LET’S TALK : Wear nice pj’s ? In your dreams

Man. The special / designated days they come up with seem to have no end.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a National Neck-Rolling Day, National Tell Off Your Boss (and Darn the Consequences ) Day, National Overspend Day, National Watch Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Day or National Bug-Zapper Watching Day. (And, well, yes, I checked to see if those days did, in fact, already exist. )

Anyhoo, I just found out that there’s such a thing as National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. It’s coming up April 18, right after Tax Doomsday.

The guess is that you bankers, lawyers and restaurant servers will not be allowed to partake. You docs and other health-care workers may be able to pull it off; scrubs look like pj’s anyway. You in the arty-type professions, the ones who get to dress Early Cyndi Lauper every day ? Maybe. And you guys who work from home ? You wear your pj’s to work anyway.

Anyhoo, this tad-early notification of NWYPTW Day is to allow you time to commence at least trying to get your bosses to allow you to schlep to work in your holey old football jersey, workout-turned-sleeping shorts, and mismatched socks.

“But wait a minute,” you might be saying. “We have to wear ‘nicey-nice’ pajamas if we opt to do this ? Modest, non-see-through, perhaps even upscale ensembles complete with silky / Egyptian cotton robes and fancy / Father Knows Best slippers ?”

Sleepyheads. com suggests you do. A “rep” from the online retailer’s public-relations company sent the e-release that alerted me to the existence of NWYPTW Day.
“The bad news: April 17, 2006 your taxes are due. The good news: April 18, 2006 is National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day,” the e-release reads. “What better way to relax and unwind after a stressful season than by wearing a pair of plush, comfy pajamas to the office ?” Of course, Sleepyheads. com — “your cozy place on the Web for hip, trendy PJs, slippers, [and ] robes” — stands ready to supply those pajamas. The e-release touted the company’s luxury sleepwear line: Frankie & Johnny, whose retro-print pj’s range from $ 28. 95 to $ 79.

Cute stuff. But what if you can’t remember the last time you purchased a pair of classic, shirt-and-trousers pj’s because shopping for and purchasing pj’s just seems to be an awful lot of trouble to which to go for attire that you, your significant other, your kids and / or pets will most likely drool on while you sleep ? Besides, it’s tax time. You’re definitely too broke to buy new pj’s to celebrate such a distinguished day.

That brings you back to what you really wear to bed, which ranges anywhere from the aforementioned holey jersey-shortssocks ensemble to, well, your birthday suit. And chances are, there won’t be a National Wear Nothing to Work Day coming anytime soon.
Which means that when it comes to NWYPTW Day, you’re in exactly the same boat in which you find yourself on all the Wear Your Regular Stuff to Work Day or Sunday Go to Church Day, or Go to the Cocktail Party After Work Day or Go to the Ballet That Evening Day. Instead of relaxing and unwinding, you’re still stressed out because of having nothing to wear.

Oh well. If you can’t or won’t buy from Sleepyheads. com — and neither man nor beast outside your home needs to see you in your regular sleepwear — you can always wait until August and opt for National Underwear Day.

NUD was begun, and is touted, by another online retailer, Freshpair. com. The good thing about it is, you can easily wear the underwear you already own (we hope ) — just make sure it’s clean in case you’re in an accident.

Now, that’s relaxin’ and unwindin’. Brush your teeth, say your prayers and e-mail: hwilliams@arkansasonline.com