Shanghai, take pride in your pajamas!

Pajamas. Most places they are just something to wear to bed. But in Shanghai, they are a way of life.

Pajamas originally became popular as China opened up to the West. People here didn’t relegate PJs to the sleepwear-only division. Having separate clothing for bed was a luxury people wanted to show off.

Click the image above for some of Shanghai's pajama devotees

Many also found the comfort of pajamas perfect for shopping, walking the dog, or hanging out with friends. As one pajama fan we meet says, “They’re comfortable and you can get them dirty.” Pajamas became a part of the fabric of Shanghai.

The Expo tried to change all that.

Worried about the reactions of visitors to this “uncivilized” practice, Shanghai officials declared war on the humble bedroom garments with posters, commercials and community watchers telling wearers to go home and change. 

In the past year, the pajama-clad men and women of the street have gone from a ubiquitous sight to a rare novelty. 

Luckily for all us pajama proponents, they are still an undeniable presence in the city, particularly in older neighborhoods.

Catching up with these outlaws is harder than expected however. Most don’t want to be interviewed and none gives their name. The most common response is summed up by a couple, out on an evening stroll, who say, “You can’t take our photo if we’re wearing pajamas. We just live nearby, and we’ll get in trouble!”

For as long as the campaign has lasted, many people worried that pajama wearers would vanish entirely. But with October 31 approaching, it looks as if this Shanghai tradition will outlast the 2010 Expo.

At least for now, it seems that Shanghai pajama wearers will endure, even if only in their neighborhoods.

Sean Hanratty is a photographer originally from Baltimore, Maryland. When not working he can be found on his bike going all over the place, including an Oreo and PB&J fueled trek to Suzhou.

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