Pyjamas

Contrasts are what make our lives so varied. Without doubt pyjamas are one of these contrasts, because even though we love soft, seductive nightwear and although we love changing styles from day to day, we still always come back to good old pyjamas – to a real sense of well-being. Whether it's traditional pyjamas in chequered cotton or a stretch jersey material with trendy print pattern: there'll always be times when we just want to relax, be ourselves and just feel lovely. These are our pyjama times. 

A trusted companion with a feminine face

It's Saturday morning and you wake up to a dark, overcast sky. Not a great start to your planned weekend in the mountains. Still dressed in your stretchy pyjamas with long top and leggings you call your friends – wait and see, that's the order of the day. The decision reaches you during breakfast: no hiking through the mountains – how about a long, unplanned weekend instead? You spontaneously opt for the most obvious course of action: stay at home, relax and take care of the hundreds of little jobs you've been putting off for months: sort out your wardrobe; get rid of the old newspapers; have a long telephone chat with your sister. You give yourself all the time in the world and soak up the feeling of having the whole day just for yourself. The day drifts by in a relaxed haze. After a long, hot bath you're looking forward to a cosy evening on the sofa. In a set of cuddly, narrow-cut cotton pyjamas you make yourself comfortable with a huge cushion under the warm light of your reading lamp. There's hot tea at the ready next to a pile of books and the weekly paper. You have a read, let things go through your mind and before you know it you've dozed off on the couch completely at ease. 

Airy or snugly, trendy or traditional: pyjama sets for true comfort

A quick glance out the window is enough on the Sunday morning – still raining cats and dogs! This entire weekend seems to be tailor-made for letting your thoughts wander. In a soft zip-up leisure suit you adopt your position on the kitchen window sill, sip your hot cocoa carefully and watch the raindrops running down the window pane. Your best friend calls around lunch time. Her husband has to head off overseas for a couple of days for business reasons – the ideal opportunity for one of your ever rarer girly nights – just the two of you. Maybe a couple of cocktails, or a dance? Some other time, maybe. Today's a pyjama day. Sitting together on the couch, you in your soft jersey pyjamas, your friend in traditionally styled, pastel-coloured cotton web pyjamas, with a heap of cushions and a DVD collection you almost feel like kids again. The only difference is that this time there's no one there to tell you to keep the noise down or to stop you spending the entire night on the living room floor with biscuits and hot chocolate. You order a pizza, watch a couple of old series and chat. Fantastically unspectacular; so familiar and wonderfully cosy! There's loads of things to experience. There are new things to be discovered and to learn – but sometimes getting back the things you know and love is the best change you can have. Re-experience what you know and love, in fantastic pyjama sets from Esprit.