Pajamas for Staying In Together

Pajamas had a social life long before matching holiday photos. In the 1920s, some were made for having guests over, not for bed. You can still make a night in feel special without putting everyone in the same set.

Dressed, but not dressed up

Designer pajamas by Chanel, Lanvin, and Molyneux appeared in American Vogue in November 1924. There were separate styles for sleeping, lounging, having company over, and even the beach. Staying home didn’t mean there was only one way to dress.

A soft pajama set is an easy way to dress for a night at home. And looking a little polished doesn’t have to mean giving up the stretchy fabric you actually want to wear.

Eberjey’s Gisele set launched in 2005 with a shape inspired by traditional men’s Savile Row pajamas, but in stretchy modal jersey. The soft fabric clung and draped differently from the non-stretch woven fabric usually used for that cut. It took several fittings to get it right.

You get a collar and piping without having to wear anything stiff. You can enjoy the feeling of a complete outfit while remaining fully committed to the couch.

Matching pajamas, before Instagram

Matching your top and pants is one thing. Matching the whole group is another.

Family pajamas appeared in Hanna Andersson’s catalog in 1993. Holiday patterns followed in 1997, including red-and-white and green-and-white stripes. The brand wasn’t the first to sell matching family pajamas, but those familiar holiday stripes were already around well before Instagram.

In 2013, the Holderness family turned its holiday update into the “Christmas Jammies” music video, complete with matching pajamas. Matching sleepwear was around long before that video; the family gave it a memorable online moment.

Old Navy featured its Jingle Jammies in its 2026 holiday campaign, too.

Matching pajamas can be fun for a photo. But whether you’re planning a holiday morning or a movie marathon, you can coordinate while choosing the cut you like sleeping in.

Keep the connection, change the cut

You can wear the same print in different cuts. Eberjey shows its Duo Stripe Holly Red print in long pajamas, a shorts set, and a cami-and-pants set. It also suggests pairing printed pajamas with solids rather than choosing one pattern for everyone.

Try that for a movie night or an overnight visit. Pick one color if coordinating sounds fun. One person can wear brushed-flannel pajama pants in navy plaid and another a navy striped sleep shirt.

The connection can stop at the color. If you prefer sleep shorts, you don’t need to switch to long pants for the photo. Prefer a roomy nightshirt to a button-up set? That works for movie night, too.

Your top and bottoms don’t have to match, either. Try printed pajama shorts with a solid sleep top to let the pattern get the attention. Or give familiar sleep pants a little polish with a piped pajama shirt. Add a robe or slippers if you want to get extra cozy.

That’s handy when you’re shopping secondhand. A great pair of pajama pants doesn’t become incomplete because its original shirt isn’t there. Before hunting for the missing half, picture it with a sleep top you already reach for.

Maybe the original set isn’t the combination you’d choose anyway. Keeping the piece you love and finding it a different partner can make the outfit feel more like yours.

Browse Curtsy’s Cozy Pajamas collection for a matching set or pajama separates to wear with what you already own.

The best match is something you’ll still want to wear when the plans are over.