Flannel PJs: A Look For the Entire Family
There are few things better than cozying up in a pair of high-quality flannel pajamas—they’re soft, cozy, and come in a range of colors and prints. And while it can normally be a little dicey to try and get your family to don the same apparel, flannel pajamas seem to be the exception to that rule. What kids don’t love cozy new pajamas...even if they do happen to match mom and dad’s PJs? Plus, it’s easier to convince your family to put on matching flannels since leaving the house in pajamas isn’t something that happens too often. In other words, no one has to see the matching outfits if they don’t want to.
The idea of every member of the family wearing a flannel pajama set in the same tartan print may seem like the stuff of Christmas cards, but there’s no reason why you can’t give it the try with your own family (plus it does make a great Christmas card).
Here are some of the reasons why we consider flannel PJs to be a great look for the entire family.
Warmth
We’ll start with the most practical and utilitarian of points: Flannel is warm. As a soft cotton fabric that’s been brushed on both sides, it’s just better at capturing and retaining heat, making it a built-in insulator of sorts. Every piece of clothing should be functional at heart, and the warming effects provided by flannel provide an instant reason to kit out everyone in your own herd with a flannel pajama set.
Flannel pajamas will keep you warm during the coldest of nights and can even be slipped on when running out to the chilly garage or collecting the newspaper in the morning. Inside, your flannel jammies will keep you warm with or without blankets, but one of your trusty throw blankets will make it a true relaxing evening at home.
More Than Just Pajamas
Of course, a flannel pajama set doesn’t have to be relegated to purely pajama-related activities. Because of the warmth provided by flannel pajamas and the range of coverage that long-sleeve flannel pajama pants and a long-sleeve pajama shirt afford, you can also slip into them as loungewear in the hours before and after bed. A cup of tea, a book, and your flannel pajamas? How perfect does that sound?
But it doesn’t have to end there. You can also use them as layering pieces for running errands during cold winter days. Need a quick layer under your snow pants while you shovel out the driveway? Pull on your flannel pajama pants. Require something to wear under your jacket as you run out to use a windshield scraper? Button up your flannel shirt, pull on a winter parka and go. In reality, flannel pajama tops don’t look too different from button-down flannel tops that folks wear throughout the winter months.
Break It Up
So far we’ve been pretty gung ho about the matching aspect of flannel pajamas, but we’ll admit that there are good reasons to “break up” a flannel pajama set by wearing it separately. A pair of flannel pajama pants can be a natural match with a favorite T-shirt during snow days spent on the couch. Or a flannel shirt can be worn with a pair of jeans after lunch on a wintery afternoon, when you kind of have to get dressed for the day but still feel like being as comfortable (and warm) as you can be.
The Matching Factor
Ok, now we’re getting to the non-practical reasons. In fact, the entire point of outfitting your family troop in family pajamas that match is the sheer impracticality of it. There’s no reason to make sure that each member’s flannel pajama set features the same color and pattern, other than the angle that it’s simply fun. Wearing matching pajamas every winter also helps create happy memories for your family—though they may not show it, your kids may even look forward to matching pajamas days for years to come, and may even pass the tradition down to their future children.
And while we don’t have any hard, scientific facts that prove that staying in on a cold winter’s day and making pizza together in matching flannel pajamas is more fun than performing the same activity in non-matching clothing, we’ll stick to our gut feeling and say that it will be.
Their Ease
Flannel pajamas are available in button-up options for adults and zip-up options for kids, making warm flannel pajamas an easy item to throw on before a night at home. When it comes to kid’s pajamas, ease is crucial. It’s well known that kids (and even adults) don’t want to sit around and mess with fussy pajamas. Pajamas should be easy to slip on after a long day, and, luckily, flannel pajamas certainly are.
For the Holidays
There’s just something about a family decked out in family Christmas pajamas that say “Holiday Season,” in big, flashing lights. Try to imagine if you were shooting a movie in which a family spent a long, relaxing Christmas morning together opening presents. If you were in charge of costume, what would you have that family wear? The answer, naturally, is a matching set of flannel pajamas. Fortunately, you can do the same in real life.
The addition of Christmas pajamas into your family’s holiday wardrobe will be great for photos and even adds a festive feeling to your home—whether you’ve decorated your home for the holidays or not.