For most of us, even those who love these icy cold months, there is no season that calls for hunkering down inside and staying roasty-toasty quite like winter. It just seems natural to get our inner grizzly bear on and hibernate - at least come evenings and weekends - from November to March (or April/May, if you live in most parts of Canada!).
Tony and I love to do just that on our rare days off as snowflakes whirl around outside like giant handfuls of confetti, settle in for movie marathons, TV series binges (how did any of us get by on that front with out Netflix? :)), games of scrabble and long, delightfully leisurely hours of reading (he, usually, on his Kindle, I - die hard traditionalist - with a good, old fashioned paper book in hand).
This winter I've had the immense pleasure of spending many of those care-free, much needed moments of relaxation in a pair of fabulous Aubrey Pajamas that I received as a review gift last year from vintage inspired loungewear company Maddy James (who you may remember from this April 2014 interview post with the company's founder, Gina).
As I discussed in that post, Maddy James' timelessly classic, highly vintage inspired sleep and lounge wear fills a major void in the vintage reproduction/vintage inspired world - that of beautiful old school approved attire for our downtime at home (not to mention when one is traveling and comfort because an even more important issue while living out of a suitcase).
The Aubrey pajama set (pictured above) is truly charming and very well constructed - not to mention as comfortable as a winter cloud. The short sleeve top is made from lightweight viscose rayon and trimmed with cotton on the adorable fluttery sleeves. The pants - an area where I often run into issues due to the fact that it's challenging for me to wear tight things for long periods on my mid-section due to some of my medical conditions - are fantastic and a million miles away from being tight (due to the waistband, I mean) or hard to sport for hours or even full days at a time. They're made of 100% cotton, are flat front and sport a very easy to get along with elastic back.
Like most of the best pj's out, I find that this two-piece 1940s style set only gets softer with each washing and having lived in frequently for for a few months now, I can honestly say that they've held up superbly after many wearings and washes. I love that this sleepwear set can work all year round. During the chilly winter months I do top it with a robe or cardigan sometimes for extra warmth, but its combo of short sleeves and long pants mean that it will be perfect on its own for the other three seasons, which I can't say of most other lighter or heavier weight/long sleeved pj sets.
The Aubrey pajamas, which are available in two colours (purple and blue) retail for $70.00 US and are worth every penny (and then some!) in my books. They're truly comfortable, highly becoming (which is not something that can be said of all sleep or lounge wear in the slightest) and wonderfully mid-century looking.
In addition to this fun set of forties style pj's, Maddy James, an American based company that just started last year, sells a great selection of other vintage appropriate lounge and sleepwear with pieces to suit the tastes, moods, and lifestyles of many early to mid-century fashionistas (and of course, their timeless beauty makes them ideal for those who are fans of contemporary garments as well).
Nightgowns in lux, completely Jean Harlow worthy fabrics and cuts, pajamas so soft and comfy you may never want to take them off, robes that exude glamour and sophistication at every turn, and cute, fun separates that suit summer's heat especially well, round out the current list of Maddy James offerings. Many (if not all!) of which I know any of us would love to add to our lounge and sleepwear wardrobe (thank you can do just that from ordering directly from Maddy James’ online shop).
{The unendingly sophisticated Cynthia Breakfast Coat from Maddy James' line of robes. Image, along with that of the Aubrey pajama set above, via Maddy James' website.}
I would personally place Maddy James' offerings at high up on the quality scale and adore that this US based brand is offering women the the ability to bring a heart dose of yesteryear off-duty style into their vintage or 21st century wardrobes alike (at present Maddy James offers small to XL sizes, as well as plus sizes for some of their garments). My Aubrey pajama set came with us to Vancouver Island last fall and has seen more play since I received it (thank you so much for the awesome review gift, Gina) than any other loungewear in my wardrobe, hands down.
From their classic Hollywood sophistication to their soft-as-a-feather materials and top-notch construction, Maddy James' pieces are the kind of lux, own it for years (if not forever!) sleep and loungewear that any old school loving lady's wardrobe needs.
Trust me, I'm honest-to-goodness sporting my Aubrey pj's as I type this. You'll live in anything and everything you receive from Maddy James and wonder how your at home leisure hours ever got by without these stylish sleepwear offerings.
