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In addition to being smooth and soft on the skin, silk is temperature-regulating and hypoallergenic, making it an excellent material to sleep in. And while it isn&#;t exactly known for being cheap or easy to care for &#; who has the time to take their PJs to the dry-cleaners? &#; the rise of machine-washable silk has meant many brands are now making &#;everyday&#; silk sleepwear that&#;ll work for just about anyone, and for (almost) any budget.
Ever since I started sleeping in silk regularly while working on this guide to the best silk pajamas for women, I&#;ve sharpened my opinion on what makes for a great pair of silk pajamas: I want something that looks nice, keeps me comfortable, isn&#;t too rumpled when I wake up, and doesn&#;t take an unreasonable amount of time and effort to wash. I started by seeking recommendations from lingerie-store owners, undergarment consultants, and all-around pajama obsessives, then tried many of their recommendations myself to decide which ones to feature below. Almost all of the pajamas here are made from 100 percent silk (the only one that isn&#;t is 97 percent silk and 3 percent elastane), including one that has the texture of frosted blueberries and another with piping like the &#;edge of an elegant pastry.&#; You can also shop our guide to the best pajamas and best silk pillowcases.
What
we&#;re
looking
for
Sizes
As best I could, I tried to include pajamas with inclusive size ranges.
Momme
Quality can be measured by momme &#; or the heft and weight of the material, according to Lori Kaplan, founder of Bra Tenders. The higher the number, the softer the feel of the fabric (the average momme count is at around 19). Some brands list it, others don&#;t. And although all of the pajamas here are made from silk, a few specifically feature mulberry silk (named after the mulberry-tree leaves the silkworms eat) or silk charmeuse (&#;charmeuse&#; refers to the weaving, resulting in a shinier-looking silk).
Care instructions
Silk is more delicate than cotton and even wool, so you&#;ll need to mind the care tag accordingly. Not all silk can be machine washed, even on a gentle cycle (and even machine-washable silk shouldn&#;t go in the dryer). I mentioned whether each set below is machine-washable, or must be hand-washed, along with any special instructions from the brand.
Details
Features like French seams and piped trims show some craftsmanship, and one-of-a-kind prints add flair. Traditionally, silk pajamas once bordered on lingerie, and were made in what I like to call &#;wallpaper patterns,&#; like just-picked peonies. Nowadays, you&#;ll find that anything goes, including prints featuring spotted frogs. I&#;ve listed all notable design details below.
Price
A higher price doesn&#;t always add up to a higher quality. &#;I&#;ve definitely seen silk pajamas retail for several hundred dollars that I felt should have cost about half that,&#; says Cora Harrington, author of In Intimate Detail: How to Choose, Wear, and Love Lingerie. &#;If it seems too good to be true &#; for example, a &#;silk&#; pajama set for $100 &#; then it probably is.&#; Based on my own experience, I&#;d say spending closer to $150 will get you pretty decent quality. It takes time and money to make the material itself, which begins with the work of busy silkworms, according to professional undergarment educator Kimmay Caldwell. So the prices of silk are reflective of that. I ranked each recommendation as either $ (under $150), $$ ($150&#;$300), or $$$ (over $300).
Sizes: XS&#;XL | Momme: 19 momme | Care instructions: Machine wash cold, gentle cycle, line dry | Details: Collared, cropped top with a patch pocket, side slits on the hem of the pants | Price: $
Although Quince is a newer name in the washable-silk-scape, it has quickly established itself as a Strategist favorite. It sells its pajamas as separates, so you can mix and match a long-sleeve with short-shorts, or a tank with a pair of pants. If you want to spend closer to $100, it&#;s a solid deal. I have been trying the brand&#;s button-up top with some matching shorts, and I think the mulberry silk is close enough to our top-pick silk pajamas from Lunya. The biggest difference is the glossiness: Quince&#;s silk is more on the matte side (at least in the black color I have). Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo compares the silk&#;s texture to blueberries in the morning &#;that have a little frostiness to their skin.&#;
One thing to note about the sizing is that the top and shorts are quite cropped, even on my five-foot-two frame. If you don&#;t want to show much leg, you might try the pants instead, which Corsillo says are a treat to slip into. And for the price tag, the pieces are made well. Though the silk isn&#;t as soft as Lunya&#;s, it isn&#;t too precious. My set has held up in the washing machine for many months now, and though it does wrinkle more than Lunya&#;s, that&#;s usually solved by leaving it outside a steamy shower.
