A switch for everyday living—pajamas and loungewear. Each outfit chosen by our staff to match their lifestyle

As we go through the day, the divisions of time are something we can't actually see.

For those of us living busy modern lives, we want to spend our given time not wastefully, but actively—and sometimes to relax completely. Or perhaps, as time spent at home has increased recently, switching between "on" and "off" has become more difficult. Depending on your lifestyle, you may be one of the people facing this kind of concern.

This time, our theme is switching your daily life and mood by choosing "pajamas and loungewear" suited to your lifestyle and the season.

The right clothes for the right purpose. Why you should separate your pajamas from your loungewear

Cotton-linen roomwear with built-in cup

It's the clothes we wear that divide up our daily time and give the best performance suited to each moment. We tend to forget this, but pajamas are made so we feel no stress while sleeping, loungewear is made for moving around the house while we're awake, and going-out clothes serve the purpose of proper manners for heading outside—each is appropriately made according to its purpose.

Indeed, pajamas are made from fabric that doesn't feel unpleasant even if you sweat, while going-out clothes often have decorative details or use materials that look elegant—there are clear differences. Changing into the appropriate clothing is also necessary for keeping your daily rhythm in order. Even on a day spent entirely at home, changing into loungewear after getting out of bed resets your body and helps you feel active, keeping your daily rhythm in balance. At night, changing into pajamas right before sleep signals your body to enter "sleep mode," acting as a switch for sleep.

What's more, even after coming home and changing into a T-shirt and sweatpants, you might pick up cooking smells and stains, or pet hair from the animals you keep. In fact, your clothes get dirty even while you're just spending time at home. For this reason too, it's better to keep loungewear and pajamas separate. Saying "the right clothes for the right purpose" may sound exaggerated, but precisely because we're so affected by our surroundings, using different clothes for different purposes becomes important.

A staff comfort comparison. Which pajama and loungewear combination suits me?

At ZUTTO, too, we carry pajamas and loungewear that let you spend comfortable time at home. Our staff actually selected pajamas and loungewear to match their own lifestyles.

Staff Member S's Selection

How I spend time at home: Surfing the internet, listening to music, cooking, taking out the trash—I often step out for quick errands like this.

What I look for in loungewear: A silhouette that doesn't constrict the body. A design that can also work as "one-mile wear."

What I look for in pajamas: I'm not fond of crisp cotton. I want something where my stomach doesn't show even when I roll over in my sleep.

【Loungewear: Comfort comes first】

S: Since I spend most of my time at home, I'd say I'm particular about the comfort of my loungewear and pajamas. For loungewear, the most important thing is that it doesn't constrict the body at all. When I want to relax while listening to music or surfing the internet, I move around to various spots in the house with my laptop and headphones. I don't have one fixed spot, so being able to relax without any tightness is my top priority. What I selected as loungewear is a FilMelange T-shirt, paired with ZUTTO's original linen easy pants (petticoat pants).

S: I've had this FilMelange T-shirt for years, and I decided to make it my loungewear as-is. The jersey fabric, knitted softly on a circular knitting machine, is wonderfully soft and comfortable, and because it's tubular knit, there's no bunching at the sides. I did think it might be a bit too nice for loungewear, but since I've worn it so much as everyday clothing and have become addicted to how it feels, I decided to boldly turn it into loungewear so I can enjoy my time at home in luxury. Some ZUTTO staff members have used theirs for nearly five years, so I'm looking forward to wearing mine more and more from now on.

S: For bottoms, I chose ZUTTO's linen easy pants (petticoat pants). Even in seasons when you sweat, they feel light and refreshing to wear. There's just the right amount of room around the lower body, and the waist is tied with a drawstring, which I find very easy to use. With elastic waistbands, depending on the thickness and stretch of the elastic, they can sometimes feel bothersome while worn, but that's not an issue here. The design is nice enough that you could pair it with a blouse and leather sandals and head straight out the door—I even go out to take the trash in this outfit without any hesitation.

【Pajamas: A soft fabric that fits gently against the skin】

S: I still have a strong memory from childhood of matching crisp cotton pajamas that my parents wore as a set. I wasn't so fond of those. I always thought it would be nice to have soft, relaxing pajamas. That's when I picked up Tenyo Muho's jersey-knit cotton long-sleeve pajamas and was surprised. They're knit in the same jersey style as the FilMelange piece mentioned earlier, and they're wonderfully soft and comfortable. Jersey knit, which refers to plain-knit fabric, is thin and stretches sideways, so it apparently doesn't get in the way when you roll over in your sleep.

S: As with the loungewear mentioned earlier, in addition to the wide-legged bottoms that don't feel restrictive, the top has a relaxed drape and is long enough to cover my hips even though I'm 166cm tall. Since I'm always worried about getting chilly from day-to-day temperature swings, pajamas that keep my stomach covered even when I toss and turn at night are incredibly convenient.

Staff U's Selection

How I spend time at home: Cooking, playing the piano. I also enjoy browsing online shopping sites.

