What to Wear All Day Instead of Pyjamas

What to Wear All Day Instead of PyjamasI know that as ‘an entrepreneur’ I should probably give you the impression that, although I work from home, each day I get up practice yoga, curate a comfortable yet funky outfit, and do my hair and makeup before sitting down to begin my work.

But that is not at all true, not even a little bit.

I’m not just an entrepreneur, I’m also living with energy constraints. And I’ve been living with chronic health challenges for 13 years. Here’s the truth: many of those years were spent in pyjamas. I’ve had satin pyjamas to prevent bedsores and french linen pyjamas to keep me cool (but they just get soaked in crazy hot flashes, or power surges as they are more nicely known). I’ve worn yoga clothes all day every day. And pretty nightgowns on the grounds that if I was going to be in bed all day, at least I’d be stylish. So I’d greet the nurses in 1950s Hollywood starlet slips, with body glitter and a tiara. Because glittery arms made me smile, and darn it if that’s not a reason for a bedbound woman to wear body glitter I don’t know what it.

What mostly happens nowadays, and what’s happened today in fact, looks a little more like this:

Wake up, take medicine, prayers, meditation (all in bed), pull my hip length hair back into a bun with a band taken from my bedpost, or snaffled from Linus.

Fall out of bed and into my dressing gown, a garment I live in a greater percentage of time than I’d like to admit.

Head to the yoga mat. Consider changing into yoga clothes. Figure that my sleep wear – organic shorts and t-shirt – is practically yoga wear anyway. Realise if I spend the energy to change I may not have enough energy to begin yoga. So, yes, I do yoga in my pyjamas. If the house is still cold (and it’s Britain, of course it is) then I actually begin in my dressing gown.

Rest and eat breakfast (wrapped in my dressing gown, because I can’t get cold after yoga can I?).

Consider getting dressed, not wanting to ‘waste’ any of my ‘good’ clothes on sitting around the house. Most days I’m going out to the gym, swimming, yoga, qi gong, horses, etc., so I dress appropriately for those activities. Sometimes they overlap, which led me to be sitting in the gym last week in jodhpurs and wellies, wondering if they’d let me check my pitchfork with my bag, or whether it would count as a weapon. If you are interested, no I couldn’t, but the library I went to after was surprisingly accommodating.

So, no actual ‘entrepreneur outfit’ moments. But I really can’t spend all day in pjs either. Believe me, I’ve tried. I have a beautiful collection of vintage nightwear, slips and nightgowns so intricate they really count as dresses. Gorgeous, but no good for winter.

If you’ve been reading The Trail Blazing Times, you’ll know we’ve been doing some huge space detoxing as part of the Taking Inventory to Rise from the Ashes (part of The Phoenix Fire Academy). And my wardrobe is not immune from that. I’ve been challenging myself to take more care with my clothes generally, for the past few months and it’s been a terrifically enlightening experience.

But what to wear all day instead of pyjamas? Maybe you are a work-from-home woman too. Perhaps you are a wellness trail blazer, feeling like a sick chick, or just want a change from your regular yoga-pants-and-t-shirt uniform.

As Hillary of Dean Street Society says, we all have wardrobes for Saturday night, but our lives are Tuesday afternoon. It’s true, I have the most gorgeous pile of party dresses, but little to wear day to day.

I’ve been working with Already Pretty, and my Style Statement and I’ve come up with some suggestions of what to wear at home.

PJ alternatives:

Leggings

Knit dresses

Jersey dresses

Thermal layers under fancy t-shirts

Super soft skinny jeans

Thermal leggings and bamboo leggings

Lots of scarves, wrappable yoga scarf

Dressing gown alternatives:

Big wraps

Oversized jumpers

Chunky cardigans

Thermal layers

Alternatives to slippers:

Hiking socks

Bamboo socks

Thermal boots

Alternatives to hair pulled back:

Hairstyle challenge – wear my hair in a different style each day

Alternative to bare face because no one will see me:

Organic, easy routine

Aloe Vera face wash, organic moisturiser, lavera powder, mascara, lipstick

Check out my Pinterest board for What to Wear All Day Instead of Pyjamas:

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What do you wear each day? What are your comfortable, practical and stylish staples? Share in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Janine.