Pajama Party at the Airport
July 15, 2009 · Posted in just for fun, liene, life, travel by liene
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I like to think that I don’t have a laundry list of pet peeves, but I do have a few: the sound of knuckles popping, false teachers, shredded iceberg lettuce, and pajamas in airports. Let’s chat about that last one.
As a frequent business traveler, I am generally in 2-3 airports per week, sometimes more. I am always surprised when I see people checking in or walking through security in their pajamas. I can understand packing up your toddler-aged kids into cute jammies so they make the mental connection that planes are for nap time and not screaming their demands to the rest of the passengers. I can even see why a teenager would wear pajamas and how their mother could have simply decided that particular battle was not one she was going to fight. But grown adults? Do people who wear their pjs to airports not understand that the rest of us can, oh I don’t know, SEE THEM?
In my experience, dressing in a well put-together manner (not necessarily wearing expensive clothes or dressing up), helps other people take you more seriously. While they should respect you regardless, that is simply not the way it works. If it were, the entire marketing and design worlds would be obsolete. Plus, you never know who you are going to sit next to on a plane. It just may be someone who could be a good career connection. In fact, I met my current insurance agent while waiting for a flight at the Houston airport last year. She was able to help me with my insurance needs and I was able to give her my business. We were able to strike up a conversation and take each other’s professional claims seriously because we weren’t dressed like we were headed to a seventh grade slumber party.
Some insist that if they are going to be seated for a five hour flight across the country, then they want to be comfortable. To this I say: you most likely sit in a chair at an office for eight hours every day in business-appropriate outfits. What is it about sitting on the plane where normal clothing becomes absolutely unbearable? One friend also smartly pointed out that wearing a negligee on the plane may be the only way to get extra peanuts in coach these days.
While I love free salty snacks as much as the next person, it seems to me that this issue of how to dress in public really boils down to a matter of respect (or rather a lack of it), both for others and for ourselves. While I am not advocating everyone traipse through security dressed for the opera or even in full three piece suits, it seems that people who care about themselves tend to at least run a comb through their hair and put on a pair of jeans before heading into the outside world. Also, if someone walked into your office to negotiate a deal wearing their pjs, wouldn’t you be a bit insulted that they hadn’t tried a little harder? Why shouldn’t the flight attendants or desk agents be insulted as well when someone wearing flannel pants with pink hearts all over them demands that their flights or seats be switched around?
It seems to me that all social graces and any semblance of etiquette get thrown out the window when people fly. If we want to be taken seriously as a generation, maybe it should start by being respectful in our interactions with the seemingly non-important things in life.
What are your thoughts on wearing pajamas in airports?
Oh man, I feel you! Even as a child, my mother was a stickler for “travel clothes.” And if I flew home from college for the holidays wearing yoga pants, boy did I get the stink-eye and the passive-aggressive commentary.
95% of the time, so long as I’m not sick, I subscribe to the motto: If I look good, I’ll feel all-around better. I took most of my law school exams and the bar exam wearing “proper clothes” - not work out gear or PJs - just gives me more confidence!
Great post!
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I completely agree! You can look polished and put together without being uncomfortable. I took a quick 45 minute flight in May for a wedding, and the bride picked me up from the airport. She commented on how nice I looked–I was wearing bermuda shorts and a sleevless sweater, with sandals! Not exactly dressy attire, but put together and still comfortable. It was only 45 minutes–but she says on that flight she always wears her PJs!
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We travel quite a bit as well, and I don’t think we’ve ever made it through an airport without me commenting on the sloppy clothing choices all around us.
I love seeing elderly couples traveling together. They are nearly always dapper, polished, and lookin’ sharp. Somehow that message got lost over the generations… such a shame!
