The Pajamas Letter—Part Three

While we wait with baited breath for the mysterious pajamas lover we accidentally discovered to respond to our creative renderings of our pajamas, we’ve been wondering: What’s up with pajamas? Why would someone be so obsessed with PJs they’d seek out random drawings of strangers’ nocturnal garments? Why not request a drawing of someone’s normal cocktail dress, or someone’s normal workout clothes? (There’s a snazzy pair of Umbros one Westword writer would just love to show off.)

Turns out the letter’s author isn’t the only one jonesing over jammies these days. There are entire stores devoted to nothing but pajamas. Prada and Karl Lagerfeld models have been spotted strutting the catwalks in silky pants normally reserved for sleepovers. On May 10, the Old Curtis Street Bar, 2100 Curtis Street, will be holding a Pajamas Jammy Jam (a la that celluloid classic, House Party 2). “It seems like there is a pajamas trend going on. I have noticed a few places around town that have thrown pajamas parties," says music promoter John Baxter, who’s throwing the shindig, when he’s reached by phone. “I sit around in pajamas all day,” he adds. “I am in penguin pajamas right now.”

Too much information, John. But his point is clear: Jammies are jammin’. They’ve been growing in popularity ever since those plagiarizing British colonials adapted the loose-fitting garments popular in South Asia in the 18th and 19th centuries as their sleepwear of choice. They even stole the name: the word comes from payjama, Persian for “leg garment.” The outfits caught on like wildfire, leading to a Broadway musical (The Pajamas Game), a television program (Bananas in Pajamas) and arguably the most important fashion development of the 20th century (underoos).

But why, exactly, are pajamas so magical? To find the answer, we turned to Mike Holman, the renaissance man behind the blog Pajamas All Day (which has entries including “Pajama poetry,” “Pajama warriors” and the ominous “Pajama Day is coming”). “They give the tender love and connection from our elderly to our youth,” writes Mike in an e-mail. “The world would be incomparable to what it is now without pajamas. They give not only happiness to areas needed, but a chance to relax from the most compelling business people to the normal blogger.”

We have no idea what any of that means, but it sure is deep. And what does this pajamas sage have to say about the author of the normal pajamas letter? “It is a very random letter, but great minds do wear pajamas. It's a fact! Perhaps the mysterious author just wanted you all to take a break and have a good laugh and a good time,” he notes. “Anyone who takes the time to think about pajamas is great. That is the truth.”

Stayed tuned for part four. – Joel Warner