Do Matching PJs Mean You’re Successful?

One night while I was watching the Instagram Stories of two of my faves, @aminatou & @ushshi, they both posted adorable selfies in their matching pajama sets. It got me thinking about sleepwear, why I don’t wear coordinated sets, and what not making those types of purchases says about me.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I bought a PJ set, but if I had to guess, it involved a sleepover or some other event where I thought I might be judged for what I’m wearing. My sleepwear generally consists of sweatpants, t-shirts I wouldn’t be caught dead in outside the house, and the rare pair of printed PJ pants found on clearance. Seeing Aminatou & Ushshi in these purposefully purchased sets touched my heart, but it also touched a nerve. Why don’t I invest in myself in this way? I had to know if I was the only one wearing odds & ends to bed, so naturally, I turned to Twitter. The poll results show that I’m not alone.

I need to know – do your pjs match?

— Sarah Conley | Rascal Honey (@imsarahconley) February 18, 2018

For me personally, sleepwear is the last place in my wardrobe that gets attention & investment. I have a black & white tie dye tee that is soft, comfortable, and hated by everyone close to me, but I refuse to stop wearing it around the house. My other sleepwear includes sweatpants, embarrassing brand t-shirts (we’re talking pharmaceutical), and shirts that have become so worn out that I can no longer wear them in public. The idea of spending money on these items literally never crosses my mind while shopping.

I’ve always saved sleepwear purchases as a goal for when I’m more financially secure, a marker of success and personal achievement. Why don’t I think that what I wear to bed is as worthy of an investment as what I wear to the grocery store? Ushshi wisely pointed out, as we both work from home, that matching sets make her feel more pulled together even when she hasn’t left the house. I’m so inspired by Aminatou, Ushshi, and everyone who answered “of course” to my Twitter poll for investing in themselves, for themselves.

I hope these lovely ladies have motivated you to look more closely at what you wear when you’re hidden away from the world. My conversations with them have pushed me to question the bias in my value system. It’s given me a lot to think about and I hope that you feel the same. When I asked Ushshi to use her photos, she requested links to even more cute sleepwear, so without further delay, here are some shopping recommendations just for you. <3

PS, one of my favorite plus size sleepwear secrets is that Katie Rodgers, aka Paper Fashion, collaborated with sleepwear brand Bedhead & her prints are available up to size 3x (24/26).