Night wear

[MattHarris]

Night wear. What do you recommend that is comfy but doesn’t look dated? Boxers? Lounge wear? Anything else?

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Al fresco. Never goes out of style.

 

[dieworkwear]

The first and most obvious choice is pajamas.

You can find quality pajamas from Derek Rose, but they have different lines and not all are made to the same level of quality. I can't remember which is the lower subline, but if you Google around, you can easily find out.

Scully & Scully, Zimmerli, and Budd also have traditional pajamas. L'Hotel and La Perla are two "contemporary" brands. I haven't tried them, but their clothes look nice online. I would stay away from slim-fit pajamas, like those from Sleepy Jones. They are too constricting at night.

If you happen to have a bespoke shirtmaker, you can also get custom-made pajamas for relatively cheap. Cheaper than high-end ready-to-wear brands.

As for materials, cotton is obviously the most basic choice. You can get poplins, oxfords, various twills, etc. I think those can all make for a great pair of pajamas.

However, it's also nice to have a pair or two of linen pajamas, especially in heavier shirting weights. Linen gets softer with every wash and wear. It has a bouncy quality can be very enjoyable to wear at night. And, of course, it keeps you feeling cool.

Silk pajamas are a luxury but have to be handwashed.

If you can find some, Tencel and Tencel blends can be a good alternative to silk. Certain ones can be machine washed on the gentle cycle. When mixed with something like cotton or linen, it's also sturdier. It has the feel of silk without any of the necessary maintenance. If you have a shirtmaker, you can find nice Tencel-blends from Merchant and Mills in Britain.

If you get pajamas custom made, I recommend going with an elasticated waistband, not a drawstring closure. Elasticated waists don't look as nice, but they're infinitely more comfortable, which I think you'll appreciate when you're at home.

If you're looking for something a bit more indulgent, I think dressing gowns can also be great. A heavy woolen flannel is good for colder days. Silk is suitable for mostly year-round wear. Both are very indulgent, although admittedly something you mostly wear in the morning, not evening.

You can find RTW dressing gowns from Turnbull & Asser, Budd, Merchant Fox, and Daniel Hanson. Again, if you have a bespoke shirtmaker, you can also get them custom-made for a surprisingly low fee. If you get them custom-made, try to see if you can find handknotted tassels. Many years ago, Budd used to have a box of them at their shop. Supposedly, the last woman to make them retired about six years ago, so they're hard to find.

The problem with some of these more luxurious dressing gowns is that they're often lined with Bemberg or silk. Without the lining, a wool dressing gown might feel itchy against bare skin. But rayon and silk linings can feel cold against bare skin. Not an issue if you wear them over your pajamas, but less comfortable if you don't. A cotton dressing gown can be a nice alternative in this respect -- not as luxurious, but more comfortable against bare skin, easy to wash, and much more affordable. I think handloomed Indian khadi makes for a good cotton dressing gown material. You can find some of it on Etsy.

 

[Mercman]

What a lovely, thoughtful, insightful post. Thank you ?

 

[Panama]

Derek Rose, Liberty and Hanro. The subline of Derek Rose is the Savile collection is to be avoided. The Batiste or Filo di Scozia ranges from Derek Rose are great as are the cotton lawn pyjamas from Liberty. Hanro does exquisitely fine jersey sometimes in Sea Island cotton.

 

[maxalex]

Silk pajamas are a luxury but have to be handwashed.

I’ve never had a problem washing silk shirts in a machine on the delicate or wool setting. I always line dry them. But like most people in Italy I don’t have a dryer, so I line dry everything anyway…