What Size Pajamas Should You Actually Buy
Sizing sleepwear is a different question from sizing anything else you own, because the thing you are dressing for is sleep. You are going to roll over in these. You are going to pull your knees up. Whatever you pick has to move with all of that and then still look like something you would answer the door in.
Start with your usual size
Our fit is relaxed and runs true to size, so your normal size is the right starting point. The relaxed part is already built into the pattern. You do not need to size up to get room, because the room is there.
We carry XXS through XXL in both the tops and the pants.
When to size up
Size up if you sleep hot and want more air moving around you, or if you are between sizes and would rather have the extra room than the closer fit. Cotton does not stretch the way a jersey blend does, so if you want it loose, that comes from the size rather than from the fabric giving.
When to stay put
Stay at your usual size if you want the set to read as an outfit as much as sleepwear. The relaxed cut already has enough ease in it that a size up starts to read oversized rather than soft.
The top and the pants are separate
This is the part worth knowing before you order. Every top and every pair of pants is sold on its own, which means you are not locked into one size across a set.
Most people are not the same size top and bottom, and pajamas are usually where that gets ignored. If you are a small on top and a medium in the pants, buy a small and a medium. You can also mix two colorways and make a set nobody else has.
If you get it wrong
You have 30 days from delivery to return anything unworn and unwashed with the tags still on. Return shipping on a size swap is yours, but the return itself is straightforward. Email us with your order number and we will sort it out.
If you are still deciding between two sizes, email olivia@islalune.ca and we will tell you what we would pick.
Common questions
What size pajamas should I get?
Your usual size. The relaxed fit is built into the pattern rather than into the sizing, so you do not need to go up to get room. Size up only if you sleep hot and want more air moving, or if you are between sizes and prefer the looser of the two.
How should pajama pants fit?
Loose enough that fabric is not held against the skin, with a soft waistband that does not grip. A wide leg should skim rather than cling, so air can travel as you move and turn over. Anything that binds at the waist or thigh traps warmth exactly where it gathers.
Should pajamas be tight or loose?
Loose, for comfort and for temperature. Fabric pressed against skin cannot move air or absorb moisture properly, which is what makes a night feel warm. A relaxed cut leaves a layer of air that moves with you.
Can I buy a different size top and bottom?
Yes. Every top and every pair of pants is sold separately, so a small top and medium pants is a normal order rather than a special request. Most people are not the same size top and bottom, and you can mix colourways as well.
Do cotton pajamas stretch out?
Cotton does not stretch the way a jersey blend does, so the fit you buy is roughly the fit you keep. If you want it looser, that comes from choosing the larger size rather than expecting the fabric to give.
More: how to wash cotton pajamas so they stay soft, why every Isla Lune set is 100% cotton, and cotton pajamas for hot sleepers.