In the past couple of years, pajama pants have gone from occasional spirit day attire to everyday school outfits. With this rise in popularity, a debate has arisen: are PJ-wearers smart for choosing comfort or are they simply not putting in effort to looking presentable?
Senior Sam Goldman, known for his dressy style—you can usually find him on campus in a trenchcoat—believes teachers pay less attention to what students wear than what students might assume. “There are so many students who wear pajamas to school that I doubt a teacher would really be able to discriminate,” he said.
Goldman did point out that pajamas—especially M-A-branded ones—can limit individuality. “Most people who do wear pajamas to school just wear the M-A brand and don’t have a varied wardrobe of PJs,” he said.
English teacher Elizabeth Kaufman thinks student comfort is more important than strict clothing rules. “If wearing PJs helps a student feel comfortable, then it may be helpful, but if getting dressed for the day helps a student feel their best self, then that might also be helpful,” she said.
“I think teachers judge people who wear pajamas because they think that you’re slacking,” freshman Kevan Kavusi, an avid pajama-wearer, said.
Sophomore Alexia Sanchez Jara supports wearing PJs because they benefit her learning. “It makes it easier to learn when you are comfortable,” she said.
Junior Nadia Sharif agrees, but she doesn’t get to wear pajamas to school. “My mom doesn’t let me because she thinks it looks cheap,” she said.
Maybe there’s not a winning side in the pajama pants debate. Both students and teachers agree: the best school outfit is whatever helps you focus and learn.
