Pajamas for spring in England (for ladies)

I just wear a large T-shirt and underwear, especially when it's relatively warm as it will be the end of May. But if you really want to wear pants, then bamboo is a good option or a rayon/poly blend. If you want really lightweight, look for rayon challis. It's looser than bamboo but feels good against the skin like bamboo.

I would probably just go to a department store or Target and check out their PJ's for something that is lightweight and feels good to you. Nordstrom Rack is a good option as well. Jockey also carries PJ pants.

ETA: If you find/see something that says it's made of "viscose," that's another word for rayon so that would work. For example, these would work well for what you are looking for: Women's Bamboo Sleep Pants.

I got these from Amazon that are great for travel. They are 100% cotton and super lightweight. I think they are cooler than a knit/jersey fabric. I just sleep in a Tshirt on top.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R9D762P?psc=1&ref=ppxyo2ovdtbproduct_details

@Mardee, thank you for the fabric info. I did not know that viscose by any other name...! ;)

@DebVT, those pants are really cute! Thank you!

Would you be comfortable wearing a nightgown?
A short gown because it is so light allows me to travel with two.

@mcduffshouse, I used to wear them; not so much anymore. If it's even remotely chilly, I prefer pajamas. I also want something I can lounge around in while writing in my journal, etc.

My favorite pajamas are by Garnet Hill--Asian Wrap, organic cotton, great colors, several styles, and they look good for a long time. The classic long pajama set is great for lounging, and my other favorite style is the Midi gown, that's the one I travel with.

@christa--I just took a look. The midi gown comes in a really pretty print, mint color with cherry blossoms! Thanks very much for the suggestions.

I wear nylon running shorts and nylon tank top as pj’s. Takes little room to pack, washes and dries quickly, and, since I don’t pack a swimsuit, can be used at the beach if needed. If the room’s cold, I add a blanket to the bed.

I wear a loose tee shirt, and a pair of cheap, lightweight jersey pants from Dollar General. Comfy and cool. If it’s really hot, I dump the jersey pants in favor of a pair of loose shorts, or men’s boxers. Or even just tee and underpants, although when we’re traveling, I prefer something more than just underpants.

Look at Soma, their Cool Nights line. Very comfortable tee shirt tops with pj bottoms and nightshirts too. Soma is a division of Chicos.

I travel with a pair of loose yoga pants. They are my plane wear, pyjamas, lounging around wear, gym wear and I wore them yesterday outside for a quick trip to a supermarket in Spain.

Macys has their 30% off sale going through this weekend. Their store brand of Charter Club has some options for pajamas - short or long legged.

I bring a light 100% cotton short nightie to Europe. I like the feel of cotton when I’m sleeping, and I can wash it in the sink each week while traveling to be dry the following night.

I actually prefer some shorts I got at Walmart for PJ bottoms at home, but for travel I'm more comfortable in ankle or capri length PJ bottoms. I also like them loose and they must have pockets.

My PJ top is the softest, lightest weight tee that goes with the bottoms. (One must be coordinated. 😉) If it's one I got on a previous trip or one from someplace I really like in the US, that's even better. I don't take a robe of any kind.

Something no one's mentioned yet is that whatever you sleep in needs to not be embarrassing if something happens and you have to evacuate your hotel. My emergency exit outfit includes the comfy tee, longer PJ pants, shoes that are easy to slip on and a jacket with good pockets.

If you don't have a digital kitchen scale, I highly recommend you get one to weigh what you plan to pack. Mine has a tare option and does pounds, ounces, kilos and grams. I fold up the garment, sometimes rubber banding it to make it small enough to fit on the scale. It's amazing how heavy some things are. And perhaps like your PJs, things can be very light but have more volume and take up more room in your bag.

Of course, compression packing cubes can help with volume/space issues, but the weight stays the same. I also have a luggage scale that measures in pounds and kilos. I weigh my bag when it's fully packed and if it goes over my 20 pound limit, I remove things until it doesn't. My sleepwear is never removed.

I gave up on dedicated sleepwear for travel years ago. I have a tie dyed poly-cotton T-shirt from Kohls that is over sized. Very soft and comfy for sleep but can be a spare T for daywear or workouts. I also bring a pair of 32 degrees base layer bottoms that I can wear with it or under pants if needed for warmth.

@Lo, I have a digital kitchen scale that I use often to make homemade pastries or pasta. But, sometimes I wonder if the scale gets more use weighing clothes & travel items! Yesterday a new dress arrived in the mail. As soon as I opened the package did I try it on? First step, weigh it. Second step, try it on - LOL!

An easy way to weigh the clothes is to just use a large bowl, tare the weight on the scale which means you’re zeroing out the weight of the bowl. Then just place your clothes into the bowl, and the weight shown on the scale is for the item in the bowl.

"Something no one's mentioned yet is that whatever you sleep in needs to not be embarrassing if something happens and you have to evacuate your hotel."

One of my go-to hotels in Paris seems to go thru spurts with fire alarms in the middle of the night (not sure if someone is smoking or what). After the first one I started arranging my next day's clothing and shoes the night before so if there was an emergency in the middle of the night I could easily hop into them and go. I stage my purse and room key so I can grab them as well.

