Pyjamas on a plane: The serious fashion crime that makes long

Choosing the right outfit to wear on a plane can mean the difference between comfort and horrible chafing.

Clothing made from breathable natural materials like wool, hemp, cotton and bamboo is said to keep the wearer at just the right temperature and, in turn, help to prevent the lingering stench of body odour. Synthetic materials like rayon, nylon and polyester tend to have the opposite effect.

Even in the former scenario I have found that there is no escaping the aircraft without retaining whiffs of stale plane stink – a potent cocktail of recirculated air, passenger flatulence, and catering smells. And when sitting for hours on end, it is guaranteed that your clothing will have some creases and crinkles.

There’s one simple way to achieve comfort and be presentable at the other end of your journey; one is which is regularly recommended to families looking to maximise the comfort of their children on board.

It’s as simple as bringing your pyjamas, your PJs, your jammies, your jim-jams, whatever you call them, as long as it’s not a single pair of silky boxer shorts or an oversized bed gown.

On Qantas’ new direct route from Auckland to New York, crew hand out a matching top and bottom pyjama set by Australian designer Rebecca Vallance to business class passengers.

The navy blue two-piece set were extraordinarily comfortable. The long-haul flight turned into its own pyjama party as travellers switched into the attire before the plane even left the runway.

The quick outfit change in the restroom meant ultimate comfort for the long-haul, making 16 hours in the confines of a seat much more bearable and my arrival clothing as neat and wrinkle-free as possible.

The benefit of packing an in-flight pyjama set over regular civilian clothing like athleisure is the use of lightweight and breathable soft fabrics and a clear signal that it’s bedtime. A University of Sydney study looking at the impact of sleepwear fibre on sleep quality found significant benefits in wool sleepwear for older participants and those who typically have a poor quality of sleep.

The sleepwear as outerwear trend kicked off in 2012 when celebrities like Rihanna and Victoria Beckham started leaving the house wearing matching sets of designer jim-jams. It is debatable whether wearing pyjamas as outerwear is acceptable in the public domain of an aircraft cabin.

Stuff style reporter Tyson Beckett says aeroplanes have always been “one of those liminal spaces fashion-wise where anything seems to go and two seatmates can adopt vastly different approaches to dressing.”

“Providing they're fancy enough, pyjamas work for both passenger approaches, offering the pulled together look of a matching set and the comfort that comes with an elastic or drawstring waist. I'd choose a satin pair, with a piped contrast trim or a striped pattern.”

In the business cabin where pyjamas are often handed out as part of the upgraded service, it is common practice to change as the cabin lights go down. In economy, however, emerging from the restroom in your sleepsuit is more likely to turn heads as a fashion faux pas.

Beckett suggests pairing your satin or silky pyjama top with a pair of baggy jeans.

“You won't even need to change out of them when preparing for landing. Just don't forget to take off the matching slippers and eyemask.”

The writer was hosted by Qantas.