Episode: Help Unravel this Pyjama Dilemma

🌜💤🌙 #SleepNorms

The Seraphina Speaks podcast is social commentary on everyday situations, norms and conundrums. Pyjamas are a basic everyday garment for many people but did you realise there are lots of controversies around them? It’s hard to believe that PJ’s spark social media storms, but they do. Trust me. Read on to find out more.

Beds by Moriah Leynes

In case you’ve not listened to Pyjama Weirdisms Ep One, we tackled 1) where we store PJs during the day, with interesting discoveries and 2) the continued controversy of wearing bed-wear outside the home as daywear. The second episode about PJ’s explores the mega debate about whether to wear underwear under pyjamas or not. I go a bit further than this though because I’m interested in who wears underwear under their pyjamas, and why.

I’m surprised at the idea of wearing underwear under pyjamas.

Emma Barnett

insists on knickers under pj’s, while Holly Willoughby (UK TV presenter) seen below goes commando or knicker-less. Even the terms for this are confusing!

A YouGov survey says that 69% of Brits, especially girls and women, opt for underwear under their PJs. Why is this, do you think? I'm puzzled.

My triplet brother Horatio, avoids scratchy clothes/labels for sensory reasons, he’s against undies under PJs but doesn’t wear pyjamas anyway! Montgomery, my other triplet brother, joins the anti-undies campaign with a loud "ridiculous" when I told him about people wearing pants under their pyjamas. Other correspondents on Seraphina Speaks, including Rafael and his little brother Beau, share their views. It’s not clear cut.

I’m finding out that the decision to wear undies under PJ’s often comes from mothers. They might have been told to or encouraged to do this and they don’t question why they’re doing it. It’s obvious that for some of the month women will wear underwear while they have their periods. But it’s not just during this time of the month is it? Maybe you’re reading this thinking, “Of course I wear undies under my bed clothes Seraphina, it’s weird not to”!

Doctors say that wearing underwear to bed might cause infections, but for some people with itchy skin conditions, undies are needed as they stop them being able to scratch.

Let me introduce you to what I find especially interesting. A couple of years ago M&S introduced these in their stores. Sleep knickers:

“Sleep comfortably without distractions with these knickers. High-rise shorts style. Made from Flexifit™ fabric with added stretch for greater comfort at night.  M&S Collection: versatile styles in modern shapes with unique and playful details.”

There’s so much to think on from this M&S description.

1. They’re for women.

   I’m hoping they sell sleep knickers for men.

2. They give a night’s sleep with no distractions because of these pants.

   What distractions do they help with? Distractions is a weird word unless there’s a secret I don’t know about.

3. They have added stretch for comfort, and playful details.

   Flexifit does what it says. It fits. But the playful details part, why? Someone tell me why sleep pants that look pretty plain need to be PLAYFUL would you? I’ve looked and looked and can’t see anything playful here at all.

My brain said to investigate my cynicism. This is the closest underwear like the sleep knickers but these are sold to men by M&S. Here’s how these are described,

“Refresh your underwear drawer with this five-pack of cotton-rich trunks. Easy regular fit, with comfortable added stretch and a keyhole opening. Our Cool & Fresh™ technology draws moisture away from the skin to keep you feeling fresh. StayNew™ properties maintain the colour and finish, wash after wash. M&S Collection: easy-to-wear wardrobe staples that combine classic and contemporary styles.”

1. They’re about refreshing men’s underwear drawers.

   Not the men themselves.

2. They are easy and regular with comfortable stretch as well as Cool & Fresh and StayNew.

   Men get comfort and the focus is on staying fresh. These look rather like sleep knickers to me but here they’re called classic.

3. They’re easy to wear.

   Easy is repeated in this description so it seems it’s an important piece of information that men need to hear. Not playful.

Men get easy practical underwear. Women get playful night undies that help them be less distracted. Men do not get offered sleep pants. In the episode I share stats on undies wearing boys and men at night.

Wearing undies under PJ’s isn’t only a family thing where it’s the done thing. It’s because women and girls are targeted as NEEDING TO WEAR undies 24 hours of the day. We’re sold to as wearers of undies all day long. But why not boys and men?

How come? What is it about girls (the sizing btw means it will also include tweens and teen girls) and women that we should be dressed the entire time?

When do we get to be free?

Or is there some underlying hate towards female body fluids?

Remember, I’m not shaming anyone. Whether you're team undies or team no undies, embrace your bedtime style.

My advice is this: consider why you do what you do. Keep questioning those norms!

Before I go, this is also a big plea for brands to think even more carefully about their messaging. It matters. Bring out gender-fluid pyjamas, and how about normalising sleep undies for men and boys too, if you really must sell them?

What’s your take? Let me know.