Outfit post: 1920s beach pyjamas for loafing

 Some people do really well at casual looks, but they're my big failure. I think the problem is that I go too casual: for work I have two main looks: tartan or tweed skirt with blouse and/or woolly jumper; and fitted, block-coloured dress with midcentury accessories. I take pride in my workwear, and like to look nice. (It may not be fashionable, and very few other people I encounter would want my clothes, but no-one ever denies that they're fairly smart, especially in an environment with no actual dress code.) At weekends, though, it all falls apart, when I generally find myself slobbing around in one of the pairs of polyester trousers I bought for my trip to Burma in 2013 and a T-shirt. Lightweight and drip-dry is all very well when you're living out of a backpack for a fortnight, but it's a bit tatty. And while it's good to kick back and dress like you don't care every once in a while, I find if I do it too often, I end up not caring for real. And I'm getting too old and heavy to pull off bag-lady chic, I just look like the genuine article.

Of course, the solution to any situation like this is to look at what you do wear for slobbing, and to acquire something that is similarly easy to wear but rather more stylish to look at. There's no point me buying more pencil dresses and convincing myself I'll wear them away from the office, and anyhow I can't picture myself cleaning the bathroom on a Sunday in a tight skirt and nice hosiery. On one of my Pinterest boards I've got a splendid picture of 1920s flapper superstar Colleen Moore in wide-legged trousers and a loose top. THAT IS THE ANSWER! So I ordered a pair of custom-made repro 1920s beach pyjamas off Etsy.

I'm not going to tell you who the seller was for the simple fact that this was the worst buying experience I have ever had on Etsy. I ordered in early August, and expected them to be shipped at the start of October - I was fully prepared to wait as I knew someone was doing it as a custom job. The end of October came and went, the seller didn't respond to any of my messages or via her Facebook page (which I messaged in desperation) and by the end of November I'd written the whole thing off as a bad buy and lost money when they arrived. I hadn't been notified when they'd been shipped. The top's rather too big, but I'm just happy to have them. My reluctance to name-and-shame stems from the fact that the seller had a very good reputation and has done beautiful work, early communication with her was good, and I have a gut feeling that she must be having real life problems right now for things to have gone so badly. I don't want to make hard times worse for anyone.

What I will say is this: for loafing around at home, beach pyjamas absolutely rock. They're comfy, practical and look fab. I do feel slightly guilty as they're so comfy it doesn't really feel as though I've changed out of my nightwear! I've found another Etsy seller with beach pyjamas on her list of custom items, and may well save up and spoil myself some more...