Chandler Bondurant
Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window. Cary Grant in Charade. Paul Newman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
What do these three films have in common? Each features one of the 20th century’s leading actors—and style icons—looking perfectly at ease in a classic pajama set.
Long before their place in the style canon was ensured by Old Hollywood, the best men’s pajamas—or pyjamas, depending on which side of the Atlantic you reside—were worn as everyday garments in India. Indeed, the word itself is derived from the subcontinental language Urdu.
The first Westerners to adopt pajamas were British colonists stationed in early 19th-century India. They brought the simple two-piece garment back home, where it was reinterpreted as sleepwear and firmly ensconced in British culture by the Victorian era.
For that reason, many of today’s premier pajama makers are English heritage firms, like Turnbull & Asser, Budd, and Derek Rose. However, a recent uptick in smarter sleepwear has seen the set championed by more recently founded businesses like Sleepy Jones and Alex Mill. Whichever side of the pillow you sleep on, we’ve curated a list of proper PJ sets below.
Derek Rose Men’s Classic Fit Pajamas James Cotton Blue
Image Credit: Derek Rose A family-owned business since 1926, Derek Rose has built its reputation on lounge and sleepwear. Its classic-fitting striped pajamas can be personalized with monogramming, motifs, and even a “secret message” of up to 98 letters that will be sewn inside the pajama shirt.
Turnbull & Asser Blue Bengal Stripe Piped Cotton Pyjama Set
Image Credit: Turnbull & Asser While Turnbull & Asser is best-known for its bespoke shirts, the royal warrant-holder applies the same precision to the making of its pajamas. Sewn in T&A’s Gloucester factory, they feature mother-of-pearl buttons, turnback cuffs, and a distinctly shaped collar.
Drake’s Red Stripe Cotton Pyjama Set
Image Credit: Drake’s Made in the same Somerset factory that produces the English label’s shirts, this Drake’s pyjama set is cut from a lightweight Italian cotton in a wide-striped pattern. The choice of a grandad collar gives it a distinct vintage feel.
Budd Plain Silk Pyjamas in Cream
Image Credit: Budd Bespoke shirtmaker Budd famously cuts its shirts above a small space in London’s Piccadilly Arcade, a location it has occupied since 1910. The firm also produces pyjamas, such as this elegant set made from silk, which is initially washed at Budd’s Andover workshop before being sewn in London.
Paul Stuart Cotton Broadcloth Pajamas
Image Credit: Paul Stuart Paul Stuart’s cotton broadcloth pajamas bear all the markings of old-school sleepwear: contrast piping, pockets at the chest and waist, and drawstring trousers with a button fly.
Schostal x Alex Mill Striped Long Sleeve Pajama Set
Image Credit: Schostal x Alex Mill Schostal is a famous Roman pajama shop founded in 1870. If you don’t have the chance to jet off to the Eternal City yourself, Alex Mill has brought their wares to a larger audience via a collaboration that includes this unisex pajama set.
Sleepy Jones Henry Pajama Set in Black Sheep
Image Credit: Sleepy Jones Since its founding by Andy Spade in 2013, Sleepy Jones has made the case for throwback pajama sets with a whimsical flair. Perhaps no set embodies that ethos more than these cotton pajamas embroidered with tiny black sheep.
Zimmerli Cozy Flannel Pyjama Long
Image Credit: Zimmerli Established in 1871, Zurich-based Zimmerli promotes itself as the world’s top producer of luxury underwear. Its range, however, is not limited to skivvies: the Swiss brand also makes these checked flannel pajamas with an extra-soft waistband.
Anderson & Sheppard Soft Brushed Cotton Pyjamas In Red
Image Credit: Anderson & Sheppard Anderson & Sheppard Haberdashery has a certain eye for color, reflected in the firetruck-red hue of these brushed cotton pajamas. As radical as the color may be, its detailing remains classic with pockets at the chest and waist and a simple spread collar.
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