In the late 1970s, an interviewer remarked to Joan Didion: ‘There’s a certain aesthetic to the way you live. You once talked about using good silver every day.’ Joan’s response was characteristically economical: ‘Well, every day is all that there is.’
It is an adage we could all think about more often. Modern life is full of fast transactions, frayed patience and the peculiar feeling that few things hold permanent value. It is a beautiful thing, then, to find small pleasures to cherish along the way, little rituals that make the ordinary feel extraordinary. Think of them as daily decadences.
It's about the extremely good jam on your morning toast or the expensive perfume you wear to bed, even when nobody is there to share it or smell it or. They are small acts of consideration for the person you spend the most time with: yourself.
Perhaps nothing sums up this way of living like a good set of pyjamas. Of course, there is a certain romance to an old favourite T-shirt, softened by a decade of washing. But there is also something fantastic about getting properly dressed for the business of doing nothing. A beautifully piped pair of silk trousers or a riotous print – why reserve the pleasure of getting dressed for leaving the house?
Joan, after all, was right. And if we are going to spend a good portion of our ‘everyday‘ in our nightwear, we might as well make an occasion of it.
The Tilda set from Olivia Von Halle is the epitome of luxury. Cut from cream 100% silk satin, the set is softer than room-temperature butter. The considered panelling and fluid, fluttering silhouette exude an understated elegance. This set would look even lovelier alongside a breakfast in bed.
Adorned with the entire map of Paris, this silky, lightweight modal-and-viscose blend dressing gown can be deliciously draped over pyjamas, but, would be equally at home thrown over a simple outfit for a slow morning of coffee, newspaper and no plans. The finishing touch to any respectable nightwear wardrobe is, of course, a dressing gown – and the Paris gown is the luxurious full-length solution we all need.
Soft, stretchy and breezy, Djerf Avenue's Summer Berries bring ultimate comfort and the essence of Scandinavian summerhouse style to your smörgåsbord brunch or movie night. With super-soft material and an adorable fruity print, the set will become an effortless staple in your pyjama drawer.
Suitable for a debonair gentleman (or you) this set comes in a deep, jewel-toned green with contrasting piping and pearlescent buttons. So artfully designed, it feels more suitable for a 6pm ice-cold martini in the kitchen than sleep.
For those who believe bedtime is no reason to abandon glamour, the dreamy Desmond & Dempsey's signature piped-cotton pyjamas are wildly patterned and seriously soft. Made from lightweight organic cotton, they are designed to breathe through the night and soften with every wash. Desmond & Dempsey was founded on a love of Sundays – you will feel the love, too.
One of many beautiful prints from One Hundred Stars, the Crane print in emerald green brings a bohemian flourish to bedtime. With wide-leg trousers and a ruffled neckline finish, the Sheffield-based, family-run brand has built its name on expressive prints and a commitment to more considered production. This set feels almost like wearable art, with the added benefit of being suitable for an evening on the sofa.
This vibrant set will provide a little sunshine, whatever the weather outside. Carolina Benoit's Mellow Yellow Daynaps set has a soft, fluid drape and pretty ruffled details. Made from bamboo fabric in small-batch production, it is a cheerful choice in a happy yolk-yellow that can coordinate perfectly with your morning fried eggs on toast.
