Grandad’s Pyjamas

The weekend is all about pyjamas and I am still in mine as I write. But pyjamas can be chic, non?

I found this brilliant photo of my Grandad in a box of family photos earlier this year. His official title was Albert Joseph Twamley Griffin aka Bertie or to me Grandad. I love this photo of him from the 1930s, tucked up in bed in a pair of striped pyjamas. What is so wonderful about this snapshot is it is gives insight into my Grandad’s day-to-day life. Snapshots from this period are usually at very predictable line-up of events from weddings, birthday’s, occasions, picnics and family gatherings, as Orla Fitzpatrick’s fabulous blog  on vernacular photography-Jacolette will attest.

This photo shows another side to life and a little insight to my Grandad’s youth. Here he is having fun, messing about, its  a slightly irreverent and care-free photo and was taken sometime in the 1930s before he married my Granny! Who knows who had the brainwave to take the photo. What I like best is his stance, with relaxed arms folded behind his head and that slightly cheeky grin. This photo has been cropped and was part of a larger image that included my Grandad’s best friend Edwin, smiling out from the photo in the same type of pyjamas,  in the next bed, with the same stance. Out of respect for Edwin I only included my Grandad, because I believe even now people don’t always want photos of themselves in their pyjamas, my own didn’t get away so lightly, sorry Grandad!

Coming back to pyjamas, a look into the history of nightwear reveals pyjamas at this point were pretty cool night gear for men and women- the predecessor being the nightgown. In the 1930s women caused outrage for wearing striped beach pyjamas in public- I have collected some great photos of  some fabulous pyjamas for you to peruse below from Claudette Colbert in the 1920s, Audrey Hepburn in a pair of mens pyjamas in the 1950s film Roman Holiday and of course my film-star Grandad in 1930s Ireland! I hope you enjoy.