Pyjamas during the day are de rigueur here. It is common to see women going about their daily business wearing a two piece suit out of cotton or polyester (the shiney kind) finished with a pair of dainty sandles and a handbag.
Sometimes just the bottoms are worn. These long shorts are very common I've even seen men wear them.
They wear them because they are cheap, comfortable, loose, cool and above all modest. Pyjamas as daywear can be seen across South East Asia and in China although not for some reason in Taiwan.
They come in all colours and patterns, some more sleep like than others.
I can't see myself wearing pyjamas to town but I understand the comfort factor. It is hot here and zips and flies, lycra and denim are not the most breathable fashion trends. Khmer women work often sitting down or squatting in a hot market for hours. An elastic waist and loose pants make life just that much easier.
7 comments:
PJ's in the day.. what a good idea :-) My next blog - when I get the photo up - will be of my daughter having a PJ day at school. They promote 'cuddle up and read' as part of their Year of the Reader theme. I'd like to live in jammies!
It's funny because I've been pondering this since arriving in Cambodia. This is the first place I've seen it though. Lop lop Cambodian styles, you gotta love it!
Oh I might just have found my Nirvana!!! PJ's all day... my kinda place.
Actually, before I left the states, the teens were all wearing pjs everywhere. Printed pj bottoms were very 'in'
They are called 'do bo' in Vietnam. Ive also seen it in rural Indonesia.
Seems it isnt just an Asian thing either apparently The Herald discussed the 'trend' in Cork and The Irish times wrote about wearing ironed not previously bed worn pyjamas in public in Dublin, Face magazine wrote about it happening in Manchester. There is even a flickr group called 'pyjamas worn in the street' with pics of the trend in Thailand although like you samesame I havent seen it there myself. Defnately can relate to the comfort factor of ones jammies tho!
Nice post! I'm so used to seeing women in PJs now that I forget when my out-of-town friends are surprised. The Expat Advisory discussed this topic too:
http://www.expat-advisory.com/cambodia/phnom-penh/pjs-are-a-khmer-girl-best-friend.php
Good article. I read one the other day in the Cambodia Daily along similar lines too. Obviously a popular topic!
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