From Sleepwear to Sportswear: How Beach Pajamas Reshaped Women's Fashion

During the early 1920s, the silk pajama trouser suit became popular among women, cemented by Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich, and influenced by the Golden Age of Travel, Hollywood, and the changing political climate. This trend in sleepwear influenced The American Look, modern sportswear, and the image of the trousered woman.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 08 February 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Before the 1920s, it was uncommon to see women wearing pants in the Western world. However, the silk pajama trouser suit's transition from the boudoir to the beach in the early 1920s solidified the image of the trousered woman. Worn by iconic figures such as Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich, portrayed by artists like Raoul Dufy, and immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel Tender is the Night, pajamas became more than just sleepwear during the two world wars. This book delves into the pajama phenomenon's significance in the careers of renowned designers like Chanel, Patou, Poiret, and Schiaparelli. It also explores how pajamas, with their versatility, were closely linked to the independence of women and had a broader impact on culture.

Through extensive research and exclusive images, the authors place pajama fashion within the context of the Golden Age of Travel, the rise of Hollywood, and the shifting political climate of the early 20th century. By examining how the rising trend in sleepwear influenced The American Look, modern sportswear, and the image of the trousered woman, this book offers a fresh perspective on the history of fashion.

Weight: 766g
Dimension: 190 x 246 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350231924