How to Make Perfect Fitting Pajama Bottoms

Up until the late 1800’s, standard sleeping attire in western culture was essentially a long shirt referred to as a nightgown. British colonialists discovered the loose fitting pants worn by people in India, called pyjama, a word of Persian origin which means “leg garment.” As they were known to do, the British brought back this part of Indian culture to England and the loose pants began to be worn as a lounging garment. Eventually, the pajama pant and top took over as sleep wear in favor of nightgowns and soon, the whole ensemble was referred to collectively as pajamas.

Since their introduction into western culture, pajamas have gone through numerous fashion phases. Starting with the traditional button up shirt and loose pants, pajamas soon transitioned to include footed onesies meant to be warmer in winter time with the signature butt flap to easily take care of nighttime business. Women’s pajamas began taking more fashionable and less functional turns with the introduction of the baby doll, a tunic-length top with bloomer-like shorts underneath. The many transitions of the pajamas have led to the wide variety of sleep wear options we have today.

If you like this pajama pattern, find similar sewing projects in How to Make Pajamas: 8 Free Pajama Ideas.