'Round the Clock in Pajamas

Associated Press. Chicago.
March 9, 1931.

And now the latest fashion song is “Around the clock in pajamas.” For there are pajamas in which to cook the ham, and pajamas for a dash to the corner grocery, and still more – lounging pajamas, beach pajamas, cocktail, dance, dinner and evening pajamas, as well as the substitute for the traditional nightgown.

This new style note is sponsored by mighty names in the realm of design – Worth, Chanel, Molyneaux, Vionet, Schiapparelli, Mainboucher, and others – and charming are the models that are coming from Paris.

Pajamas are no longer merely coveralls in which to rest the weary bones. They have come out of the boudoir and are going places – to teas, the theater, dinners. The fad began in smart European resorts.

"The fad began in smart European resorts..." like Juan-Les-Pins, Antibes, in the south of France. Visit the fabulous French blog devoted to payamas, La Mode Pyjama.

A tour of smart Michigan Avenue shops and State Street department stores revealed that the last word in morning and breakfast pajamas are of one piece and are tailored out of gay printed or flowered cotton fabrics, or out of a silk known as bamboo. The long, wide trousers simulate a skirt. Lounge pajamas can be as tailored or as negligee as desired.

If her day’s program brings friends in for early afternoon bridge, the hostess’ costume will be a trump if it resembles one creation seen on display. It was a three-piece heavy crepe silk bridge set, the trousers and blouse of which were of tapestry, a new shade of American beauty. It had wing sleeved coates of rose dawn, lined with tapestry.

Next our heroine may wish to go to the beach. If she is of the vintage that goes to sea and be seen, there are the beach pajamas which established their popularity in Palm Beach this season. They are fashioned in pastel and pastel linens, flowered and printed cretonnes.

Then as the shadows lengthen comes the hour for cocktails, tea and hostess pajamas. Cocktail pajamas are saucy. One model just unpacked was a one-piece lipstick red crepe with intervals of accordion pleats on the voluminous ankle-length trousers. It flaunted the new cap sleeves.

Tea pajamas are more sedate. Hostess pajamas may be made of lace or chiffon. Quite frequently they have sleeves. The little touches, such as the treatment of the neckline, or the fit of the bodice, differentiate them from negligees, and there is subtle distinction between hostess pajamas that stay at home and the tea pajama that gads.

Norma reveals the secret to keeping those wide-leg pajamas wrinkle-free all day long.

As the hours pass comes the reign of the dance, evening, and dinner pajamas. These are best described by saying they are gowns with divided skirts. The dinner pajama, as with the dinner dress, is less formal than the evening pajama. The dance frocks are youthful, leaving sophistication to others.

The newest note is the back skirt on the dance frock. When the wearer approaches she is in pajamas; when she retreats she is in a dress.

As in the case of dresses and gowns, jackets from the Eton jacket to the close-fitting peplum, are much in evidence.

Above: "Sporting pajamas to wear at home - they have the chic simplicity of an informal little tea frock - and many times the comfort."

Top image: Marian March models a "simple black velvet pajama costume, with cape sleevesand very wide trousers." From Screenland, December 1931.