I wore actual pyjamas to work… and strangely it wasn’t a total disaster

My most loved items of clothing live in the bottom drawers of my wardrobe.

Yes, I’m a girl who loves coming home and getting into my pyjamas. Whether it be gym shorts and a baggy tee in the summer, or sweats and an oversized hoody in the winter, my preferred daily uniform usually involves elasticated waistbands and lots of excess material. But when it comes to leaving the house, I wriggle myself into my jean-of-choice and grab whatever slogan t-shirt or chunky knit is freshly washed, already dreaming about putting my PJs back on at the end of the day. And thanks to celebrities like Zendaya, Victoria Beckham, and Gigi Hadid, the pyjama trend that was seen all over the catwalks last year has become a staple of the street style wishlist. And as a self-professed pyjama lover, I was very keen to see how appropriate the style was for everyday wear and that meant wearing it into the office. As my pyjama drawer consisted only of tracksuit bottoms and oversized t-shirts, I knew I would have to go in the search of cuter (and less tea-stained) items to wear outside the comfort of my home. So, after a what seemed like hours scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest, I got some inspo together and then hit the high street to see what I could find. Like any true budget shopper, I headed straight for Penneys to see what bargains I could get my hands on. Rummaging through the rails, I found a few options I thought were work appropriate, however, after heading to the dressing room to try them on (yes, I actually used the Penneys dressing rooms to try on jimjams) I realised that my co-workers would be seeing far too much of me for them to ever be able to look me in the eye again. My next stop was New Look. Having previously purchased some gems there, I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed – and I was right. I went to the dressing room and had to plead with the shop assistant to let me bring in the 12 items I had in my hand. After working my way through a few options, I settled on an ensemble, and honestly, I loved it!

Shirt - €29.99, Trousers - €19.99, both New Look. 

I didn’t want to look totally unlike myself going to work, so naturally, I paired my PJs with some runners and a scrap of denim, because Lord knows I can’t leave the house without denim. While the light, silky trousers did have me struggling to find a solution for VPL, popping a pair of leggings for comfort and warmth underneath did the trick. The reaction from everyone at work was totally positive. Many asked me where I bought my “gorgeous trousers” and commented on the "cosy-look" of my velvet shirt. If I took a survey, I would say 100 percent of my office were shocked when I told them I was wearing pyjamas - and honestly, I think this ensemble was a step up from my usual uber-casual bordering on lazy attire. When it comes to dress codes however, we here at Her definitely fall on the casual side of things - it's an anything goes type environment. So, what about those working in a more corporate style office? Well, I tried to jazz up my nightwear with a blazer and some heeled boots, and again, I was surprised at how good they looked. What’s better than heading out for after-work drinks? Well, I wanted to see if my humble PJs would be suitable for a bit of night-time glam. While it wasn’t something I would normally go for, I definitely liked how different this outfit was for me. And now, I can definitely see myself wearing this out some night. As experiments go, this was an incredibly successful one. While the PJs were a little more expensive than I had hoped, I was delighted with how they looked. However, I didn’t want that near €50 to go to waste for just one outfit, so I decided to see how these pyjamas would integrate into my real day-to-day wardrobe and style. Again, while the trousers were a little different to my standard jeans, I did love how they looked with my staple oversized jumper. And likewise, the shirt looked great teamed with those jeans I mentioned. I loved the velvet shirt so much that I'm now going to go back and buy the matching trousers. And don't be surprised if you see me out on a Saturday night in that very ensemble. All-in-all, this experiment taught me that while I might think some styles I save to my Pinterest boards are totally unachievable in real life, they're not. I was a little self-conscious when I first left the house, by lunchtime I felt totally comfortable and confident in my PJs. Most days I automatically resort to jeans and a chunky knit, telling myself that 'that's just my style', however, this has taught me that there is nothing to lose and a lot to gain by trying something new. So, what's next?