Nightwear – also called sleepwear, or nightclothes – is
clothing designed to be worn while
sleeping. The style of nightwear worn may vary with the seasons, with warmer styles being worn in colder conditions and vice versa. Some styles or materials are selected to be visually appealing or
erotic
Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...
in addition to their functional purposes.
Variants
Nightwear includes:
*
Adult onesie - all-in-one footed sleepsuit worn by adults, similar to an
infant onesie or children's
blanket sleeper
The blanket sleeper (also known by many other synonyms and trade names) is a type of especially warm sleeper or footie pajama worn primarily during the winter in the United States and Canada. The garment is worn especially by young children.
...
and usually made from cotton.
*
Babydoll
A babydoll is a short, sleeveless, loose-fitting nightgown
A nightgown, nightie or nightdress is a loosely hanging item of nightwear, and is commonly worn by women and girls. A nightgown is made from cotton, silk, satin, or nylon and may be ...
- a short, sometimes
sleeveless, loose-fitting nightgown or negligee for
women, generally designed to resemble a young girl's nightgown.
*
Blanket sleeper
The blanket sleeper (also known by many other synonyms and trade names) is a type of especially warm sleeper or footie pajama worn primarily during the winter in the United States and Canada. The garment is worn especially by young children.
...
- a warm sleeping garment for
infant
An infant or baby is the very young offspring of human beings. ''Infant'' (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'unable to speak' or 'speechless') is a formal or specialised synonym for the common term ''baby''. The terms may also be used to ...
s and young
child
A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...
ren.
*
Chemise
A chemise or shift is a classic smock, or a modern type of women's undergarment or dress. Historically, a chemise was a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils, the precursor to the modern shirts commonl ...
- a delicate, loose-fitting, sleeveless, shirt-like
lingerie garment for women, typically intended to feature a provocative appearance.
*
Negligee - loose-fitting women's nightwear intended to have sensuous appeal, usually made of sheer or semi-translucent fabrics and trimmed with
lace or other fine material and bows.
*
Nightcap - warm cloth
cap worn with pajamas, a nightshirt or a nightgown.
*
Nightgown
A nightgown, nightie or nightdress is a loosely hanging item of nightwear, and is commonly worn by women and girls. A nightgown is made from cotton, silk, satin, or nylon and may be decorated with lace appliqués or embroidery at the bust and hem ...
- loose hanging nightwear for women, typically made from
cotton,
silk,
satin, or
nylon.
*
Nightshirt - loose fitting shirt reaching to below the knees.
*
Pajamas - traditionally loose fitting, two-piece garments.
*
Peignoir
A peignoir (, ; ) is a long outer garment for women which is frequently sheer and made of chiffon or another translucent fabric. The word comes from French ''peigner'', to comb the hair (from Latin ''pectināre'', from ''pecten'', ''pectin-'' ...
- long outer garment for women, usually sheer and made of
chiffon; frequently sold with a matching nightgown, negligee, or
panties.
Other types of garment commonly worn for sleeping—but not exclusively so— include
gym shorts
Gym shorts are an article of clothing typically worn by people when exercising. They are typically made out of fabrics that allow for maximum comfort and ease, such as nylon. Brands such as Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, and Reebok all make gym sh ...
,
t-shirts,
tank tops,
sweatpants
Sweatpants are a casual variety of soft trousers intended for comfort or athletic purposes, although they are now worn in many different situations. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa they are known as ...
, as well as underwear and/or socks (worn without outerwear). Sleeping in the nude is also common, especially in warmer climates.
Customs
According to a 2004 United States survey, 13% of men wear pajamas or nightgowns for sleeping, whereas 31% wear underwear and another 31% sleep nude. Among women, 55% wear pajamas or nightgowns, which were counted under the same option:
A survey by the
BBC ''
The Clothes Show
''The Clothes Show'' is a British television show about fashion that was broadcast on BBC One from 1986 to 2000, and from 2006 on UKTV Style and Really. At its height, ''The Clothes Show'' had around 9 million viewers every Sunday night. It als ...
Magazine'' in 1996 revealed the following about sleepwear in the UK:
†Most common response in 'Other' from women was ''outdoor clothes'', from men ''shorts''.
Children's nightwear
On 22 December 2011, the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a letter to manufacturers, distributors, importers and retailers reminding the apparel industry of the enforcement policy and their obligations associated with children's sleepwear and loungewear.
The commission's regulations define the term ''children’s sleepwear'' to include any product of wearing apparel (in sizes 0–14), such as nightgowns, pajamas, or similar or related items, such as robes, intended to be worn primarily for sleeping or activities related to sleeping, except: (1) diapers and underwear; (2) ''infant garments'', sized for a child nine months of age or younger; and (3) ''tight-fitting garments'' that meet specific maximum dimensions.
All children's sleepwear and loungewear sold in the US are required to comply with the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) using the standards for Flammability of Children's Sleepwear 16 C.F.R. Parts 1615 and 1616. Moreover, they have to comply with the
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) requirements including tracking labels, a certificate of compliance, meeting requirements for lead content and surface coatings, and meeting requirements for phthalates.
References
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