The Military Wife Oct. 2009 | Page 4

Pajama Pants

VsTrack Pants:

the ongoing debate

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"Obviously everyone has her own preference," explains Julie*, a military wife at CFB Gagetown, "but around here, it's pajama pants. It's just easier than trying to find clean clothes when I haven't had the time to do laundry in a week."

Julie is in a rapidly declining number on the side of pj pants, however. A recent poll suggests that more than 76% of military wives prefer trackpants to pajama pants for everyday wear. Those numbers show a stark contrast to even five years ago, when the pajama pants movement took even the civilian community by storm.

The argument is strong in favour of track pants taking a strong stance as Petawawa veteran wife Amanda* insists;

"Track pants have always been, and will always be, better than going out in sleepwear." says Amanda, "Track pants are meant for working out. I'm not going to the gym, but it looks like I might. I see girls wearing pajamas at the grocery store and I honestly wonder what they were thinking when they got dressed. Did they even get dressed, or are they just wearing what they slept in?"

Another wife sides with tracks pants saying that military wives, though overworked and exhausted, should at least pretend. "The idea is to give people the impression that I might have some interest in working off the tub of Ben & Jerry's polished off the night before."

Others disagree, arguing that pajama pants are the more appropriate choice, given that most military wives are half asleep while shopping. There is the general concensus on the side of pajama wearers that wearing track pants when there is no plan to run the track is blatantly dishonest.

"If she's going to the gym, then fine." says Julie, "but then why can't she carry her nasty gym clothes in a backpack or something and change while she's there? It's not like she's fooling anyone by wearing gym clothes."

And so the debate continues.

*name changed