Hello ruminators.

Today we are having a conversation about preparing breakfast in your pyjamas, either in a communal kitchen, hotel or for your visitors. Is it a Yes or a No?

The year 2022 brought with it a lot of changes in my life, my varsity life to be exact. I now share spaces with many people, in kitchens and bathrooms. I can’t help but notice that people come to the kitchen wearing their pyjamas, sleeping gowns, bonnets, doeks, onesies and bathrobes. Personally, I don’t go to the kitchen in my pyjamas nor do I prepare breakfast while in my pyjamas no matter how early in the morning it is.

Seeing people make food in their pyjamas makes me think that:

1.  You haven’t brushed your teeth and are still in your funk, which is contrary to the basic etiquette upon having breakfast. And it’s definitely not waking up and shooting straight to the kitchen and interacting with other people in communal areas before cleaning yourself up.

2.  You haven’t cleaned your cracks (izintongo). When I was growing up, prior to having breakfast at my grandmother’s house and in my household, we brushed our teeth in the mornings, washed our faces with soap and water, applied Vaseline and got out of our pyjamas. My grandmother calls it ukuphondla (That’s a Zulu word for washing one’s face). That’s how we do it. Imagine someone wiping cracks from their eyes or scratching their ears while preparing breakfast? 
Definitely not a good sight. It surely doesn’t make one look quite presentable when preparing food.

Breakfast in bed is one thing but taking our bed to breakfast is something I don’t align with. I understand that ‘jammies’  are cosy and comfortable but after washing your face and getting cleaned up that’s where athleisure wear or simply loungewear as a lot of people may call it comes in. Athleisure wear includes your sweaters, sweat pants, leggings, and t-shirt dresses. These clothes are as cosy and comfortable as pj’s. They also don’t require much effort to put on, especially if you are in a hurry to go to the kitchen, make food and trek back to your room. Another benefit of loungewear is that it can be worn in public because it is not sleepwear. It is a great alternative to pyjamas when working or studying from home and lounging around lazily in the house.

We are by no means expecting people to dress up upon heading for breakfast as it is a very brief moment, but your loungewear is the perfect alternative to pyjamas.

Please let me know what you think of wearing pyjamas when preparing breakfast for yourself or other people?

Love, Katli