5.07.2006
Pajama jammy jam.
Since I've been in China, I've managed to snap pictures of most of the more, shall we say, "unique" fashion decisions made by some of the people around here, including the famous full-face visors (FFVs); the sexy shirt roll; and, of course, the always fashionable sun cape. However, I'd never been able to get a good picture of what is perhaps the oddest fashion choice you see around here: the pajama stroll.
(Side note: Strangely enough, even thought it's been really sunny here lately, I have yet to see anyone wearing a cape. I wonder if there's some kind of cape rule I don't know about, like you can only wear capes after May 15 or something? I guess I'll find out. I did see my first full-face visor of the season the other day though, so the capes must be coming.)
The pajama stroll is just what you think it is: people walking around town in their pajamas, usually at night, although you could sometimes see it in the morning as well. In Beijing, for example, we would usually pass by five or six couples walking around town in their flannelled-best when we walked home from dinner. Well, probably cotton actually--it was summer, after all. Why anyone does this I have no idea, although I guess if you're home for the day and have already eaten dinner, why not put your pajamas on and go for a walk? Personally, I'd think you'd wait until after the walk before moving on to the pajama portion of the evening, but different strokes, different folks, and all that.
Anyway, for whatever reason, pajama people just don't seem to be as common in Shanghai, and when we have seen them, I hadn't had my camera with me. Until last Wednesday, when I was sitting around outside the fabric market with my camera in hand and this woman was kind enough to walk by:
Nice outfit, don't you think? I'm not sure what the weirdest part is: that she decided to put on nice shoes and a visor to go outside but leave on the pajamas; or that she's wearing her pajamas around despite the fact it's after ten AM, sunny, and seventy-five degrees. Then again, maybe--like whether the chicken or the egg came first, or whether or not Adam and Eve had navels--that's one of those questions you just can't answer. Probably that's the case ...
(Side note: Strangely enough, even thought it's been really sunny here lately, I have yet to see anyone wearing a cape. I wonder if there's some kind of cape rule I don't know about, like you can only wear capes after May 15 or something? I guess I'll find out. I did see my first full-face visor of the season the other day though, so the capes must be coming.)
The pajama stroll is just what you think it is: people walking around town in their pajamas, usually at night, although you could sometimes see it in the morning as well. In Beijing, for example, we would usually pass by five or six couples walking around town in their flannelled-best when we walked home from dinner. Well, probably cotton actually--it was summer, after all. Why anyone does this I have no idea, although I guess if you're home for the day and have already eaten dinner, why not put your pajamas on and go for a walk? Personally, I'd think you'd wait until after the walk before moving on to the pajama portion of the evening, but different strokes, different folks, and all that.
Anyway, for whatever reason, pajama people just don't seem to be as common in Shanghai, and when we have seen them, I hadn't had my camera with me. Until last Wednesday, when I was sitting around outside the fabric market with my camera in hand and this woman was kind enough to walk by:
Nice outfit, don't you think? I'm not sure what the weirdest part is: that she decided to put on nice shoes and a visor to go outside but leave on the pajamas; or that she's wearing her pajamas around despite the fact it's after ten AM, sunny, and seventy-five degrees. Then again, maybe--like whether the chicken or the egg came first, or whether or not Adam and Eve had navels--that's one of those questions you just can't answer. Probably that's the case ...
