The British menswear journalist Aleks Cvetkovic on why he’ll be spending the rest of winter huddling by the fire in our finest spun silk sleepwear.
Words by Aleks Cvetkovic, Photography by Agatha Torrance
There are some things in a man’s wardrobe so luxuriant that slipping them on never fails to be anything but an absolute treat.
Beautifully made pyjamas, cut from indulgent cloths, fit firmly into this category – and none more so than Budd Shirtmakers. The brand has been making luxury British pyjamas since before I was in knee socks, but I first cottoned onto them a couple of years ago, following two visits to Budd’s charming Piccadilly Arcade shop for fittings on a bespoke safari shirt. They’ve been a mainstay of my lazy day wardrobe ever since.
Unsurprisingly, as a self-employed writer I spend a good deal of time enjoying ‘lazy days’ in pyjamas, sitting and scribbling (or prevaricating) en maison, wondering when a blissful Bohemian life where the flat isn’t freezing and I don’t have to pay electricity bills is going to materialise. While I do, I’m inevitably dressed in a velvet house coat and Budd’s cream or navy spun silk pyjamas. They’re comfortable and chic in equal measure – and pull-off the clever trick of helping you to feel like you’ve made at least some effort, even while you recline at home. See Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread for proof.
The philosophy behind Budd’s pyjamas is simple; the best fabrics (whether that’s soft Batiste cotton, Cashmerello or English spun silk) cut to a traditional pattern by a craftsman who’s made pyjamas for decades. Budd favours a classic style for its PJs, all of which are styled with a soft open collar, handy breast pocket, piped lapels, high-waisted drawstring trousers and finished with real mother-of-pearl buttons.
Quite apart from enjoying them about the house, they’re also surprisingly wearable. So much so that with a coat thrown over the top and some penny loafers beneath, you’ll be more than presentable enough to venture out for a bottle of milk or a loaf of bread on a Saturday morning. Play your cards right and you might even draw an admiring look or two at the checkout, rakishly clad as you’ll be.
Moreover, in warm weather, Budd’s silk pyjama shirts are as good as fashionable camp collar shirts, and tucked into a pair of pleated tailored trousers à la Richard Biedul, you’ll more than get away with wearing them around town. This may sound brash, but you’ll look the business if you dare to try it.
There’s another very good reason to treat yourself to at least one pair of pyjamas in Cashmerello for winter and one pair in spun silk for summer; they’re something to be enjoyed solely by you. To be worn at home, for your own satisfaction, at hearty family breakfasts or on relaxed afternoons reading the papers. They’re an indulgence, yes, but an eminently pleasurable one.
As for me? Well, if my taste in Budd pyjamas means I must inhabit a freezing flat, so be it. They’re worth every penny.
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