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While I’m not a “juicy” tracksuit pj type person, I do travel comfortable. I’m in sneakers (because I normally have to connect through ATL and I’ve never made it without a all out sprint), jeans cause they are my normal attire, comfy with pockets! I wear a travel specific t-shirt (great material that breathes and doesnt get staticy! And normally a hoodie (regardless of where I am going because its always cold in flight). Do I look big city professional and ready for a manhattan meeting? No. But that isnt what I am doing. I haven’t seen the rash of actual pjs (just the running suit sets), but if they are college kids, I get it. I know plenty of them who go to class in pjs. Is it different from what the social norm was? Yup. But then, at my first college (which churns out CEOs by the class load) kids went to class in slacks, or bathing suits and there wasn’t much in between. (Yeah not kidding - bikini and towel to class and no one thought twice about it.)
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I too am a business traveler, traveling 2x a week in Biz Casual. However, when I have a personal flight (say a red eye to Boston from LA, or flying to Hawaii) I do wear Juicy track suits. I think they are comfortable and still look decently put together. I also make sure to have my hair/makeup look nice which makes the outfit look nicer. So I’m not sure if I fall into your “sloppy” category or not? Thoughts?
I wear a dress and comfy shoes on every flight. No different than a day at work.
You NEVER know who you’ll meet. I have two different friends who met their future husbands on a flight! One has celebrated 11 years this year and the other is on her way to a 5 year anniversary.
P.S. What gets to me are those who carry a pillow (in pillowcase) straight off the bed through security and x-ray machines only to put their head on it again. It completely grosses me out!
love this post - it made me giggle!
maybe it’s the chicago-casual in me, but if i’m on a flight longer than say, 3 hours, i’m in sweatpants, a t-shirt, a wrap to keep warm, flip flops, my hair pulled back, and my contacts are out so i can try to sleep. haha :)
side note: if i’m headed overseas i always pack a carry-on with a complete change of clothes, toiletries etc, so while my planemates are rushing through customs i hang back in the restroom and get presentable, and missing the customs rush is a bonus!
I absolutely agree! And Elizabeth, sweatpants can be made to look like daywear. Comfy daywear. Totally not the same as PJs.
I don’t know about true “business casual”, but I do try to look put together, and not like I just woke up or don’t care. I usually wear jeans, and some sort of nice top or sweater. My thing, though, are shoes that slip on and off easily. Nothing’s worse than going through security and trying to lace up your shoes!
My husband is a very frequent business traveller too. But he will change - if he can - from his business attire to jeans and a polo or nice T-shirt. For one, this way his shirts and slacks don’t get wrinkled. For two, if he sweats a little, he isn’t leaving wet stains under his arms (gross… sorry!).
It does bother me, though, when I go to the store, or anywhere in public, and see grown-ups weaing PJ’s. Or anything that could be construed as PJ’s. Come on - put on some jeans or something, at least!
I don’t wear pj pants on flights, but I do usually wear sweat pants, and a t-shirt on long flights. I’m sorry, but if I’m going to be sitting in a seat with hardly any room to move for multiple hours on end I don’t want to be in a dress, in “business casual” or even jeans. If I was going on a business trip–HA!– then it might be different. But if I’m taking a flight for pleasure, paying for it, then I want to be comfortable. However, I will never, ever be seen wearing sweats with words plastered across my butt or with any sort of print, plaid, or stripe on them.
I traveled for business extensively in another life and then I was conscious of my appearance for no other reason than I had a professional obligation on the other end. In this life, with four kids, while not in pajamas I am comfortable and there is no pretense of smart dress. I want to be comfortable for the laps I may do around the plane, the numerous chaparoned trips to the bathroom and the awkward food service (if lucky enough to be upfront). I try not to judge what other people are wearing. Plane travel causes a lot of tension and anxiety for some and really who are you dressing up for? Its public transportation.
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This is one of my biggest pet peeves..pajamas and sweatsuits do NOT belong at the airport!
I absolutely adore you for writing this post. For me its the same when I see people wearing PJs in the mall or even Walmart. It was also my biggest pet peve during college. If I get up in the morning and put on pants I’m pretty sure most of the adult world has that ability too!
And really, does wearing fleece pj pants covered in puppies, whimsical BS, balloons, (insert other cute thing here) in public really scream professional or adult/mature in any way? Though I now have moved on to feeling sorry for them since most adults in pjs in public look either crazy or like a raging f*ckwit.
