Sleep tight young maiden

I've been on a pajama kick lately.  It's been so cold in my house this winter that I've been sleeping in sweats but as weather gets warmer (and now the the heater is working)  I'm dying for some cute sleep/lounge wear.

Here are some wonderful victorian styled and inspired pajama's!

The Chemise 
This has been the basic style sleepwear for many century's, as well as an everyday undergarment.  It's warm, comfy and gets the job done.  Depending on your budget, you could have a number of gorgeous details on these sleeping gowns including lace, embrodiery, pintucks and gathers, flounced sleeves and ruffled edges.  They can also be worn with a bed jacket.
To avoid the 'granny gown' effect, stay away from pastel flannel.  The simple white cotton is classic, elegant and has a sort of huanting feel.  You walk down your hallway in the middle of the night and your family/roomates are sure to think your a ghost!

(above images from http://www.thistledown.on.ca/index.htm)

The Camisole and Bloomers

The term camisole can refer to a number of garments, but is usually meant to describe a type of blouse worn under the clothes but over the corset/bra, usually for modesty.  these garments also make for convinient sleep wear.  They can have be sleeveless or not, and com in a variety of styles.  Bloomers were originally created to give the 'modern woman' something modest and functional.  They didn't really take off until bicycles became popular, and thus bloomers became more necessary.  They are of course a staple of Lolita fashion as they provide modesty for our modern short hemlines and are adorable.

(above photos provided by http://www.recollections.biz/)

Brand Name Sleepwear

Many of the popular Lolita brands have and still do, carry sleepwear (sometimes called roomwear).  Each brand has had a different take on the idea and there are a lot of options out there.  A friend of mine had the innocent world pajamas and the were unspeakably adorable on her (and she says they were quite comfy).  

If your not comfortable paying brand prices for something you won't even wear outside there are alot of wonderful seamstress on livejournal and etsy who will comission equally cute and snuggly Lolita pajama sets.  In fact,  if your feeling crafty, they're not very difficult to make on your own.  Since the look of pajamas doesn't change to much, you could use almost in basic pajama pattern (and there are a lot of very easy ones out there) and Loli it up with some soft eyelet lace and well place ribbons.

Now here's a fun nighttime fact.  On a Nova special on dreams, scientist discovered that if you go to bed thinking about what you want to do in your dreams, you have a fifty percent chance of making those dreams happen.  It's a useful technique because further studies have shown that you can actually improve at activities that you have just dreamed about, with out even practicing.  It seems that your mind is especially creative when your sleeping and it gives you the opportunity to look at problems from a more abstract point of view.

Now get your beauty sleep, and make sure you go to bed with lovely thoughts!