Wearing pajama pants in public

One has to ask him/herself. When is it okay to wear pajama pants in public? This is the question I have found myself faced with on many occasion. Today I was pushed over the edge with the amount of people Ive seen out and about in their pajamas. Let me begin these thoughts with the fact that this seems to be a new trend, one that we did not learn was acceptable from seeing the example from our parents and our grand parents. As a matter of fact, I’m quite certain that my grandmother would roll over in her grave if I was to be seen in my pajamas out and about as if they are just normal every day clothing attire.

So the question arises, when did wearing your clothes, intended for your bedroom become acceptable? Men and women alike are guilty, its not one or the other although I personally have seen more women sporting their pj’s then men so I ask again, when.? At what point as a society did we wake up and decide that we would tolerate such ghastly behaviors? Yes, I said ghastly. Its an old word but a good one, not nearly used enough. A word my grandmother would have used to describe the offense of wearing your personal attire, meant for no one to see outside of your home only to be shared with the world. Possibly, she would have also said it was unlady like {true enough but thats a whole other subject}. And possibly she would have said in a hushed voice leaning over to me, “whats wrong with that woman, does she have no dignity at all?” knowing my grandmother rest her soul she would have said this and much more.

In much deliberation Ive decided that we as a society have allowed this to become the normal. Was it rude for me to ask the cashier today, why are so many people in their pajamas here? Did I miss a special sales flyer that was sent out as an advertisement that you get a discount if you show up in your sleeping attire? The shabbier the bigger discount? She did not see my humor. as a matter of fact had she been able to charge me more for my grocerys I think that she might have. She looked at me unkindly and stated ” I wear my pajamas to the store” .At that point I knew that Id already opend the box so I looked straight at her and asked her simply why? Her response to me was that she has three kids and works and I heard blah blah blah. My response to her very matter of factly was “so your too tired to get dressed? She didnt like that either. I then wanted to proceed to say then dont have so many kids. I didnt. I then shut my mouth. This brings us past the question why to how?

How do we feel about ourselves if we can leave the house without a second thought of the need to put on clothes or get dressed. Gone are the days of not leaving the house without your makeup, or wearing a skirt or dress to be seen in public. Yes, there was a day that was the norm. Im sure theres a happy balance, somewhere between self respect and being exhausted from keeping up in a life that is so much more difficult then the good ol days. I recognize this. It also falls into the catagory of being lady like. Being prould of who you are and though the whole world doesnt have to approve of your attire, how about liking yourself enough to get dressed, maybe put on a face, a happy one would be the better choice. Show up in life being your best which means begin by being proud of yourself, wether in jeans, a skirt, slacks or even swearts. Just not your pajamas.