As I have previously shared, the Chinese have a penchant for making bold fashion choices. Ladies teeter around in stilettos and bedazzled from top to bottom while men mix plaids and stripes with aplomb. But they are not slaves to fashion either. In Shanghai, people young and old will wear their pajamas anywhere. I’ve seen folks in pj’s riding their bikes around town, strolling the aisles of a grocery store and enjoying dinner in a restaurant. I’ve even spotted a few gentlemen taking an evening stroll in their silk bathrobe and slippers – Hugh Hefner style!
Given the over-the-top colors and trimmings of their daytime looks, the Chinese are much more restrained in their sleepwear. (I did come across one family in matching cobalt blue silk and lace but was too stunned to get a photo, alas). I’m more than a little envious of how comfortable this lack of fashion looks!
I first noticed this in China too (and giggled about it), but I think it might be even more prevalent in Vietnam! There I would say 50% of ladies wander around in PJ sets; it actually made me wonder if they don’t wear them to sleep but treat them like casual wear, like old athletic sweat suits from the 70s?
We noticed that in Vietnam, too! A Vietnamese-American friend told me the ladies wear special sets for daytime activities and have different sets for bed. They looked extremely comfortable, that’s for sure!
Weird! It kind of makes me wonder: if you’re wearing your pajamas outside, are they still even really pajamas? I think they sort of stop technically being sleepwear once you’ve worn them to dinner, haha
It was really the strangest phenomenon! People would gather on benches at night to chat with their neighbors and they all would have their pajamas on. I guess this goes along with hanging laundry – including underwear – out for all the world to see. They just don’t have the same sense of modesty as us Westerners. I wouldn’t want to go to bed smelling like hot pot, but that’s just me 🙂
Your husband may disagree! LOL
Haha, yes, he discouraged me from wearing mine out of the house 🙂
This is so weird for me to see! I’ve never went anywhere with my PJ and it would be hilarious to see people going around with their PJ sets. 🙂
Even after two years in Shanghai, it was still so funny to see everyone in their pajamas!
Wow… I would love to stay in my PJs all day. That lady shopping with her friend is my favorite. You’d be forever shamed for that in NYC!
Those two ladies were adorable! I followed them for several blocks 🙂 When I lived in NYC, I would often run down to the laundromat in my pajamas, as did many of my neighbors. We just all pretended not to see each other LOL!
Wow, I didn’t realize this happened outside of college! I’m so jealous actually — I’m living in Vienna and I wore my yoga pants to German class once because I was exhausted from a late night the night before and wanted to dress for comfort, and people in my class, including my teacher, asked me why I was wearing pajamas to class! Looks like I just need to move to China where I can rock the PJs without the judgement!
I’ve only ever seen this in China, and even there it was mostly a Shanghai thing. Maybe it’s their way of showing they have more money and leisure time? That’s too bad you can’t even wear yoga pants to class! I remember living in my sweats in college.
OMG. Dan and I both literally LOLed at the second photo! While we were accustomed to our fair share of ridiculous outfit choices in Taiwan, we didn’t see many people venturing outside in their pajamas. You captured some really great ones!
Aren’t they the cutest ladies ever? I can only imagine the look on my friends’ faces if I ever showed up in that outfit!
I’ve once or twice popped to the local shop in my PJs, but that was when I was in university. Would love to be able to do it now without getting strange looks from people!
I’ve worn mine to the laundromat a few times, but that’s about it. Though, really, I’m not sure I’d want to go to bed wearing dirty jammies!
I wish this would catch on everywhere!!
Me too! Maybe we can start a trend 🙂
It seems to be mainly older people wearing the pjs. I guess they are going for comfort in their old age. I would feel very foolish wearing them out of the house here in the US. Love the two ladies shopping and the one in the white outfit. Great photos!
How interesting! Funnily enough when I was growing up in Indonesia, I didn’t think twice seeing people in sleeping wear out in public. It was quite common and I believed I, myself (thankfully a much younger me), was guilty of it a few times.
But now… it seems so weird.
That’s interesting. We saw quite a few women wearing pajama sets in Vietnam, but someone told me those are special “daytime” sets. Do you know if that still happens in Indonesia?
Very odd, yet practical. We occasionally see people in my California town in the PJ bottoms, but never the whole set!
If a pajama-clad family ever dines in your restaurant, let me know! 🙂
Hehehe that’s funny, in a weird way… I think if I walk around like that in London I’ll be shot!
Or maybe it could take off as a new High Street fashion trend! It’s all about the accessories.
Wow. I haven’t encoutered this to such extent, but your pictures makes it look like a courtyard of a Russian asylum. That’s my association with public displays of pajamas since childhood!
LOL! I think in China is a symbol of wealth and Shanghai definitely had it’s share of rich people! I wish I’d started collecting photographs sooner because I saw some real gems in my early days there!
Hahaha.. the best ones are eating dinner and the guy casually leaning on a railing near his bicycle (or a bicycle, not sure that’s his). Yes! It’s such a Chinese thing. I was told when I first got here that it’s a sign of wealth, that you are so stinking rich that wearing PJ’s means you don’t have to work hard. In our countries, we buy designer bags and tote them around, maybe they could learn something from the Chinese? Buy PJ’s at Auchan and you’re the picture of wealth. LOL.
Actually, that’s a woman and it was definitely her bike. She was pushing it down the sidewalk until she stopped to take that phone call. Then the stretching commenced. I miss China 🙂