Dress Code: Fancy Pajamas
over 50 of the best vintage and secondhand loungewear finds perfect for opulent winter hibernating
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Thank you, thank you thank you THANK YOU for being a part of my little Substack world — this year I shared over a little over 2,000 vintage things with you! I’m so happy and grateful you’re here and I can’t wait to see what we all do together in 2026.
Happy Holidays, my festive Trash Heads!
I hope this winter season is finding you decently healthy, still in one piece, relatively sane, and full of something warm and deliciously satiating. This time of year can be particularly weird — congested with quiet but palpable tension, crippling, tearful loneliness and an intricately tangled yearning for a sense of belonging. Everything advertised right now is glossy, opulent, and bright!! the expectation that everyone need have a flourishing social calendar and no shortage of holiday engagements at an annual high!!! If the holidays are weird and lonely for you, here’s an all-engulfing, friendly hug, from me to you.
I also know our already shrinking attention spans are at an all-time low, especially as we close out this year, so I’ll keep the words short and sweet (but be warned, I have some thinkity-think pieces brewing for next month…)
With long evenings and short days, I firmly believe winter was created by Mother Nature as a reminder to slow down and rest, inviting us to take lounging around the home to the next level—an extreme sport of coziness. No big light allowed, everything on a dimmer, candles aplenty.
As a lifelong party pooper, I prefer to spend NYE at home surrounded by a plethora of snacks, my freshly fluffed bed mere feet away. You will not catch me paying exorbitant Uber surge fees or bar cover charges! Give me a bad, overly produced prime-time TV special, an overflowing champagne bucket, and a tipsy, giggly Anderson Cooper or give me death!
That said, this doesn’t mean I don’t love a good excuse to dress over-the-top and festive, swapping my usual stay-at-home uniform of ripped-up vintage tees and paint-stained sweatpants for something much more ridiculous, excessive and extravagant.
The rules are, there ain’t no rules.
Heels? Why not. Dripping in decadent jewels? Obviously. A bag for the commute from the kitchen to the couch? Duh.
So let’s get into it.
(moving left to right)
look one: neiman marcus quilted dressing robe (fem m, $275, purchase on eBay), round carnelian earrings ($29.99, purchase on eBay), reformation coco cotton pajamas (new, $198), flabelus brown velvet slippers (new, $74 on sale)
I’m not really a huge fan of Reformation and have lots of opinions on their greenwashing, but it *is* hard to find good pajama sets that I like, and this one sure did the trick.
look two: 1930s silk dressing nightgown (fem l, $266), antique beaded purse ($75, purchase on eBay), alexandre birman pink moire mule heels (fem 7, $160)
If you don’t buy this dress….I will.
look three: vintage real mink fur stole ($130, purchase on eBay), autumn sonata sara lounge set (new, $325), doen brown satin mule heels (fem 9, $189)
vintage fur 🤝 fancy pajama set
look one: gold trim quilted bed jacket (see measurements, $56), 1940s floral belted jacket (see measurements, $110), pink oscar de la renta jacket (fem m, $80), brocade frog closure jacket (fem m, $89), reformation paloma pajamas (new, $248), doen pink satin slippers (fem 7, $122.50)
Wear while you watch Marie Antoinette or What A Way To Go….search for quilted bed jackets and house coats for similar finds!
look two: sleeper feather trim turtleneck set (new, $429), joan rivers rhinestone brooch ($85, purchase on eBay), antique chainmail purse ($75, purchase on eBay), retrofete gemstone mule heel (fem 6, $137.50)
Okay, you truly needn’t buy a $430 pajama set, especially one that’s viscose, but I do love the turtleneck look. There’s SO much Sleeper available on TRR, barely worn, very good pricing — look here first!!!
look three: black fox fur cape ($298, purchase on eBay), reformation polka dot cotton pajamas ($99, final sale), rhinestone flapper headpiece ($65, purchase on eBay), gucci black slip on mules (fem 4.5, $160.50!)
