By the Sea

I adore the beach! And having moved from a landlocked corner of the midwest, I was quite lacking in the beachwear department. So way back in January, I started a pair of beach pyjamas.

Beach pyjamas were popular in the 1930s. They were worn for beach wear and also for lounging. They feature wide legs and could be one or two piece sets.

I had previously made a lounging version that was very fun to wear around the house. Unfortunately, they are made of polyester and not so great for hot days at the beach.

For this version, I knew linen was the way to go! Breathable, drapey and easy to care for. I found a great striped linen and some coordinating green linen that were oh so yummy!

The pattern is Wearing History's Lounging at the Lido pattern.  I've previously done a pattern review so you can pop over if you're interested in making up this pattern. But, really, they aren't too difficult to sew up and the belt at the waist means that they don't have to be perfectly fitted. You do have to know how to use bias binding as a facing and how to do button holes. And the pants have a huge hem because they are fabulous and full but it's worth it.

For this version, I decided to do a color blocked version instead of all one color with contrasting ties and collar. There's no yardage given for this type of fabric combination. I ended up using about 1 yd for the bodice and about 2.5 yds for the pants, collar and ties. Both were 60 inch wide fabrics.

And this weekend, I finally got a chance to take pictures of me wearing my beach pyjamas at the beach. And look! I match the sea grass.

My church does beach baptisms during the summer and this is wear I wore these. Since I had no plans to actually go in the water, it was perfect. I don't recommend beach pjs for swimming. All of that fabric in the pants would make it difficult to swim.

I did get to dip my feet in the water. One of the nice things about linen is that it dries quickly especially in the warm Florida summer sun.

I got heaps and heaps of compliments while wearing this! I was a bit surprised. Beach pjs are definitely one of the odder vintage fashions and it's always a bit scary when you wear something particularly different for the first time.

 Guess I was worried for nothing. I had several ladies ask me where I got them. Perhaps I need a few more pairs of these beach pjs.