Pajama Pants: Always a Don't

Recently I was at the mall (shocker, I know).  It was 4 p.m. and a nice sunny day.  I walked into American Eagle and was shocked at what I saw.

Cute for lounging, not for the Olive Garden

No, not shocked because the graphic T's seemed to be the EXACT same as the previous years, but shocked to see a woman in pajama pants.  That's right.  Pajama.  Pants.

I almost had a heart attack when I saw her friend with her, also sporting pajama pants.  These women, who were plus size, were wearing pajama pants (one had ducks, the other plaid), white tank tops, NO BRAS, and each had two children on leashes.  Have you ever tried to walk two dogs at once?  Now imagine walking two kids.  On leashes.  In your pajamas.

The worst part was that the multiethnic brood of children wanted to run around and touch things. (Who doesn't like to grope a manequin from time to time?)  I heard, "Chardonay!  Krissy!  Latrell!  Juan!" and thought to myself.

Oh. My. God.  It's the most ghetto snow dog team ever.  I can hear it now, "Peaches!  Johnny!  Tyrese!  Precious!  Mush! Mush!"

But I digress.

I was beyond repulsed and thought about saying something until I realized the physical and statistical odds were not in my favor.  I was perplexed.  Surely, they owned pants!  Right, right?  There are plenty of stores that make very nice clothes for plus sized girls.  Were there no jeans left in the greater Raleigh area???

Over the next few weeks, I noticed more and more women wearing pajamas in public.  Wal-mart?  Well, maybe that's expected.  Domino's?  Really, you couldn't wait until you got home to "get comfy?"

At first I thought I was only the one who had a problem with this phenomenon.  I posted something on facebook and was greeted with some serious backlash.

"You don't know how hard it is to get two kids up for school in the morning and get ready."  (Uh, maybe get up 30 seconds earlier to put on pants?)

"You don't know what it's like to gain weight."  (Perhaps hit the gym, or if that fails, buy a bigger size jeans?)

"I like to be comfy."  (I like to be naked, but I don't see me sporting a full moon while strolling through Best Buy.)

This is a pic I actually took- $20 says
she has a rom com Netflix DVD at home

I mentioned this to my co-workers, two African-American women in their late 60's.  Their reasons for hating pajamas were a bit more valid than mine.

"When we were young, it was a privilege to go to college or work.  You had to show up in pressed clothes, nylons, stockings, and an ironed blouse.  It was a way to be taken seriously," one said.

"If we showed that we respected our appearance, it showed that we cared enough about ourselves to work hard and improve ourselves," the other one said.

Aha!  OK, that was logic you can't argue with.  I mean, seriously, did Susan B. Anthony wear pajamas when holding her rallies?  Did Sandra Day O'Conner wear Victoria's Secret lounge pants with PINK on the ass when she was being sworn in to the supreme court?  Did Condoleeza Rice dictate foreign policy bra-less in a tank top and penguin flannel pants?  Did Sarah Palin.....ah, screw it, bad example.

So ladies, just remember, lots of women fought hard for the rights you take for granted.  Show some respect and put on some skinny jeans (I hear they're on sale at American Eagle).