Winning Tactics for the Christmas Scrooge Look

Full Scrooge

When the thermometer is plunging — and you're certainly not prepared to have the central heating on constantly — wearing a nightcap on your bonce can make all the difference in winter. It's actually a myth that you lose most of your body heat through your head, but any parts not covered in blankets whilst you are sleeping will benefit from some cover. Tweed Towers is drafty.

If you're going to wear a nightcap, you may as well go full Scrooge at this time of year and don a nightshirt too. You'll look the part when you're calling for the biggest turkey in the shop on Christmas morning and opening your presents, Champagne in hand.

Lee Valley Clothing of Ireland have been making nightshirts and nightcaps in classic cotton flannel designs since 1986.

The Blue and Cream Irish Nightcap from Lee Valley (top) and matching collarless Blue and Cream Irish Nightshirt (below) are available exclusively — as part of their Blarney Stone Range (!) — from our good friends at Woods of Shropshire.

The nightcap is 26' long, with traditional pom-pom to the tail.

The nightshirt has a four-button style that you pull over the head, with long sleeves and breast pocket.

For those readers living in warmer climes, don't feel left out. Wearing a  tropical-weight nightshirt in Batiste cotton or linen on a hot and sultry night also makes perfect sense. I'll try and look into those next summer.

Channel the Inner Wee Willie Winkie

If you don't mind losing the pom-pom, and you want to make a bigger impression with your nightcap, you may wish to channel the inner Wee Willie Winkie with the Red Striped Flanellette Men's Nightcap from Somax (below), also supplied by Woods of Shropshire.

The matching nightshirt (below) has a collar and the time-honoured four-button over-the-head style once more.

I know — you're a pyjama-wearer and you've never tried a nightshirt and nightcap. I don't want to push things too quickly and I don't want you to give up on traditional pyjamas either. This is about variety being the spice of whatnot. Perhaps you can start with a nightcap and matching pyjamas, then make the switch to the nightcap and nightshirt when you're mentally prepared — or you've drunk enough Champagne.