Sexy & Comfortable Nightwear
Everyone knows that one of the most important keys to looking and feeling your best is a good night’s sleep. There are many tips on how UK women can help themselves get a good rest, such as sleep in a darkened and cool room and establish a regular time to go to bed – but that’s not the whole story. To get good sleep, you need to be comfortable, and to be comfortable, you need to wear good nightwear.
Perhaps the best known and most used form of nightwear for women in this country in the nightgown, also known as the nightdress or “nightie” for short. A nightgown is in most cases a loose-fitting, one piece slip dress. Sleeves and neckline vary from style to style, as does length – with the shortest type of nightgown being known as a “babydoll” (finishing just below the hips) and an ankle-length nightgown known as a “negligee”. These garments of nightwear are predominantly designed to be comfortable and non-restrictive, though lingerie designers still find inventive ways to keep them looking stylish – lace, glitter, ribbon and diamante adornments are becoming more and more frequently. The variant on types of nightgown available is staggering, from short and sexy garments to long, Victorian-style ones which prioritise comfort and warmth over all. It’s probably best to have a selection in your wardrobe, waiting for whichever mood may strike you at any given time.
In contrast, pyjama sets began life as nightwear specifically designed for men. However, over the years as fashion and convention has evolved, more and more women opt for pyjamas for warmth and comfort. A pyjama set is two pieces, with loose-fitting often wide-legged trousers to be worn on the bottom half and a top or blouse of some sort on the top. Fashion has played some part in the evolution of the pyjama, with various trouser lengths available and some customisation involving patterns, ribbons or sequins available, but pyjamas are rarely sexualised in the way that other women’s nightwear is – mostly, one assumes, because pyjamas are designed to keep people warm and cover skin, not expose it! This, however, does not mean that pyjamas cannot be stylish, though the look most manufacturers go for is ‘cute’ rather than sexy.
The two aforementioned nightwear garments are the most typical, but what to wear to bed is a highly personal preference. Other options include ’sleep sets’, which are generally a vest top and shorts – a popular option during summer months for pyjama wearers – and some women just opt for a baggy old T-shirt, or nothing at all.
Although some designer lingerie manufacturers see the benefits to sexy or cute nightwear and do include it in their collections, the general consensus is that sleepwear should, first and foremost, be comfortable. So while sequins, buttons, diamante and little ribbons may seem like a good idea, they probably won’t be at 3am in the morning when they’re digging into your stomach. Keep it simple and reserve the real fashion-conscious side of you to lingerie designed for day time… or for those night times when sleep will be the last thing on your mind!