Pajamas are the national dress of Pakistan, and both men and women wear pajamas all day, every day, all seasons, all events, pajamas are the preferred dress. Men's pajamas tend to come in a few basic colors, beige, light blue, brown, black and white. Women's pajamas come in bright patterns and colors and are worn with a contrasting scarf. For summer, the pajamas are made of very lightweight cotton fabrics. I'm not sure, but there may be a heavier winter version too.
The official name for pajamas is Shalwar Kameez, traditional dress worn by both women and men in South and Central Asia. Shalwar or salwar are loose pajama-like trousers. Officially, the legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the ankle, (although my pajamas do not have this option) and have either an elastic band or drawstring waist. So, no worries about whether or not it would be ok to eat that second piece of cake. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic. The side seams (known as the chaak), are left open below the waist to give the wearer greater freedom of movement. The kameez generally falls below the knee.
When women wear the shalwar kameez, they usually wear a long scarf or shawl called a dupatta around the head or neck. For Muslim women, the dupatta is a less oppressive alternative to the chador, burqa, hijab or purdah. For Sikh and Hindu women (especially those from northern India, where the salwar kameez is most popular), the dupatta is useful when the head must be covered, as in a Gurdwara or a Temple, or the presence of elders. For most women I see here, the dupatta is simply a stylish accessory that can be worn over one shoulder or draped around the chest and over both shoulders.
When I first arrived here in April, I was surprised at the number of western women wearing pajamas to work. Why, I wondered, are you wearing other peoples pajamas? I couldn't help but think they looked a little silly, and really did not think the day would come when I would seriously consider wearing pajamas in public. But, as it is simply not possible to wear shorts in public and as the weather got hotter, I became more and more uncomfortable wearing heavy jeans or cotton pants and long sleeved tops.
So reluctantly, one day I mentioned this to a friend who is a local Pakistani. She generously offered to buy some fabric for me and introduce me to a tailor who could make my pajamas. Still a bit skeptical of this idea, I reluctantly visited the tailor a few days later, my 5 new brightly colored fabric bundles in hand, and he patiently took my measurements and told me the garments would be ready in a few days. He works out of the back room of someone's house, sits on the floor all day and works with a 1900's style sewing machine that was electrified at some point, and irons things flat on the floor. That's his shop and that's the way he does it, and I've since realized thats how they all do it. Work tables and task lights? Fuggedaboutit. Don't need no tables, the floor will be just fine, thank you very much. He charged the equivalent of about $12 for each pair of pajamas, custom designed and sized for me. The light cotton fabric for 5 pair was about $30 total, so my pajamas were a pretty inexpensive wardrobe addition.
A few days later I had my own custom made pajamas, but still couldn't bring myself to put them on and wear them outside as I felt silly wearing what felt like other peoples clothes. A month later, I was traveling to Dubai. In considering what to bring, pajamas seemed the perfect attire for traveling through the conservative Muslim airports and in the shops and on the blazing hot streets. On the morning of departure, I fearlessly threw on my favorite pajamas and off I went. My friend Kelley said she liked my pajamas, but really, I think she was just being nice.
These pajamas did turn out to be a good choice for Dubai, as they were conservative enough to be worn anywhere and the cool lightweight cotton was appropriate in the brutal heat.
Since I have five pair, I thought you'd like to see them. The first pair are my happy pajamas. They are a bright fabric pattern and artistically sewn to look like they have a vest on them.
The second pair are my demure afternoon tea party pajamas. The most conservative of the prints, they are a soft mango color and don't give me a headache looking at them.
The third pair are my conservative business-meeting pajamas. Done in serious grey color, they are suitable for meetings with any foreign diplomat. At least that's what the tailor said.
The fourth pair are my sleeveless pajamas, and they also have an open front, which makes me a little uncomfortable. They are a little racy, so maybe I would wear them to a cocktail party, if we had cocktails here, which we do not. So I'm not sure when they will make their debut.
And finally, the fifth pair have a pattern that is just a little too bright and out there for me. They also have a back made of some contrasting fabric. My blood pressure goes up if I look at them for too long, so probably won't wear them unless it is going to be a very dark night.
So there you go. These are my pajamas and it is ok to wear them to work.
