Wedding gowns are so last season; in 2018 brides just get married in pajamas!
Every bride's dream is to get married in the wedding gown of her dreams but for some, things are a little bit different than what others would imagine. Sonia Joly is one such bride. Sonia decided that her wedding should represent her personality and the simple life that she craves to live. When she first started planning for her wedding in November 2017, she knew she was going to stick with the plan that she had in mind. As much as she loved the idea of having a wedding and looking like a beautiful bride, there was one thing she was sure about and that was not to have a typical white gown to walk down the aisle. Sonia, who currently lives in Libya was sure that a princess dress will not be something she would be wearing to her wedding.
“I knew I wanted to wear something that was white, but I didn’t want a dress, that was for sure,” she told New York Post. “I don’t wear princess dresses to my everyday work, and I don’t think my husband has ever seen me in a princess dress.” Having made up her mind that a wedding gown was not for her, she decided to look for options. “I thought I wanted something a bit silky, something for hot weather,” she said. “That’s how I had this idea of wearing pajamas.”
Then she started her search for the perfect pajamas that would be right for her occasion. She finally walked down the aisle wearing $390 ivory silk pajamas from the Ukrainian “walking sleepwear” brand Sleeper, which she discovered on Instagram. She bought an extra large size and then had them fitted in her size. She paired her wedding dress with Jimmy Choo pumps and vintage Christian Lacroix chandelier earrings.
Asya Varetsa, who co-founded Sleeper with her friend Kate Zubarieva in 2014, was also surprised by Sonia's choice of wedding dress but applauded her for taking such a bold move. “I can also see myself wanting to get married in pajamas," she said. Since Sonia, Asya stated that there have been a couple of other brides who have shown similar interests. “We’re talking about more casual, millennial weddings, not a big, big celebration,” she said.
Asya also believes that brides who choose to wear this are making a statement of their own and proving people that they are “anti-bridezilla,” or, as she puts it: “Yes, I’m feeling comfortable, I’m wearing pajamas for my big day and I don’t care if anyone judges me.” New York City-based wedding-wear designer Katharine Polk also believes that comfort has become a common factor when a bride decides to choose her wedding dress.
“Our clients really wanted to be able to move and dance,” she said. “When I was in fittings, they would throw their hands up, and make sure they weren’t falling out of the pieces and that they could really dance and get crazy in their looks.” Even though there are still many brides who crave wearing a ballgown, designer Danielle Frankel says it’s becoming quite common for women to look for something "cozy" for the other functions. “These days, so many women want to have a serious moment in a more formal look, and then change into something that’s more free and forgiving,” she said.
As for Sonia, she enjoyed the fact that she could walk around freely and enjoy every moment of her wedding in comfort. “It was amazing being so comfortable during the day, being able to play pétanque, to move around. It was the perfect outfit," she said. However, she admitted that her mother and her bridesmaids were a little disappointed by her choice but it all fell in place because her husband loved it. “He found it quite funny,” she said. “But I think he actually really liked it.”