Nightwear
Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
Nightwear, also called sleepwear, nightclothes or nightdress, is clothing designed to be worn while sleeping. It is generally worn otherwise only in the company of those one knows well, and some of its use is seasonal, with warmer sets kept for winter. The category covers pyjamas, nightgowns and nightshirts, and the finer garments of the bedroom such as the babydoll, chemise, negligee and peignoir. This page explains the nightwear category as a whole: its garments, its fabrics, and how it is organised, in plain product terms.
Examples of types of items of nightwear include
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How the Nightwear Category Is Organised
Nightwear divides first by cut. Two-piece pyjamas, a buttoned or pull-on top with trousers or shorts, are the unisex standard. One-piece gowns divide into the nightgown, cut as a dress; the nightshirt, cut as a long shirt; and the shorter babydoll. Fine nightwear adds the chemise, a straight slip-like gown; the negligee, a decorative sheer gown; and the peignoir, the long robe worn over them, sold singly or as sets. Robes and dressing gowns belong to the same department although they are worn over nightwear rather than slept in, and loungewear has blurred the category's edge by designing similar garments for waking hours at home.
Fabric choice follows the skin and the season. Cotton absorbs moisture and washes hot, which suits everyday and children's nightwear; modern children's sets must meet flammability rules, favouring close fits or treated fabrics. Flannel and brushed jerseys trap air for winter. Silk and satin are cool and smooth but need gentle care, and synthetic sheers make the decorative end of the range affordable. Fit is deliberately loose everywhere except where safety rules for children require closeness, and fastenings are kept flat and few, since the wearer lies on them. Understood this way, nightwear is a system: a base garment for sleeping, warmth graded by fabric, and a robe over it for the hours around bed, with each named garment in this section filling one place in it.
Common Questions
What is nightwear?
Nightwear, also called sleepwear, nightclothes or nightdress, is clothing designed to be worn while sleeping. The category includes pyjamas, nightgowns, nightshirts, babydolls, chemises, negligees, peignoirs and slips worn as nightdresses.
What fabrics is nightwear made from?
Nightwear is made for comfort against the skin: cotton and cotton blends for everyday sets, brushed flannel for winter warmth, and silk, satin and fine sheers for decorative styles. Children's nightwear is subject to flammability safety standards in many countries.
Why is some nightwear seasonal?
Body temperature falls during sleep and houses are cooler at night in winter, so nightwear is graded by warmth: light cotton and short sets for summer, long flannel and brushed fabrics for winter, with some wearers keeping nightwear for the cold season only.