Nightshirting

One naturally gravitates towards the flannel nightshirt with matching nightcap for warm and comfortable slumber in winter, tending toward the short pyjama in summer, with traditional high-buttoning pyjamas of various weights operating through the year. Some, however, swear by the summer nightshirt — and with good reason.

Free-range legs

In a nightshirt the legs become free-range and unconfined. Now experts are telling us that a nightshirt makes even more sense in summer than winter. They say the potential for a pleasant cooling aeration moving upwards on balmy nights increases.

Batiste beauties

Not that I would ever give up on my Derek Rose Amalfi short pyjamas (below, as worn for a previous Tweed Pig break) — Agatha Christie paperback mandatory. Time and again these beauties have proved themselves in hot weather with the gossamer lightness and softness of that batiste cotton.

Drop the trousers?

I have welcome news for the seeker of nighttime comfort. I am pleased to inform you that Derek Rose also do the Amalfi as a summer nightshirt.

The nightshirt is made from the same light blue batiste cotton as the pyjama shorts, but with a neckband collar. We have a four-button front, with contrast piping along the neckband, pocket and cuffs.

Remember, it's important how you manoeuvre into bed in a nightshirt so as to avoid it riding up. I recommend the drop-and-roll technique.

Fully-fastened chap

Here we see the Amalfi nightshirt worn open at the neck. Daring. I'm a fully-fastened chap as a rule, but I certainly wouldn't go down more than two buttons if you wish to avoid accusations of come-hither provocation.