Will a Pajama Set Give You Better Sleep?

From as far back as I can remember, I’ve fantasized about being a pajama-set girl. You know the girl, she has an outfit for every little thing in her life. Even an outfit for sleeping. As a 90s preteen flipping through the pages of my Victoria’s Secret Winter catalog, there must have been every kind of pajama set you can imagine. A cutesy one, a sporty one, a sexy one - a pajama set for every Spice Girl.

So which kind of “it” girl would I be? I couldn’t wait to find out. And I tried them throughout the years with no success. They were too hot or slinky or stuffy. Too many buttons, too long, poor quality, too much lace, too expensive blah blah blah. At the end of the day, I’d rummage through a messy collection of old retired tees that I’d kept for sleeping in. And I’d feel old and retired myself, but goodness, I was comfortable.

Over time, I even settled into thinking pajama sets were a charade. A kind of impossible standard to always strive for but never reach. Was Adriana Lima even comfortable in all those poly-blend satin sets anyway? Bleh. It had to be a patriarchal standard that women should be “put together” when going to bed. How dare they do that us?! Some kind of beauty standard for sleeping! Leave me and my disgusting, sustainable t-shirts alone, thank you.

It wasn’t until 2020 when I realized the “pajama set” concept was just all about the look for me. Never the feeling. And if you’ve been following my work in minimalism and personal style, you know that how we feel in our clothes is absolutely integral in having a wardrobe you love.

Sure I’d seen Tyra a million times in that velvet pant and top set, but I realize, looking back on it, what I felt was more than a gorgeous woman in impossible pajamas (velvet - can you imagine? ugh). What I felt was the act of taking time to appreciate, and even dedicate oneself to sleep and relaxation. Boom.

And that. Right there was what I’d really been searching for. To lead a life that honored sleep and down time just as much as work and activity - well, I guess in my funny brain, a cute little pajama set symbolized this integral healing human ritual. And for years I proceeded to go after the outfit instead.

But like, I think this is pretty common. Why take the time and effort to evolve when you can just pay money to look the part? The instant gratification is intoxicating. Besides, my life of wearing an old tee to bed was rushing to bed at 2am with an already-asleep husband, a hamster wheel in my head and counting the hours of sleep I’d get that night on one hand. The pajama-set life seemed like a fantastic alternate reality of a 9pm meditation with a cozy mug of chai. I’d give gratitude to the wins I’d had that day and smile at the obstacles. And then I’d crawl into bed and sleep deeply for 9 hours.

I found Deiji Studios back in 2020 when the need for rest and repair became glaringly obvious. A small shop dedicated to rest and relaxation? All they sell is pajamas and bed linens in 100% flax linen. Amazing. And they make the most perfect pajama sets I’ve ever worn. But when I took it out of the box and put it on, the “pajama-set girl“ was irrelevant to me. The set instead felt intimately wonderful. It was mine from the start. And from that day forward, this set has been my special secret outfit that I wear only when it’s time to turn off the outside world and dedicate myself to peaceful, relaxing, healing me-time. Which is nearly everyday, folks. Wow!

2020 gave me a deep appreciation for how I want to feel when I go to bed. No more worrying myself to sleep. No more resentment looking back on my day. And no more feeling undeserving of a good night’s rest. This beautiful, artful clothing from Deiji helped me reinforce those feelings with a kind of sense memory of putting it on. So while a pajama set didn’t give me peace, (I did eventually put in the work to making rest and self love a priority in my life) it sure makes the act of resting even more special.