What to Look for When Purchasing Pajamas
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I cannot believe this, but this post has been in my drafts since July 2019 - almost a year! It seems like COVID-19 is good for some things… like getting stuff done you have been putting off. Hah! I had a request last summer for a post on the best pajamas, which I thought I could spin into a post about how to pick the best pajamas for you, regardless of season.
The images on this post were supposed to be a review of Summersalt brand pajamas, but to be honest, I didn’t want to do a whole blog post on them. I love the brand and Summersalt Swimsuits are some of my favorite. While still great, Summersalt’s pjs are probably my least favorite of their product line due to price and personal preference.
Burrow Couch | Summersalt Cloud 9 Boyfriend Sleep Shirt | Tiffany’s Mug | BKR Big Water Bottle | Emu Australia Slippers
Soooo the quick review of this Summersalt sleepwear is that they are really cute! Like SO cute; however, I wish they were made of something besides polyester… especially because they are $80 - $95. If I’m basically paying $100 including tax, I hope I’m getting really soft pima cotton, merino wool, or silk. The detailing on the products are fantastic , but I’d prefer that money to be spent on fabric. The fit is fine, but I prefer the fit of their other products better. Be sure to check out my reviews of Summersalt Swimsuits, cashmere, athletic wear, and travel wear. If you want something cozy though, I LOVE Summersalt’s french terry sets. They also have really cute cashmere sets too. I’d much prefer those over the actual pajama options. Scroll down for a showcase of the other Summersalt pj options though!
Summersalt Cloud 9 Pajama Set - Wearing a small. This is a nice, soft fabric blend. I like it better than the “silky” sets for sure. I wish it came in a dress option or even a shorts set.
Summersalt Cloud 9 Boyfriend Sleep Shirt - wearing a medium. I ordered both a small and a medium, but thought the small fit too snug for a pajama dress.
Summersalt Cloud 9 Silky Pajama Set - the set version of the dress in this post! This is an XL, which I ordered just to show you the set. They were out of my size in all of the options.
Before we get into pajamas, let’s talk about ideal sleeping conditions. You probably know this, but you want somewhere that is cool, dark, and of course quiet. I’m weird and can 100% fall asleep with the lights on or if there is noise, but ooh if it isn’t cool enough, that's a problem for me. Here in Los Angeles, we don’t actually have air conditioning. Most of the year it isn’t a problem, but July - October it can be a real issue. When we moved late September / early October, I would wake up swollen and warm. #gross. We also back up to a parking garage where lights are always on. I’m not sure that curtains would look good in our room, so I’ve actually looked into some eye masks, but that (along with sleeping naked), is another topic, for another time. Hah!
All things to say, I love being warm, but being warm when I’m trying to sleep is a BIG no thank you. Overall, if you wear pj’s to bed, you need to be thinking about the breathability of your pajamas. Do you think about whether pajamas will keep you cool, when shopping for them? I feel like most of us are drawn to them if they are cute, but then are either deterred by price or softness, not by the airflow they may bring. Hah! THIS MEANS IT DOENS’T MATTER TIME OF YEAR - PAJAMAS SHOULD PRETTY MUCH BE THE SAME YEAR ROUND. If you love to be warm and cozy when sleeping, try to layer on with quilts and blankets, not clothing. Personally, I look for either a short or long sleeved dress, but also like shorts and short sleeve shirts. Either way, I have to do some sort of air flow. I don’t prefer long sleeves and long pants, unless I’m layering a tank underneath the top and just layer with it around the house. I’m very pro sweatshirt, additional layering for warmth out of the bed.
When shopping for pajamas, I suggest looking at the fiber content, before clicking “purchase” or walking out of a store with them. Generally speaking, natural fibers like cotton and silk are going to be your best friend when it comes to being comfy and cozy, without causing you to overheat. There are some manmade blends you might feel okay in, but those generally end up being personal preference. Okay so now that you know what to look for, here are some options:
NATURAL FIBER CONTENT:
Coyuchi (100% cotton and hovers around $60 - $100)
Hanna Anderson (100% cotton and around $50 a piece)
Lunya (100% silk , 100% cotton, around $100+ a piece)
Pact (100% cotton and hovers around $50)
MANDMADE FIBERS:
Eberjay (cotton blends and hovers around $100)
Ettitude (bamboo blends and hovers around $50 a piece)
Nordstrom Moonlight Brand (manmade blend and hovers around $50)
PJ Salvage (cotton blends and hovers around $50 a piece)
If you are looking for a more budget friendly option, Target has some good options, like these! Personally I would stay away from the satin; however, they have some good manmade blends that are similar to the Moonlight brand (these tie dye ones are too cute too!) , which are actually just lower cost versions of Eberjay. I haven’t been able to fully compare the Eberjay version to the Nordstrom version, but I have done so with the Target vs. Nordstrom and the Nordstrom pills less and lasts longer. You decide! I know everyone has different needs and budgets.
A couple of fun facts regarding pajamas…
1) My senior advanced textile project (I studied apparel merchandising) was actually testing pajamas targeted at mid to late in life women, for hot flashes! I tested Soma Intimates Cool Nights pajamas. They actually tested well, but the technology doesn’t last forever, much like dry-wicking sports fabrics eventually wear off.
2) Another fun fact or not so fun fact, is that you don’t want to buy flame retardant pajamas. If a child’s product is labeled as pajamas, legally they have to be made flame retardant. You don’t actually want to buy these though, as they are filled with gross chemicals.
Okay, so since we are in this COVID-19 / Coronavirus thing together, I thought I’d mention my favorite loungewear, since we will be doing a lotttt more of it lately.
CURRENT FAVE LOUNGEWEAR
Do you have any favorite loungewear or pajamas I didn’t mention? Sounds like we will all be needing more in the coming days, with how much we will be wearing them!!
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