I read (or heard) somewhere that you should arrange your shoes so the toes point toward the door in case there is complete darkness in an unfamiliar surrounding. I'm not sure that would really work as mine are tie shoes and I'd undoubtedly pick them up before I remembered to notice which way they were pointing!

For nightwear, I take a satin nightie that's years old and reserved for travel, lol! Very lightweight which was the main criteria. If it's colder than that's comfortable for, I wear a tee shirt and compression shorts.

These are lightweight, very comfortable, and dry quickly.

https://www.32degrees.com/products/womens-cool-sleep-pant?variant=40390831571033&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiZqhBhCJARIsACHHEH9b5pGZS2BflfR4nnBGI6iA5tDVPQHrAQt9oV3FiyR-mELdo4qkmKUaAsSqEALw_wcB

"Something no one's mentioned yet is that whatever you sleep in needs
to not be embarrassing if something happens and you have to evacuate
your hotel."

One of my go-to hotels in Paris seems to go thru spurts with fire
alarms in the middle of the night (not sure if someone is smoking or
what). After the first one I started arranging my next day's clothing
and shoes the night before so if there was an emergency in the middle
of the night I could easily hop into them and go. I stage my purse and
room key so I can grab them as well.

I read (or heard) somewhere that you should arrange your shoes so the
toes point toward the door in case there is complete darkness in an
unfamiliar surrounding. I'm not sure that would really work as mine
are tie shoes and I'd undoubtedly pick them up before I remembered to
notice which way they were pointing!

This. Keep a pair of pants and a shirt draped over something so you can easily jump into them and go. Also shoes by the bed or chair with the clothes.

Also grab the purse/daybag/whatever you have your passport, credit cards, tickets, etc in. I worked with a woman whose parents' house burned down. Her mother grabbed her purse before evacuating the house. Lucky she did because otherwise they would have nothing to show for ID, insurance, etc.

I tend to "move in" if I'm staying for more than a night or two, but having to evacuate or having something happen while away from the hotel is something to keep in mind.

SandraL, sorry this isn’t directly related to pj’s, but it’s a safety comment.

Always take your room key with you in an emergency in case you head towards an exit that is blocked and need to get back into your room.

I’m one of those crazy people who weighs all of my items to pack light. But, I still take a small flashlight, and it is next to the bed at night. First, I move to different cities very often and it sure is nice to have the flashlight handy to not walk into some furniture if I wake up at night, and I need to find my reading glasses to use my phone. The flashlight is an additional safety item to be able to crawl low or walk down a hallway in an emergency.

“Always take your room key with you in an emergency in case you head towards an exit that is blocked and need to get back into your room.”

Jean, I’d not thought of a blocked exit and having to return to your room. Thanks for mentioning that. I’d only thought of it in the context of getting back in the room.

When I go to the UK, I always go to Marks and Spencer and buy new pajamas. They are the best.

I am a big fan of pajamas from the Gap Factory store.

https://www.gapfactory.com/browse/product.do?pid=5558950010000&cid=1151147&pcid=1151147&vid=1&nav=meganav%3AWomen%3ACategories%3APajamas+%26+Lounge&cpos=17&cexp=315&kcid=CategoryIDs%3D1151147&cvar=1940&ctype=Listing&cpid=res23040111509894691179457#pdp-page-content

Thanks, everyone, for your input and suggestions, particularly about safety. I do travel with a small flashlight but I don't keep it next to me at night, so I'll start doing that.
I have 32 Degrees long underwear that I bought from Uniqlo. I just ordered two pairs of the cool nights bottoms. Thanks for the tip!

Jean, I keep my reading glasses on top of my phone on the bedside stand. There is less fumbling for me that way;)

I wear a thin bamboo knit short nightgown at home as well as for traveling. You could grab a pair of leggings to throw on by the bed in case of needing to evacuate etc. We will be in a camper van this summer and I will keep a pair by me for the middle of the night bathroom break. I am not very vain, but I do draw the line at walking to the restrooms in my nightgown;)

I found a soft cotton, light weight, Ralph Lauren long sleep shirt, at T.J. Maxx for 24.00. I've worn it for years and it's great for spring or summer travel. They currently have the same design in stock but the brand is Nine West.

I've read the replies with interest. Now I have a tag-on question. I'll be in South America for a month beginning at the end of May. I try to pack light so will be taking only 1 set of sleepwear and hand washing it as necessary. (My preferred way to wash clothes is to take them in the shower with me. Much easier than in the bathroom sink!) Which of the recommendations would dry the quickest?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Lo is right about wearing something you can run out in the middle of the night in. I've only had to do it once but I was decent as the bathroom was in the hall. One thing to think of along with that, which I started doing after our evac, is keep your important stuff together. Usually I came back to the hotel and dumped everything, after that I kept my money/credit cards, ID/passport in my crossbody bag so I could easil grab it if I needed to. An older couple came out with their prescription meds in a big baggie, that was genius.