They originated in India. There are records of people in India wearing special garments to bed dating as far back as the Ottoman Empire.
Classification changed in the mid-1800s. While pajamas were once seen as only for the wealthy, more people started wearing them because the poor couldn’t afford heating so they used them to stay warm while the upper class used them to show their status by choosing exotic materials and designs the lower class couldn’t afford.
Japan started an animal cosplay Pyjamas craze. Kigurumi (kee-goo-ROO-mee) is a word used to describe what are essentially pyjamas that are made to look like some form of a giant stuffed animal. This trend has existed since the 90s and continues to be a popular trend in Japan and now around the world – commonly known to people now as “onesies”.
There is a day dedicated to wearing Pyjamas. National Pyjama Day is on November 20th every year. National Pyjama Day is all about wearing your favourite and comfiest Pyjamas or onesie to work or school to help raise money for charity. The aim of the day is to raise funds and awareness for The Pyjama Foundation’s Love of Learning Program, which supports children in foster care.
Millions of pairs of pajamas are sold every year but there are still plenty of men who are trying to resist the lure of the nighttime garment, by sleeping au natural. It seems than just over 45% of British men are not aware of their colonial heritage because they prefer to sleep in their birthday suit, but about 30% of American men like to wear pajamas apparently. British and American women are more closely matched, and at least 80% of ladies from both these countries prefer to go to bed wearing some version of pajamas.
