CulturePhotographyUncategorized

Shanghai: no pajamas in public

The Chinese are trying to become more ‘Westernized’? Or ‘modernized’? Instead of accepting pajamas in public as part of the culture and allowing foreigners to see a different lifestyle, is Shanghai attempting to suppress the daily living habits of their local citizens?

The wearing of colorful, boldly-printed pajamas in public has been popular in the city for years, and well-documented on Flickr as well as National Geographic. But with the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai just three months away, city officials have launched a public etiquette clampdown targeting the unseemly practice.

The Chinese sociologist Zhang Jiehai explains the city’s cramped conditions have thoroughly blurred the distinction between public and private space—hence the popularity of wearing PJs in public. It’s a sad day indeed.

Reminds me of the book (un)Fashion by Tibor Kalman.

via Good

2 thoughts on “Shanghai: no pajamas in public

  1. I’ve noticed the trend of wearing pajamas and flipflop in public in the past 3 years. China is just way ahead of the trend. It would be interesting to see when the public parading in pajamas became a trend in Asia. When I was a child living in Hong Kong, it was a common sight. Then again, isn’t wearing pj’s akin to the sweats that people wear all over the place? At the very least, pj’s are colorful expressions of ourselves!

    1. I agree! China ahead of the curve and not even realizing it. Our clothes are indeed an expression of ourselves and it would be sad to see the public display of PJs in China disappear. It’s only one part of the very diverse and intricate culture of China. It’s funny to think about our own personal (or Westernized) thoughts and impressions of those who wear PJs or sweats in public… fashion trend? or laziness? maybe just comfort?

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