As a 1931 issue of Vogue once declared “A woman may and does wear pajamas to quite formal dinners in her own house, to other people’s dinners in town or country if you know them well, and the younger and more iconoclastic members of the female sex even wear them to the theater.”

There’s something acutely charming about donning a luxe pair of tailored loungewear to a fête; a sense of insouciance and ease in reinterpreting the ubiquitous party frock. Apart from the obvious sartorial inclinations, this trend ultimately lends itself to idle, versatile wearability.  Dress yourself comfortably for party prep, spend the night out and return home to wind down all in the same bellwether ensemble.

First brought on the scene as androgynous loungewear by iconic femmes the likes of Greta Garbo and Katharine Hepburn, a sleek set of silk, evening-intentioned pajamas has taken over modern cocktail dressing as the best new form of looking lithe, comfortable and undeniably chic.

“It’s a languid, approachable way of [interpreting] eccentricity dressing,” says Net-a-Porter’s VP of global buying, Sarah Rutson. The key, of course, is how to wear a pajama set without looking like you’re wearing, well, pajamas.

Pair them with velvet heels, as a nod, Ruston says, to the velvet slippers that are traditional men’s lounge footwear. “Stripes, florals and foulard prints, shimmering satins, and piped-edge details all add up to a fashion trend that translates as casually cool, day into evening.” says Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing.

Though surprisingly warm, take a directional styling approach by pairing your silks with a playful shirt layer, or play up the menswear vibes with a tailored jacket. Let loose and license your silken wares to take the spotlight this holiday season.

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Images courtesy of Laura Urbinati.