Trend Test: I Wore Pajamas to Work (& Didn’t Get Fired)

While everyone’s talking about athleisure as the look du jour, there’s a burgeoning trend on the horizon that I can really get behind: pajamas. What once used to be an ensemble strictly for sleeping (or if you’re me, watching Bravo while eating pizza) is now entering into the bright light of day. Derek Lam featured a chic sleepwear look in his upcoming fall collection, while fashion-forward women like Grace Coddington and Jenna Lyons wore formal PJ apparel to this year’s Met Gala.

If it’s good enough for the red carpet, it’s certainly good enough for the office, right? As The RealReal’s Senior Fashion Editor, I decided to find out by wearing pajamas to work in the name of scientific research and serious journalism.

Twinning with Jenna Lyons. On Lauren: Sleepy Jones Silk Pajama Top, orig. $295, now $75 and Dolce & Gabbana Bianca Print Sandals, orig. $795, now $515

First, I consulted with Style & Editorial Director Ashley Munns about how to pull it off. “The key to this look is to stay polished with your hair, handbag and shoes, so that you don’t look like you literally rolled out of bed,” she says. Armed with her sage advice, I chose a Sleepy Jones pajama top from The RealReal teamed with my own set of pajama pants and Dolce & Gabbana heels before embarking on the experiment.

9am: Breakfast. 

Hermès Vache Liegee Birkin 40, $10,000

If I’m wearing pajamas to the office, I might as well make myself at home. I eat Trix as my breakfast of choice. Because I’m an adult. As my coworkers arrive, I’m greeted with double-takes and confused looks, but no one says anything — yet.

11:10am: Coffee break. 

The executives are starting to take notice. One VP catches me off-guard outside of a conference room and asks, “Are you wearing pajamas?!” I can’t tell if he thinks it’s the worst office attire he’s ever seen, or perhaps the tone in his voice is jealousy? I mean, who wouldn’t want to wear their PJs to work?

1:30pm: Marketing meeting.

Perhaps I’m too relaxed in my attire. As someone who typically wears skirts with heels to the office, I’ve always associated my 9-to-5 outfits with being in “work mode.” Maybe my pajamas are fooling me into thinking I’m at home, because I’m having a hard time focusing. The look is throwing me off in meetings too. Yes, I’m more comfortable than ever, but I’m also less confident. These PJs just don’t make me feel very take charge.

3:45pm: Game over. 

You know that feeling when 3pm hits and you fall hard into an energy slump? Well, wearing my pajamas, I feel even more lethargic than usual. Perhaps it was all that extra food I ate at lunch. Thanks, drawstring waistbands.

Final verdict: I love the unexpected surprise of seeing PJs on the red carpet, but this trend isn’t for me. My clothes have always directly informed how I feel, and I feel lazy in head-to-toe pajamas! I am obsessed with the Sleepy Jones top though, so next time, I think I’ll wear it by itself with a pencil skirt so the outfit is more my speed. Maybe I’ll even wear it to the office.

See more of the biggest fashion trends, like the denim-on-denim look, right here on RealStyle.