By giving students another outfit option to wear to school, PJ pants have been a staple piece for students who want to feel at home while doing their work.
For freshman Leah Kane, PJ pants are a part of her “go-to outfit” when waking up late, and encourages others to have the same back-up plan.
“I think [PJ pants] are great. I like that people can be comfortable and pretty stylish,” Kane said. “ I know some schools are banning them, but that is kind of a waste of rules because I do not think wearing PJ pants can affect you that much.”
Some stores, such as Aerie, have been advertising their pajama pants as something people can wear in public, providing PJ pants with patterns that Kane believes are “stylish.”
For senior Carlotta Gomez-Coll, who is a Spanish exchange student, wearing casual clothing at school is much more acceptable in the U.S. than in Spain.
“We were not allowed to wear PJ pants at my old school in Spain, but in Europe it is really normal to wear jeans and be dressed up fancy,” Gomez-Coll said.
Gomez-Coll said the rule could be there for a number of reasons, but she thinks the main reason is wanting students to be “a little more presentable.”
Over the years, the claim has been made that PJ pants in an educational setting is unprofessional.
Kane argues that if students are required to “go to school and learn,” they should be able to choose to be comfortable.
Wellness teacher Chris Nenstiel said PJ pants should not be considered an issue, and is not any different from wearing sweatpants or other loungewear items.
“Of the things that kids wear to school, that is one of the lesser issues,” Nenstiel said. “I also think that when kids are more comfortable, they tend to be a little bit more engaged and tend to pay attention more. Others may argue [against] that, but I really do think that comfort is important.”
During school spirit weeks, PJ days are almost always included.
Kane said that she does not see a substantial difference in what is worn for PJ days versus normal days because of “how many students wear these pants anyway.”
While many agree that PJ pants do not have an impact on students’ learning, some believe that it can affect how they perform.
“For me, because I usually tend to wear PJ pants when I am at home and want to be comfy. It makes me feel like I am about to go to sleep or just relax, which can sometimes make me less productive in school,” freshman Catherine Descher said.
For Descher, when she puts more thought into her outfits for school, it makes her feel ready and prepared for the day.
“Most [students] just want to be comfortable. They’re not happy that they are awake but at least they’re here and engaged for the most part. So if that is what they are wearing to be comfortable, sure,” Nenstiel said.