Now that I'm doing the Sleep Challenge with Arianna Huffington
I knew I had probably taken the laid-back vibe at bedtime a little too far, however, after my husband and I saw the hilarious Flight of the Conchords episode in which Jemaine sings the amorous song "Business Time" to his imaginary wife. (Watch it here -- you won't be sorry.) She's completely uninterested and wearing, as he sings it, "that same old ugly baggy T-shirt with the stain on it that you got from that team-building exercise you did for your old work several years ago." Wait, had I become that woman, in her "Team Building Exercise '99" T-shirt? Apparently yes, because my husband promptly bought me one from the show's website, as if to suggest that it might be an improvement over my usual choices.
So, in the interests of giving myself another reason to look forward to bedtime, I'm trying to upgrade.
Some random observations:
Beach cover-up dresses make terrific nightgowns. They're loose, comfy, chic ... and yet they don't have that awful frilly nightgown vibe, for those of you who are allergic to that. I have a great floor-length one from Juicy Couture I wear constantly.
Basic black slips are a great solution, too -- you can sleep in them and then, bonus, the one time of year when you need a full slip to go under a dress you're set. HANRO and Hanky Panky both make nice simple short straight versions.
Perfume for bed is not just for crazy people. (Or for Marilyn Monroe, who famously said, "What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No. 5, of course.") On glamour.com, surprising numbers of readers say they go to bed in it. (Miss Dior Cherie is a favorite choice). I like lavender body spray, because it smells good and because health experts say lavender is sleep-inducing. I should caution you that one glamour.com reader's husband fled to the couch after she over-spritzed her scent, so douse with caution.
In case you're wondering about the whole underwear-or-not debate, I'm not going there, but some medical experts say commando is healthiest -- which is good, because polls show that's how most women sleep anyway.
Whatever you wear (or don't), the idea is to make going to bed somewhat fun and worth doing. So tell me: What do you wear to sleep? Would it shock the people who only know the daytime you? And has anyone else ever slept in their workout gear? Plus, see our picks for sexy and sporty PJs here
P.S.: For the hundreds of you who responded to my last post about the most embarrassing places you've ever fallen asleep: Oh, my! The shower? Your wedding? The back of a moped?! Thank you for your honesty, and please, take the Sleep Challenge
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