For the past several years, my mother has been making Family Pyjamas for her daughters and all their progeny. They are all made from the same pattern — a big top with a V-neck and single big button, combined with simple elastic waist pants. There are summer varieties — short sleeves and shorts, made from cotton — and winter varieties — long sleeves and pants, made from flannel.

My mom is a sucker for the remnant table, and she can’t resist a good deal on a piece of fabric, so we often get odd and out-of-season prints used for our PJs. Plus, she adores big, bold colours and patterns, so while FameThrowa continues to emphasize that she prefers PJs that are neutral, plain colours, she continues to actually receive PJs that are bright purple with a pattern of pink and green hearts. Us Turtleheads pretty easy going on the material front, so this past Christmas, I got new new flannel sets — one bright red with a pattern of huge purple and yellow ladybugs, and one bright pink with a pattern of green frogs. Cute, comfy, and warm — what’s not to like?

In the past couple of weeks, however, I’ve noticed an exciting new trend — on several occasions, I’ve seen teenagers, boys or girls, out and about in exactly these types of pants. I’m talking flannel PJ pants, in bright colours and patterns. The first time I saw a teenaged girl at the mall in her PJ pants, she was with her parents, and I admit I gave her my best look of sympathy, because I thought she must be very, very ill, maybe terminally ill, if her parents let her come to the mall in her jammies. But since then, there have been at least three other mall sightings, and the other day, when I was driving past the local high school, I spotted at least two more flannel jammie pants on kids as they huddled for warmth out front like a gaggle of penguins.

My point here is this: I have an opportunity here to join the cutting edge of fashion merely by wearing my pyjamas out of the house. Think of it! Not only are we talking maximum comfort — my jammie pants are even more comfy than my maternity pants — but also, extreme ease of dressing. Basically, I’d just have to roll out of bed in the morning, pull on a sweater, and good to go. And the kids would be just as easy — no more chasing them down and hog-tying them just to get clothes on them before we leave the house. Instead, I’d just pull a sweatshirt over their PJ tops and voila! fashion forward outfits for all.

I think it’s safe to say this is one trend I’ll be embracing. In fact, I’m off to the grocery store…these blue and green plaid flannel PJ pants should fit right in!