How to Choose Silk Pyjamas: Cut, Sleeve Length, Colour, Size

When choosing silk pyjamas, first decide when you will wear them: a strappy or camisole shorts set for warm nights, a shirt and long trousers for all seasons. Then choose the sleeve length, colour and size. Woven silk generally does not stretch, so buy the size with room to move.

Decide on the use first

The same silk becomes a completely different pair of pyjamas in a different cut. Before choosing, answer three questions:

• When? Summer nights, winter, or all year round?
• How do you sleep? Less fabric if you sleep hot, long sleeves and long legs if you get cold.
• What happens after bed? Morning coffee, a courier at the door, guests arriving. If you will also wear them around the house in the day, a shirt set looks more put together.

In general, silk is a light fabric that absorbs moisture and helps balance temperature. That is why the cut matters more than the season. We cover summer and winter wear separately in our guides are silk pyjamas hot in summer and are silk pyjamas warm enough in winter.

If you are buying one set, start with a shirt and long trousers you can wear in every season; make the second set a shorts set for summer. Two sets comfortably cover a year in silk pyjamas.

Cuts: which suits whom

All the sets are in the pyjama sets collection.

Shirt and long trousers

The classic pyjamas. Worn all year round, it is the cut that looks most put together at home. On the Lace Pyjama Set, the shirt collar is finished with lace; powder pink, ecru and red come with short sleeves, ice blue and khaki with long sleeves. So on this set, the colour you choose also sets the sleeve length.

Strappy top and shorts

The lightest option for summer. Thin straps leave the shoulders bare, shorts keep the legs free. The Lace Cami + Shorts has lace edges and comes in five colours: powder pink, ecru, red, ice blue, khaki. With a strappy top, the fit at the bust matters; choose the size by your bust measurement.

Camisole and shorts

Camisole + Shorts is another two-piece option for summer. The camisole works on its own too: under a kimono or a jacket. Powder pink, khaki and black.

Halter and trousers

A halter top that ties at the neck leaves the shoulders and arms bare; long trousers balance it. It looks less like pyjamas and more like an evening outfit for home. In plum.

For men

For men, the set is built with a robe instead of a top: the shawl-collar robe with men's trousers or shorts. The trousers have a covered elastic waist with no drawstring, side pockets and a centre-front seam. If you want all three together, the Lounge Set · 3 Pieces brings them in the signature box.

Sleeve and leg length

Short sleeves are comfortable in summer and for hot sleepers; long sleeves for winter and for those who get cold. With long sleeves, a length that ends at the wrist bone is the most practical; any longer and it gets in front of your hand and dips into your morning coffee. Short sleeves with long trousers make the most practical set for the in-between seasons: a cool top, covered legs.

For leg length, your ankle is the measure. Silk trousers that are too long drag on the floor and the hems wear quickly; too short and they ride up in bed. The best length reaches the ankle bone when you stand barefoot. If you are taller or shorter than average, check the size chart on the product page.

Fabric: type and weight

Three weaves are most common in silk pyjamas:

• Charmeuse: one side lustrous, the other matt; fluid and slippery. The most classic silk weave in nightwear.
• Crepe de chine: more matt, slightly grainy; less shine, less slip. It looks simpler around the house in the day.
• Twill: diagonal weave, more substantial and sturdy. It works well in pieces that move a lot, such as trousers.

Crepe de chine and twill slip less than charmeuse; if you do not like sliding on the sheets, you may be more comfortable in these weaves.

Weight is measured in momme. In nightwear, 16 to 25 momme is common. As momme rises, the fabric generally becomes denser, less sheer and more durable; lower momme feels lighter and cooler. In pyjamas, especially in light colours, a denser fabric is preferred if sheerness matters. For more, see our what is momme guide.

Check the label before you buy: the fibre name should be “silk”. Satin is a weave, not a fibre; polyester satin pyjamas shine like silk but are not silk.

Size: silk does not stretch, leave room

Woven silk generally does not stretch. A snug size that is fine in cotton jersey pyjamas strains the seams in silk and restricts movement. You turn in your sleep, pull up your knees, put your arm under your head; the fabric needs room for all of it.

• Shirt: the shoulder seam should end at the shoulder point. If the front gapes between the buttons at the chest, the size is too small.
• Strappy and camisole tops: the bust measurement leads. Straps should not slip off the shoulder, and the bust edge should not pull.
• Trousers and shorts: the hip measurement leads. The back seam should not strain when you sit. The waist is elastic, so the waist measurement is more forgiving.
• If you are between sizes: choose the larger size in pyjamas. Looseness never looks bad in silk; tightness shows at once.

Silk washed at high temperatures can shrink, which is why the 30°C rule matters. The steps for taking measurements are in our nightdress size guide; measurements for each piece are on its product page. Women's sets come in XS–XL, men's trousers and shorts in S–XXL.

Colour: light and use

In silk, colour changes with light; the tone you see on screen can look slightly different in daylight. Think about three things when choosing:

• Light colours (ecru, powder pink, ice blue): soft and bright. They show make-up, perfume and sweat marks sooner; let perfume and deodorant dry before you put them on.
• Dark colours (black, khaki, plum): they show marks less, so there is less to worry about in care. They look deeper in evening light.
• Red: a statement on its own. It makes a set with the red Lace Robe.

If you are building a set, choose the colour by the robe. The Lace Pyjama Set, the Lace Cami + Shorts and the Lace Robe come in the same five-colour family; when you put the robe on top, it looks like one complete outfit rather than separate pieces.

Detail and workmanship

Details set good silk pyjamas apart. Lace or piping at the collar and cuffs should turn flat and even. Buttonholes should be dense and cleanly sewn; the button should pass through without puckering the fabric. Turned inside out, the seam allowances should be enclosed and neat; silk is slippery, so poor stitching ripples at once. The turned hems on legs and edges should be fine and even.

Care: the life of your pyjamas

Pyjamas are the most often washed pieces in a silk wardrobe; the care rule sets their life. The label comes first. The general rule: wash inside out, at 30°C, by hand or in a mesh bag on a delicate cycle, with a mild detergent. No bleach or fabric softener, no rubbing, no wringing. Roll in a towel to remove water, dry in the shade on a hanger or flat; no tumble dryer. Iron on the reverse at low heat while slightly damp. The details are on the care page.