My kids gave me a pair of check flannel pants that I use as pyjamas. Subsequently, I have men wearing them at the mall, etc. Would you wear such a thing on an overnight plane trip? Have you ever seen others wear them? They are comfortable! I would change in the plane toilet. Or can only young guys can get away with such a thing?

Well, if you are changing in the plane toilet, go for it. Why not? Do we care who sees us on the plane? Do they care what we're wearing? If they do, should we then ourselves care? Heck no! You can rinse them out when you get where you are going, and they can be your comfy hanging out in the room pants.

Hi R,

Why bother changing in the toilet?

Wear them to the plane.

What difference will it make in the vast scheme of things?

Well if you change in the plane bathroom do that asap as the plane bathrooms floors get pretty gross into the flight!

After being at SFO, to meet a friend from Italy, and watched a fellow that arrived on the same plane enter the arrival area dressed in nothing more than white boxer shorts, a white Tshirt, black socks and brown sandals (you had to be there to appreciate this sight, trust me!) I think anything goes as far as travelling on a plane.

I have changed into flannel pants once on the plane...usually after dinner. LoveItaly is very correct about that bathroom floor! Go for it. Worst case is we will read about you on Fodors

Thanks for the "heads up" on the toilet floor. You are so right.
Gomiki - Great answer - if they ask I'll say I'm from Frommers.

Or you could change in the restroom near your gate before boarding. It would be cleaner.

robjame: LOL

It depends what you wear underneath. I have seen men walking around the mall in those pants too, and it is very unseemly to be able to tell whether or not the man is circumsized. Nobody wants to see the family jewels on display, sweetie.

Balenciaga opines "Nobody wants to see the family jewels on display, sweetie" - How do you know? Speak for yourself, sweetie, I know plenty of gals who would contradict you (and a few boys, too).

WK

Personally, I can't imagine wearing something that looks like pajama bottoms in public. That's just me. If you choose to do it, I'd have them on under my slacks which I'd slip off at my seat. I hate depending on the bathroom being clean and available for these kinds of things. And that would also limit the number of people who see me in my jammies!

When I fly in my personal jet is is black tie all the way. When I wake up and rejoin the real world it is whatever allows the most comfort on board. Usually, that means a pair of cotton long sweat pants that I change into on the plane.

Guy18,

I'm with you, Buddy. I come from a generation that considered air travel as "dress-up" time -- remember jackets and ties?

I know those days are long gone, and I travel in jeans now but, come on, wearing your jammies in public?! If we dress like slobs and act like slobs on aircraft, we deserve to be treated like slobs by aircrew. It's public transport, not our bedroom, for goodness sake.

Pardon the rant -- feeling a bit cranky this rainy Sunday.

I think if Michaell Jackson can get away with wearing his pj bottoms to Court, you can certainly feel right at home wearing them for your plane ride...

Comfort is the most important thing to think about!

Seamus's sweatpant idea is a nice compromise.

Thank you, nukesafe. We're in complete agreement.

I don't buy the "comfort matters most" argument. What's really going on is that you won't ever see the people on the airplane again, so it doesn't matter what they think. Right? Do you wear your pajamas to the grocery store? They're comfy, right? But at the grocery store you're going to see those people again, and what they think matters to you.

At the risk of going too far, I would say that the wearing of pajamas on an airplane is a bit of an insult to the other passengers.

What kind of man refers to women as "gals?" Go back to the 19th century, sweetie darling.

To each their own, I guess. I have a somewhat painful medical condition, and for me, comfort is tops. I wouldn't be able to go to a lot of places if dressing well was required. This includes the library, post office and grocery store. I've been know to wear pajama-like clothing to all these places.

I do believe that airlines started to treat us as though we were cattle long before my country, the US, adopted a super casual dress preference. I think dressing like a slob is in reaction to being treated like a rather worthless piece of meat, especially on airplanes.

To each their own, I guess. I have a somewhat painful medical condition, and for me, comfort is tops. I wouldn't be able to go to a lot of places if dressing well was required. This includes the library, post office and grocery store. I've been know to wear pajama-like clothing to all these places.

I do believe that airlines started to treat us as though we were cattle long before my country, the US, adopted a super casual dress preference. I think dressing like a slob is in reaction to being treated like a rather worthless piece of meat, especially on airplanes.

If we had comfortable seating, airports that were as navigable as those of olden days, check in and boarding procedures that treated us like human beings, seats that were at least a little comfortable, and all the nice things about flying that have now gone away, perhaps we wouldn't be quite so concerned with creating some sort of comfort for ourselves on planes. When they used to make us comfortable, we were happier.

tuscanlifeedit: if we had all those things, tickets would be much more expensive, prohibitively so for a lot of people. I'll take the discomfort if it allows me to travel.

As for the OP, I've seen them, more on young people than on old, but theren't not really any reason not to wear them, or sweatpants or whatever makes you comfortable (but do please wear enough so as to be modest).

i'm all for being as comfortable as possible, within limits, though.

sport clothes, like sweat pants, is about as far s i would go, and as mentioned, is just as comfortable as obvious pj bottoms.

age makes no difference here. IMHO