sharon Fink can be reached at (727) 893-8525 or fink@sptimes.com

Fast facts

Where to buy

Here's more information on retailers mentioned in this column: Victoria's Secret, bay area malls, www.victoriassecret.com, toll-free 1-800-411-5116; Kmart, at stores or www.kmart.com; Karen Neuberger, select bay area Dillard's and Bealls, toll-free 1-800-720-0701, www.karenneuburger.com; Frontgate, toll-free 1-888-263-9850, www.frontgate.com; TJ Maxx and Marshall's have several bay area locations; Lands' End, www.landsend.com, toll-free 1-800-963-4816; L.L. Bean, toll-free 1-800-441-5713, www.llbean.com.

[Last modified November 23, 2006, 10:05:54]