So how have the different genres of nightwear been doing lately?
⦿ The winner of the year: Pyjamas, paired with T-shirts, ganjees. The word comes from the Hindustani word “Pay–Jama”, leg clothing, which was borrowed from the Persian language. These used to be loose garments that were worn as day wear. Introduced in Britain in the 17th century as casual lounging garments for men, they really gained popularity from the 18th century when the British colonists adopted them as nightclothes for men. In the 1920s Coco Chanel introduced luxurious pyjamas for women.
⦿ The hardy one: Nighties are the second most popular sleepwear after the pyjamas. In our part of the world, it has been adopted as day wear by the homemaker for long. It is a fuss-free one-piece loose ensemble, airy and breezy, a winner in the comfort department.
The nightie stands for hard work around the home. For the sake of modesty, during the day time, many women wear the nightie with a petticoat underneath and a dupatta over the arms. This is as endearing as it is practical!
⦿ The nightgown: Before the pyjamas, long shapeless shirts were the sleepwear favourites. These were usually made out of white linen and were sturdy. By the time the pyjamas caught on, the nightgowns also became more stylish, where collars, cuffs and fancy trims were used and the silhouette became more structured.
⦿ The designer element: Christian Dior made exquisite nightwear for women, with fabrics such as satin and silks, and fur and lace, and cut to embrace the female form. The 1960s saw some racy fashion. Short babydoll dresses, with matching innerwear became trendy. A lot of is still trendy.
⦿ The present and the future: The present is about loungewear, the fancier cousin of sleepwear. With all the WFH and the extra lounging, one could easily hop over to the bhajiwala in cute nightwear or go catch an early brekkie, and still be stylish. Such is the luxury of easy fashion. The future is about comfort...and sleepwear tops the list.
And we haven’t even got into shorts, boxers, kaftans, old shirts, kurtas, night shirts, saris — and the naughty negligee!
Stay comfortable, stay stylish!
The columnist speaks her mind on everything about fashion. Contact: sanikakakirde@gmail.com