I’ll give it to Ref, the polka dots are GOOD (and on sale for an amount of money I am willing to spend)
look one: valentino pajama set (fem m, $175, purchase on eBay), lizzie fortunado comet earrings (new, $220), antique orange beaded drawstring bag ($65), balenciaga green satin slingback heels (fem 6.5, $256.60)
I was just gifted a Lizzie Fortunado necklace very similar to these earrings and love the little extra funky sparkly color it adds to everything — also, these PJs are insane, someone adopt them!!
look two: black satin frog closure jacket (see measurements, $250, purchase on eBay), 1930s black rayon satin wide leg pants ($200, purchase on eBay), j. crew fur trim moire slippers (fem 7.5, $75, purchase on eBay), heidi daus black tassel necklace ($203.96, purchase on eBay)
The tassel necklace!!!
look three: yellow satin pajama set (fem s, $385), black floral beaded antique bag ($104.99, purchase on eBay), gucci black bow flats (fem 7, $357)
The set is a top, pants, *and* the robe *and* the color is YUM.
look one: 1940s sheer nylon dressing gown (see measurements, $177), araks silk bra and panties (new, sold separately, $130+), saint laurent purple satin mule heels (fem 6.5, $258.75)
I like to think this is how Samantha Jones does NYE at home…
look two: handmade silk shantung puff sleeve opera coat (new, $245), 1930s rayon satin nightgown (fem m, $215), lizzie fortunado citrine tile earrings ($275), saint laurent feather slip on mules (fem 6.5, $363.75)
Just think of how elegantly you’ll swish around the house in this.
look three: 1960s quilted floral pajama set (fem s, $88), gucci pink satin mules (fem 7, $636)
This sweet 60s set has never been worn! The little bow!
look one: neiman marcus quilted robe with red piping (fem l, $55, purchase on eBay), 1950s vintage striped pajama set (see measurements, $35), le monde beryl red silk flats (new, $555)
Love big comfy boy pajamas with a lil feminine touch
look two: 1950s beacon wool plaid robe (see measurements, $170), j. crew cotton poplin pajama set with piping (new, $118), ancient greek sandals slip on slippers (fem 6, $120)
My “Better than Bode” recommendation is searching Beacon wool robes — they’re good and about 1/4th of what the Bode reproduction costs.
look three: ralph lauren striped silk pajama set (fem l, $325), red corduroy striped robe ($139.99, purchase on eBay), flabelus velvet slip on mule slippers (new, $203)
This Ralph set….expensive but really rare and SILK
look one: vintage shawl collar smoking jacket (see measurements, $125), gap leopard cotton poplin pajama set (new, priced separately, $19+), evan picone black tassel purse ($30), jacques levin velvet slip on slippers (new, $148)
I have these pjs and I’m tempted to buy a second pair in the same leopard print just because I wear them so often.
look two: white nylon peignoir set (see measurements, $125), lizzie fortunado comet earrings (new, $220), lucite top handle purse ($93.75 on sale), toteme satin slip on mules (fem 10, $585)
For those watching Mad Men… my ode to Betty.
look three: olivia von halle striped silk pajama set (fem xl, $396), red tassel collar robe ($186.75 on sale), black stand studio pony hair slippers (new, $298)
This robe is so very unique and special!!!
Well, there ya have it.
However you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful, safe holiday!
I’ll be back in your inbox sometime shortly after the New Year, refreshed and ready to share even more vintage (and thoughts) with you! (In the meantime, you can find me on IG, where I’ll be sharing more vintage finds on my stories throughout the holiday lull!)
Until then,
xo,
G
Merry Christmas, Glenn, and thank you so much for your amazing writing and researching of so much incredible vintage and secondhand clothing. 💕 I’m honoured that you recommended me last year (you’re still my biggest source of subscribers). THANK YOU.
Another stellar article, and I am sploding with the gorgeousness. The robes. The Betty pegnoir set! The golden satin 3-piece set! WHAT.
Everything!!! my face is melting from how many good things there are in here fr fr. Whoever got that valentino set, just know you are BLESSED & highly favored! going to be haunting my searches for years to come.