This definitely falls under the “super weird thing I did for work” bingo square, but it was 100% voluntary (and not the weirdest thing by far, lol), I promise. So basically I believe in going to bed wearing matching pajamas (which I discovered in my mid-30s and absolutely can’t go back). It’s like how I put on an apron to cook and gear up in walking clothes the second I get out of bed. These uniforms tell your brain, “and now it’s time to cook/walk/snuggle up and sleep”. But not all are equal. I think I have some sensory issues because the level of comfort I need seems to be beyond most people. I can’t have any tight elastic, skin-side buttons, no scratchy fabrics, tags, no tugging in weird places, and yet totally breathable. And while a lot of brands have great ones (I like Target’s, J. Crew, Quince, and a lot from Anthropologie), my favorite pajamas are from The Gap (both in comfort, fit, style, and affordability). Because, you see, I like to buy 4 sets in the same color so that I don’t have to search for the one top and bottom every night. I bought a round a few years ago, and after extreme, heavy nightly use, I was ready to refresh (some had stretched out and many had gone missing).

Unsure if there were other new ones on the market since my last review I tried on a bunch from different brands again and certainly liked many, but then when I put this fabric on I sighed, “oh there it is“. And as a lifelong enthusiast (perhaps a “fun bully”), I was like, “YOU HAVE TO TRY THESE” at our last retreat when people were wearing random clothes to bed!! Many were skeptical of my enthusiasm, or perhaps felt hesitant to join the matching pajama club, led by their boss. I picture them thinking, ” Isn’t sleeping in a T-shirt just as good? Will I become a middle-aged mom faster if I dress like her?” Probably! But I was genuinely curious if this was just me, or could they share in my pajama enthusiasm? And besides, we all have different body types and styles. So let’s see what they say about my favorite pajamas (and this is totally non-sponsored, and we paid for all of the pajamas and The Gap knows nothing about this – at least not before publishing, lol).

Jess

Top (in Light Heather Grey) | Bottom (in Light Heather Grey)

Typical PJ Type: Usually an oversized T-shirt (add comfy pants if really cold).
Sizes: Small for top, Medium for bottom (as recommended by Emily for zero tightness)
Review: It’s not that I doubted Em’s enthusiasm; I just didn’t think I’d also feel so strongly. Well, I was wrong! I’ve now worn them for 4 nights and am already making sure I can clean them so I don’t have to skip a night. The fabric is so, so soft and weighted just enough while still feeling so light. I thought they would be more or less the same as the Target version I bought years ago, but again, WRONG. These are in a league of their own, and I’m already planning on getting at least one more set. The only thing I would do differently is I would get the petite-length pants. My almost 5’4″ stature is a little too short for the length of the regular size, as you can see in the photo. I might also just get a pair of shorts. 100/10!

Mallory

Top (in Navy Blue & White Stripe) | Bottom (in Navy Blue & White Stripe)

Typical PJ Type: Matching sets or a big T-shirt
Sizes: Medium for both (but sometimes go small in other kinds of PJs)
Review: These are CRAZY soft and lightweight (Em was not lying about that). I was surprised how thin and breathable they are while still being warm enough to lounge in on (California) winter nights (I can’t speak to the colder states’ winters haha! I got a Medium, and I think they fit well because there’s a drawstring, so you can loosen or tighten it to your heart’s desire, but I will say the pants are pretty long (I pulled them up pretty high, which I don’t mind), so next time I would probably order a small for that reason! I’m 5’7 for reference. Also, the cuffs at the very end of the sleeves are more structured, which I also don’t mind, but I was surprised by that:)

Gretchen

Top (in Terra Brown) | Bottom (in Terra Brown)

Typical PJ Type: T-shirt!
Sizes: XL Tall for bottoms
Review: Coming at you straight outta the sheets, with the bed head and no makeup to prove it! I am not normally a PJ person. Usually I just fall asleep in my undies and whatever T-shirt I had on that day. I’ve never been someone who needed a matching top and bottom for bed, let alone a separate outfit just for sleeping. But Em told us that these Gap PJs could convince me otherwise. And well, consider me convinced! Never in my LIFE have I felt or worn something THIS soft. Holy crap. I am genuinely in love with the material. It is so stretchy and roomy and cozy, and I really don’t want to take these off. They feel like butter against my skin and truly do add that special something to my sleep experience. I definitely felt cozier last night wearing these. I bought an XL top (normally a L in Gap stuff), and I’m really happy with the fit, where it hits and how it drapes on my body. My only regret is that I opted for an XL Tall in the pants and really didn’t need to. I’m 5’9″, and while they definitely work fine for me as is, what you don’t see is the waistband hiked all the way up to almost my underboob. Whoops! But with fabric this soft and smooth, I am not complaining. I want a head-to-toe bodysuit in this material!

