Pyjamas for Christmas and Other Occasions

This week Forrester Research predicts total online holiday sales in America alone will exceed $95 billion in 2015 – that’s up a full 11% compared with the same period last year. And the expected cold weather is obviously on shoppers’ minds, with items like “rain boots”, and “Christmas Pyjamas” amongst the most popular searched non-branded terms on retail Web sites. Pyjamas for Christmas have become one of the most popular gifts and here at funzee we see something like 20% of our annual sales in the month of December alone with his ‘n her styles like Retro onesie pyjamas our biggest sellers. However, two more unusual occasions for wearing your pjs were in the news this week.

Pyjamas from Australian airline Qantas have become the inflight dress code for those privileged enough to fly on their business class. Paris-based Australian designer, Martin Grant, will design a new limited edition range of Pyjamas for up market travellers on-board flights to various cities including London. Given that Sydney to London is a minimum of 22 hours flying time you can understand why these will be popular. This business class sleepwear was first introduced in 1999, and Qantas reckon about 95 per cent of passengers wear them on long-haul international flights. The current design offered free to passengers has been worn by an eclectic mix of celebrities and world leaders including Borat (aka Sacha Baron Cohen, who sported them in character), Black Eyed Peas’ rapper will.i.am, model Jessica Hart, and actor Mia Wasikowska. And Virgin Atlantic go one better if you fly first class with them because they will give you free onesie pyjamas to help you sleep between sipping champagne and picking at the caviar. Who said onesies aren’t classy?

And never mind Pyjamas for Christmas, how about pyjamas for that special film premiere? The Daily Mail was amongst those reporting that Hunger Games star, Woody Harrelson, made a splash in Paris last Monday when he showed up to a photocall for Mockingjay – Part 2 wearing pyjama bottoms, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and nothing but patterned grey socks on his feet. Twitter fans loved his laidback attitude with one calling him their ‘spirit animal’ and another their ‘idol,’ but the Financial Times was quick to comment about how this showed the double standards of Hollywood between men and women.  Jennifer Lawrence is expected to dress up beautifully in expensive designer clothes whereas the male stars can lounge around in pyjama style. But forget sexual politics, maybe it’s just that the older, wiser Harrelson has learnt that pyjamas for Christmas are best, and also for any other special occasion when you need to relax.