Street Pyjamas

There has been much adverse comment in the press over the last year about people who go out in their pyjamas. I think I remember reading recently that a Head Teacher had attempted to ban mummies in pyjamas from the school gate in the morning.

A friend of mine who catches a train to Dublin from a rural station arrived at Heuston last year to look down and see not his shiny brogues and corduroys, but stripy flannel and sheepskin lined slippers sticking out under his winter coat.

Although in theory I might say no to pyjamas in the street, if I am honest I have to admit to throwing the great-coat over the victorian cotton and lace, sticking my feet in some boots and running out for the Sunday papers to take back to bed.

I don't own any of the fleecy cotton ones with penguins, but I have some borderline ethnic pyjameresque garments brought back for me by our household caravanserai-runner that are cosy for evenings at home, and will just about do, with a jacket on top, for answering the door or running to the shop.

Anyone else in favour of pyjamas in the street?

I'm thinking of buying a pair of these shoes for myself. They look a bit like slippers...

johnfás wrote:

I'm thinking of buying a pair of these shoes for myself. They look a bit like slippers...

They are very like slippers! I'd only wear them inside.

I think they'd be a good point of conversation...

johnfás wrote:

I think they'd be a good point of conversation...

Perhaps, but I think they don't look suitable for the big bad world. I'd wear them with a dinner gown while quaffing a glass of brandy by the fireside.

I really like them johfás, but they might not stand up to city street wear. They speak to me of crashing waves, wooden rowing boats and evening strolls on the boardwalk.
A nice pint of something at a bar in Baltimore.

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

johnfás wrote:

I think they'd be a good point of conversation...

Perhaps, but I think they don't look suitable for the big bad world. I'd wear them with a dinner gown while quaffing a glass of brandy by the fireside.

That tends to be the kind of situation in which I have conversation

cactus flower wrote:

I really like them johfás, but they might not stand up to city street wear. They speak to me of crashing waves, wooden rowing boats and evening strolls on the boardwalk.
A nice pint of something at a bar in Baltimore.

That's what I was thinking, cactus flower. They look too sensitive for outside wear.

johnfás wrote:

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

johnfás wrote:

I think they'd be a good point of conversation...

Perhaps, but I think they don't look suitable for the big bad world. I'd wear them with a dinner gown while quaffing a glass of brandy by the fireside.

That tends to be the kind of situation in which I have conversation

There you go! Go forth and synchronise, johnfás!

A picture of this phenomenon:

I remember teaching a class once in a private school, when a girl arrived in with her pyjama trouser legs showing out from under her dress.

riadach wrote:

I remember teaching a class once in a private school, when a girl arrived in with her pyjama trouser legs showing out from under her dress.

That's very common, riadach. Lots of them do it since they feel cold just in tights and skirt.

All the girls when we were in school wore both tights and socks for that problem. The boarders were prone to some bizarre outfits though...

I have an ongoing competition with a friend to see who can spot more of them, and in more bizarre situations. (When the competition started, we lived in Smithfield and there were ample targets; now that we're in a leafy southside suburb, we spot it less often.)

He got bonus points for spotting someone who had clearly not changed out of these pyjamas for three months. I got bonus points for spotting a mother and child with matching pyjamas, dressing gowns and slippers.

Generally, no, I'm not really down with pyjamas as day wear, though popping down to the corner shop and such like are fair exceptions.

cactus flower wrote:

Although in theory I might say no to pyjamas in the street, if I am honest I have to admit to throwing the great-coat over the victorian cotton and lace, sticking my feet in some boots and running out for the Sunday papers to take back to bed.

I don't own any of the fleecy cotton ones with penguins, but I have some borderline ethnic pyjameresque garments brought back for me by our household caravanserai-runner that are cosy for evenings at home, and will just about do, with a jacket on top, for answering the door or running to the shop.

i think you've already crossed a line at that point.

I'm just fascinated that people wear pyjamas at all in this day and age!

as opposed to what?

Pyjamas may have had some relevance in the days before central heating, duvets, electric blankets... hot water bottles even!

Kate P wrote:

Pyjamas may have had some relevance in the days before central heating, duvets, electric blankets... hot water bottles even!

Perhaps that's why they have become daywear.

Hmm. I don't see the mummies and schoolgirls getting up in the morning to put on their pjs for school.

Especially when you can wear your Juicy Couture tracksuit.

I've even seen men with pyjamas hanging underneath their trousers.

lostexpectation wrote:

as opposed to what?

An electric Blunkett, keeps your wife warm when you're not around!

Wearing pyjamas in public during the day should be an arrestable offence under the Vagrancy Act and punishible by a good kick in the hole.

Sickening behaviour.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

Wearing pyjamas in public during the day should be an arrestable offence under the Vagrancy Act and punishible by a good kick in the hole.

Sickening behaviour.

Are nighties all right then, EvotingMachine0197?

Oh that would just be worse. Think of the moral turpitude.

Kate P wrote:

Pyjamas may have had some relevance in the days before central heating, duvets, electric blankets... hot water bottles even!

I still wear them, but to mantain (salvage) my manly aspect I call them 'pie-jarmers' in the manner of a Yorkshire farmer. I could plug in the electric blanket, or I could put on pie-jarmers. I could wait for the kettle to boil for my bottle, but I just slip on my pie-jarmers. It's quicker and wastes less energy.