Marlee

Top (in Tonal Blue Stripe) | Bottom (in Tonal Blue Stripe)

Typical PJ Type: Usually I wear an oversized T-shirt and underwear to bed
Sizes: Small for both
Review: This is gonna be really thorough, but stick with me: I would like to preface this review by saying that when it comes to clothes, I am probably the most “sensory-sensitive” person I know. When Em pitched these pajamas to me (which was over a year ago at this point), I was not sold. I hate getting hot when I sleep; I HATE when you’re wearing sweatpants and they get all bunched up on your leg, and I’ve honestly just never been a matching set person (not aesthetically, just because the idea of buying 2 items just so they match felt like a waste of $$$). I probably haven’t owned matching pajamas since my mom bought me Hanna Anderson PJs as a kid. When I tried these on, I was actually very excited to wear them for lounging around the house. They’re definitely softer than any other loungewear I own, so as I was cozying up in them the first night, I was like, “okay, maybe Em is on to something.” Now, when it came to sleeping in them… omg.  First, these were 1000x softer on my skin than my scratchy cheap Target sheets…it was like heaven. Second, my bedroom gets very cold, and I loved being able to have my arms out from under the duvet without freezing. Third, and most importantly, these pajamas are so lightweight that you almost feel naked…so even if they were bunching up on my leg as I tossed around in my sleep, it wasn’t bothering me because the fabric is so thin and soft. I’m a stomach sleeper, so I was also concerned that the buttons were going to hurt pressing on my torso, but it didn’t bother me at all. Also, I felt really cute in my matching set. This is going to sound really nutty, but these pajamas have me questioning everything I ever thought about myself. I’m already thinking about a holiday pair… now for my only complaint. The band around the wrist is not stretchy like the rest of the pajamas. This isn’t uncomfortable at all or really even a problem; I just kind of like stretching the sleeves up around my hands sometimes, and you can’t do that with them. But overall, I might be a matching pajama person now. Thank you, Em, for enlightening me and buying them for us (because I wouldn’t have bought them for myself, but I might now).

Arlyn

Top (in Pink & Red Stripe) | Bottom (in Pink & Red Stripe)

Typical PJ Type: Oversized T-shirt and undies. For a while, I did the whole matching set thing, but it’s hard for me to sleep with pants on because I get hot but also overstimulated by the feeling of anything twisting around my body. I can maybe do shorts sometimes if I’m at someone’s house, but I tend to take them off and just chuck them by my bedside until morning. In winter, when it’s chilly, I might sleep with a long-sleeve top from one of my old sets…maybe.
Sizes: XL Regular for both top and bottoms (I would have preferred petite, but they only went up to a large, bummer)
Review: I owned a pair of these modal Gap PJs maybe a decade ago (again, back in my matching PJ set days), but I forgot how soft they were. Since then, I’ve owned other modal pajama sets, which I wore mostly through my pregnancy and early postpartum days, but those were a thicker fabric. At first I thought I preferred that, but after wearing these around the house for a day or two, I can say the “light as air” feeling is far better. I do wish I had sized down on the pants to a Large (I typically wear a 16 in pants), but maybe then it wouldn’t feel like the fabric was just skimming my skin. The XL fits, but they are a bit roomy. I’ll admit that I haven’t slept in these. I know what I like to get shut-eye in, and at the moment, it’s not a full get-up. BUT, I love that I have these to wear around the house for myself, and if we have guests staying over. Typically, I look fairly unkempt with my mix-and-match ratty T-shirt and whatever sweatpants I manage to pull on to go down into the kitchen. But now I feel like a Christmas elf! My biggest holdup with button-down sleep shirts is that the holes always seem to enlarge, and I end up with half my chest hanging out unexpectedly while sleeping because it all comes undone. From my memory, these were much better at staying closed, though I haven’t worn them long enough to know whether they’ll still ::ahem:: keep you decent.

Kaitlin

Top (in Tonal Blue Stripe) | Bottom (in Tonal Blue Stripe)

Typical PJ Type: Sweats and a T-Shirt
Sizes: small in the pants and medium TALL in the shirt
Review: I’ve been wearing pretty much the same pajamas for as long as I can remember. In the colder months, it’s Le Bon Shoppe Sweats with a T-shirt or sweatshirt, and in the warmer months, shorts and a tank top. There was a brief period during both of my pregnancies when I got really into nightgowns, but I have never been a pajama set gal. So, when the EHD crew started talking about the Sisterhood of the Traveling PJs on our shoot last week, I knew I needed in. The fabric is lightweight and stretchy without feeling too tight or cheap. We sleep with our bedroom window open or the fan on most of the time, and these jams keep me comfortable without being too, too warm. Also, before the EHD crew sent me this set, I had already ordered the kids’ version for my daughter’s birthday. The fabric isn’t quite as nice as the adult version, but they’re still really cute, and she loves that we can match 🙂 Okay, sizing! I’m pretty particular about shirt lengths. I either want a fairly cropped shirt or one that’s long enough to cover my butt. Anything in between is a no-go for me. I know they’re just PJs, but I knew I wouldn’t wear them if I didn’t like the way I felt in them. I went with a small in the pants (love that they have a drawstring!) and a medium TALL in the shirt. If you’re like me and prefer a longer top, I’d definitely recommend going with the tall. For reference, I’d typically wear an XS/small in tops and a small in bottoms.

It’s Em again:) Well, there you have it! I feel very good about my “fun bullying” and maybe changed some pajama hearts with my most favorite pajamas. Sadly, Caitlin had an address mishap with hers, but she still says she wants to try them after everyone said how much they loved them. Anyone else curious or have thoughts? Are any of you matching set enthusiasts like me? xx