Source for custom made pajamas

"The brute covers himself, the rich man and the fop adorn themselves, the elegant man dresses!"

-Honore de Balzac

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mrwynn
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Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:09 pm

I was wondering if anyone knew of a good maker of custom pajamas here in New York? I will be supplying my own cloth so I will assume that will rule out any of the bigger names.
alden
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Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:22 pm

Normally, your shirtmaker will make your PJs.
mrwynn
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Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:33 pm

Yes, only the dilemma is that the shirtmakers I have worked with will not use material I supply.
Mark Seitelman
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Tue Dec 20, 2005 2:23 am

We're planning a trip to Cego, and we'll inquire.
AlexanderKabbaz
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Mon Jan 02, 2006 12:26 am

Yes, only the dilemma is that the shirtmakers I have worked with will not use material I supply.
They might perhaps accomodate if they knew that the cloth was of a top quality from a reputable mill and that you weren't supplying it for the purpose of reducing their price.. No shirtmaker wants to be held responsible for your kneecaps showing when the fabric shrinks too much. Additionally, there is virtually no profit for a shirtmaker when they venture into pajama making as doing so turns all of their normal procedures inside out.
mrwynn
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Mon Jan 02, 2006 4:36 am

I will continue my search and try your suggestion. I actually want to try something a little odd with this project. I happen to have some very cool to the touch S150's wool that might be interesting as pajamas, or horrible! Only one way to find out. I was actually inspired by a post of yours discussing the use of fine wool in dress shirts.
ThomasG
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Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:51 am

mrwynn wrote: S150's wool that might be interesting as pajamas, or horrible!
I have pajamas made of cotton, linen and silk but none made of wool. None the less, I shall be interested in the results of your experiment.
AlexanderKabbaz
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Tue Jan 03, 2006 12:42 am

I will continue my search and try your suggestion. I actually want to try something a little odd with this project. I happen to have some very cool to the touch S150's wool that might be interesting as pajamas, or horrible! Only one way to find out. I was actually inspired by a post of yours discussing the use of fine wool in dress shirts.
I have a suggestion - which most seem to hate every time I make it. Bespoke tailors specialize in producing very similar suits/coats/waistcoats for each client each time with changes to few or many styling details. Shirtmakers specialize in producing very similar shirts/robes/boxers/waistcoats for each client each time with changes to few or many styling details. Hence, neither is particularly focused on pajamas, call for which is few and far between.

There is, however, one type of excellent bespoke artisan whose specialty is making single, different garments each time. That artisan is the dressmaker. Due to weddings - an event not restricted to major urban areas - being their "bread and butter", there are dressmakers in many smaller towns as well. My suggestion would be for you to find a Vogue pattern for men's pajamas and try having them made by a dressmaker. Caution: experiment with a set in good cotton before consigning your Super 150s to the shears.

BTW, IMHO you are going to sweat your **** off. Here's why: Fine wool (lawn) for dress shirts usually has a very low yarn count - kind of 'gauzy', as it were. As such, it breathes. The denser cashmeres and woolens used for shirtjackets and casual shirts come with a built-in venting system: the open collar. Located at the top of the shirt, this permits the heat to naturally rise out of the shirt. Most Supers, however, are densely woven. Though the top may breathe, the pajama pants are "sealed" at the waist to which the heat will attempt to rise. It will have no escape save the pores of your skin.

You can test this in advance. Take a 1.5 metre cut of your Super 150s. Fashion it, using a regular belt, into an ankle length wraparound "skirt" one evening at home. Wear it for a while.

Note: Make sure you cut the test length as long as the pajama pants pattern plus a bit so that the pajamas (or suit trousers should you change your mind) can be cut from the piece.
mrwynn
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Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:23 pm

Well, I have a confession to make, I don't actually wear pajamas! At least to sleep in. I was thinking of this project as more of a lounge "suit". You see, I have a number of lengths (short) of S-150's sourced from Trabaldo Tegna for a project at work that has since been cancelled, leaving me with a fair bit of material. They are all black and a touch dull for making into a suit, after all, how many black suits does one need?

I have been thinking a lot about the idea of comfort and how to apply luxury materials to less structured garments than a tailored suit. Who knows, it could be disastrous or it could be sublime. Only one way of finding out.

Thanks for the suggestion of a dressmaker. My wife is in the fashion business and has access to some very talented seamstresses. I will let you know how this all turns out!
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