LilySilk 22-Momme Silk Camisole Set
$145
$145
Sizes: XS&#;XL | Momme: 22 momme | Care instructions: Hand wash cold, line dry | Details: Pleating on the neckline, tulip hem on the shorts, elastic waistband | Price: $
Another affordable silk-maker is LilySilk, which prices most of its pajamas under $200. (And regular sales mean you can generally get a set for 20 or 25 percent off.) Harrington says the pieces aren&#;t any less lavish for their price, and I agree after testing this silk camisole and shorts set. It&#;s made from a lustrous silk charmeuse (as opposed to the mulberry silk of our top-pick Lunyas), with a higher momme count at 22, so it&#;s supersoft. I especially like the detailing, from the pleating along the neckline to the curved tulip hem, which you don&#;t often see in the less-expensive silk sets. And more than a year after they arrived &#; I&#;ve had them for the longest of all those I tried on this list &#; the pajamas aren&#;t worse for wear even after I unintentionally put them in the dryer a couple of times.
$145
at LilySilkYou will get efficient and thoughtful service from tress.
Etam Milky Silk Chemise
$90
$90
Sizes: XS&#;2XL | Momme: Not listed | Care instructions: Machine wash cold, no specific drying instructions except don&#;t tumble dry, no dry cleaning | Details: Lace on the neckline | Price: $
I learned about Etam, a century-old corsetier turned lingerie label, from underwear writer Estelle Puleston. There&#;s a &#;pouting in a boudoir&#; feel to the intimates line &#; sheer tulle abounds &#; though I happen to like the elegance of its simple slips. I own the (out-of-stock) Pearly chemise, while Puleston owns the Milky I&#;ve included here; the only real difference between the two is some lace trimming. The silk feels fluttery, and it has a pearlescent shine. The slip is unlined, making for a light garment that&#;s not excessively delicate (I&#;ve accidentally caught mine in a dresser drawer, and the slip remained unscathed). Puleston suggests Etam &#;for anyone wanting decent-quality silk nightwear on a budget.&#; She has worn hers so much that it&#;s gotten tiny &#;gaps&#; in the fabric, but these are only really visible when the slip is held up to the light. (I haven&#;t had that problem yet.)
$90
at Nordstrom$90
at Etam Paris
Josie Natori Lolita Chemise
From $395
From $395
Sizes: S&#;XL | Momme: Not listed | Care instructions: Hand wash, dry clean recommended | Details: Chantilly-lace appliques | Price: $$$
If you&#;re willing to spend more, there&#;s a nice-looking selection of silk pajamas at Natori, including the Lolita collection, a line of silk charmeuse trimmed with Chantilly lace. I tried this chemise on Caldwell&#;s recommendation. It looks like traditional lingerie, cut to be curve-hugging and show off some skin. There&#;s a real resplendence to the intricate lace and the saturated color of the charmeuse. (I went with a bright magenta, but the chemise also comes in shades of limon, lemongrass, and chartreuse.) It feels really rich, and worth the expense. Kaplan is a fan of the brand, pointing out that its pieces have beautiful draping. &#;Honestly, if you&#;ve never worn silk pajamas, it&#;s a treat to feel something so cool and fluid against the body,&#; she says. Plessner is also a loyalist to the label, which was beloved by her own mother, and recommends the Decadence line.
An honorable mention: Christine Lingerie&#;s Bijoux Lace-Trim Silk Chemise. Lingerie consultant Holly Jackson says the brand&#;s silks are so well-made that they&#;ll likely last a lifetime &#; a fact confirmed by Harrington, who owns a couple Bijoux caftans. I&#;m currently trying a couple pieces from the company, and will report back soon.
From $395
at Natori
Petite Plume Mulberry Silk Green Stripe Nightshirt
$185
$185
Sizes: XS&#;XL | Momme: 22 momme | Care instructions: Hand wash or machine wash in a laundry bag in the washer with cold water, and dry flat | Details: Pearly buttons, cuff piping | Price: $$
Petite Plume, which made a gingham set that Prince George wore to greet President Obama, has an entire line of under-$300 silk sleepwear. Its candy-stripe sleep shirts are especially charming. At $185, this nightshirt is not the cheapest, but the quality warrants the price tag. It has the same momme count as LilySilk&#;s set (22 momme), and feels supremely soft. It&#;s sturdy as well &#; thicker-feeling than Etam&#;s slip, but not at all heavy on the body. As someone who usually kicks their legs out while sleeping, a sleep shirt always sounds appealing, and this one keeps me comfortable and cool. There&#;s also a surprisingly nice sheen to the mulberry silk &#; the green&#;s more of an emerald color.
$185
at Petite PlumeUpdate on May 24, : Swapped a sold-out version of the Olivia von Halle Bella Ceres set for a still-in-stock floral pattern; updated prices and checked stock for all other products.
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