What I look for in loungewear: I like designs with just the right balance—ones that don't look sloppy even when I'm at home.

What I look for in pajamas: Since I tend to run hot, I prioritize coolness and quick-drying fabric.

[Loungewear: Relaxed × Never Forgetting a Sense of Style]

U: Even on days when I spend the whole day at home, when I wake up in the morning I want to differentiate my outfit from my pajamas, so I often choose loungewear with a bit of design flair. That said, I also want that relaxed loungewear feeling, so I look for things with just a touch of pattern or decoration, or bright colors. I'm always on the hunt for pieces with that perfect balance of design.

U: One piece I love wearing as loungewear is ZUTTO's Cotton Jacquard Pants. At first glance they look like knit pants, but since they're made from a light cotton cut-and-sew fabric, I've been wearing them since spring. Even though they're wide-leg pants, I love the Aran-pattern-like decoration and the cropped length that shows just a bit of ankle.

U: At home, I usually pair these pants with a casual T-shirt, but what's really convenient is that they don't look too "loungewear-ish" even if I step outside as is. On days when I want to dress up a little, pairing them with a shirt or accessories can take the look up a notch.

[Pajamas: Comfortable Even When You Sweat]

U: From the rainy season onward, humidity and temperature become especially bothersome. Since I run hot, I tend to choose pajamas that prioritize coolness. Smile cotton's Unisex Three-Quarter Sleeve Pajamas, Mint Gray are a real blessing for anyone who tends to overheat like me.

U: The refreshing mint gray color looks cool, and what I love most is that it's made from seersucker fabric that releases heat effectively. Since less fabric touches the skin, it feels cooler, while still giving you the reassurance of thoroughly absorbing sweat.

U: It has a collar, but the neckline opens up quite wide too, which is another point I appreciate as someone who runs hot. Since it comes in both men's and women's sizes, it's pajamas that a wide range of people can choose.

Staff M's Selection

How I spend time at home: On weekdays, I like sitting down to watch movies or TV dramas while stretching.

What I look for in loungewear: Something easy to move in on the bottom half. Since it's my own personal space above all, it has to be a design I love.

What I look for in pajamas: I wear them right after a bath and go straight into massaging myself before sleep, so zero tightness on the bottom half is essential.

[Loungewear: The Joy of Choosing Loungewear Like Picking Clothes from Your Closet]

M: When choosing this loungewear, my main point was that it simply had to be a design I love so much that I'd want to put it on the moment I get home. At home I stretch while watching movies or dramas, read books, or tidy up the room, so I prioritize ease of movement for the bottom half. For times like that, Villond's Open Collar Shirt and Linen Easy Pants are perfect to have on hand.

M: I fell in love with the design at first sight. The top is a cotton open-collar shirt, and the bottom is a linen long pant, each available in three variations, so you can mix and match to your taste. At first you might feel a bit unsure about the idea of freely choosing your own patterns and colors for a set, but every combination looks so cute that you'll want to buy multiple sets. It's refreshing and fun to be able to pick out loungewear the way you'd pick out regular clothes.

Open Collar Shirt, Gingham Check/BLUE

Open Collar Shirt, Paisley/IVORY

M: The open-collar shirt on top can be worn not only as loungewear but also as a stylish outfit. Since the length isn't too long, you can wear it as is, tuck it in, or layer it over something else. I'm the type who changes into regular clothes even just to go to the convenience store, but with this shirt, I feel like I could just switch out the bottoms and head outside. The short-sleeve open-collar shirt is cool-looking and very cute. Villond originally started as a shirt fabric maker, so the fabric really does feel sturdy and well-made.

M: These bottoms, called "easy pants," let you adjust the fit with elastic and a drawstring. The silhouette isn't too wide, so pairing them with the open-collar shirt still keeps a smart impression. Even though they're linen, they don't feel too stiff from the start—they're comfortable to wear right away. The length is a bit on the short side, so if you're taller than 160cm your ankles might show, but that just adds to the stylish look.

[Pajamas: A Stress-Free Dress-Type Pajama You Can Slip On Right After a Bath]

M: I love soaking in the bathtub for a good long while all year round, so after coming back to the changing room all warm and cozy, I somehow have trouble putting on a top and bottoms. Especially from this muggy season onward, I prefer a dress-type pajama that doesn't cling to the body.

M: After a bath, it's my daily habit to massage my legs, which get poor circulation from desk work, and a dress-type pajama is handy for that too. For the season ahead, linen is definitely what I'd recommend. The fog linen work Linen French Sleeve Night Shirt Natural has a crisp, refreshing feel that's perfect for right after a bath. It's on the longer side, but slits on the sides make it easy to move around in. When you think of pajamas, pants-type ones tend to come to mind, but simply switching to a dress-type lets you wear it with a certain elegance—that's another reason I recommend it.

Precisely because loungewear and pajamas are rarely seen by others, they're often filled with each person's own particular preferences. If you have a favorite piece, both your time at home and your time at rest are sure to become even more special.

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