Are Pajamas the New Designer Jeans?

"Pajama style" no longer an oxymoron Western visitors to modern Chinese cities may stare goggle-eyed at pajama-clad Chinese nonchalantly taking to the streets, but in fact it's a time-honored tradition. Entire families shop, stroll, and chat with neighbors, or walk their dogs on the busy streets in matching pajamas and slippers or even street shoes. This public "p.j. culture" has been chronicled by American visitors to Shanghai, Xiamen, Beijing and beyond. While even our country's lax standards of business casual force the wearer to suffer the indignities of coordinating separates, tight waistbands, uncomfortable ties, and suffocating layers, pajama style aspires to a freedom of movement that is the next best thing to being naked. The downside is that, well, they're frumpy.

Or they were. Today it is possible to coordinate a great-looking pajama ensemble, especially for women. As the stylistic lines between sportswear, loungewear, and pajamas continue to blur, many of today's women's pajamas could easily double as cute yoga outfits, complete with flowing modal separates, a tie-front knitted shrug instead of a traditional robe, and light, knitted ballet slippers. You can see why when pajamas get this stylish, it's almost a shame to keep them under the covers.

Perhaps the robe has undergone the most radical design transformation, from the shapeless, heavy cassock of yesteryear to today's chic wraps, including three-quarter length, belted, cardigan styles; cap-sleeved shrugs; dreamy, soft knits; and French terry hoodies . Slippers have not modernized as quickly as robes, and still tend toward the large, the fluffy, and the comfortable - boiled wool will probably always be king. But when you want to glam up your robe and pajamas, consider the classic feathery mules. If they were good enough for Marilyn Monroe, they are good enough for you. Or you could follow the Chinese lead and simply wear your Kenneth Coles, grab your purse, and hit the town.