The concept of “underwear as outerwear” has always remained a bit of a mystery to me. Whether it was bras over tops or Kim Kardashian’s lingerie-inspired get-ups, I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that fashion was trolling us. So when sleepwear started to make an appearance outside the confines of the bedroom, I prepared myself for another unrealistic fashion fad, but it turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Over the last six years or so, there has been a steady stream of pyjama-inspired brands entering the market. Think Asceno, Yolke and Sleeper. However, it was last year’s lockdown that saw their popularity skyrocket. “Activewear is no longer something people just wear to the gym, so sleepwear as daywear felt like a natural evolution,” explains Jacqui Hoang, founder of Sleeping With Jacques. “I’ve seen our pieces worn everywhere from weddings to musicians on the stage. Our robes look amazing when worn with the velvet bottoms and are a great alternative to a power suit.”
Sleeper’s feather-trimmed pyjamas are the ultimate example of the wide-ranging appeal of this trend, with countless fashion insiders snapping up the set when it first launched. It remains a partywear staple to this day. Many other brands have followed suit, offering up specific loungewear lines that will look just as good on the sofa as they will at a cocktail bar. Ghost is a great example of this, with the beloved Brit dress brand dropping an elegant capsule of jewel-toned separates earlier this year.
So whether you want to invest in some polished PJs for the colder months or are simply tempted to mix up your partywear with a nightie-inspired slip or feathered separates, scroll down to see and shop the new brands making sleepwear chic this season.
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