
THE TIMES OF London carries an editorial today noting the growing intolerance of people wearing pyjamas in public sparked by news that a social welfare office in Dublin has told people not to wear the nightwear to interviews.
The sign which stated that “pyjamas are NOT regarded as appropriate attire when attending Community Welfare Services at these offices” was photographed by Twitter user Darren Cleary in the Blanchardstown area, west Dublin and appeared on broadsheet.ie on Tuesday. Many of Wednesday’s papers carried the story of the Damastown office carrying the sign, reportedly because of complaints from customers.
Today, a Times editorial entitled ‘Pyjama Party’ notes a “growing intolerance of people who go about in public in their nightwear”. It mentions the Dublin social welfare office, saying:
Now a social welfare office in Dublin has decided that enough is enough. It has told benefit collectors that attending in pyjamas will no longer be tolerated.It notes a similar ban by a head teacher in northeast England on parents dressed in pyjamas dropping their children off at school as well as a commissioner in the US state of Louisiana who has banned pyjamas in public outright.
The Commissioner had put his foot down and mused as to where it would stop if people were allowed to carry on the practice. “Tomorrow it’s underwear. Where does it stop?” he is quoted as saying.
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27 days ago #
Anyone who wears PJ’s to an interview deserves to be on the dole!
27 days ago #
i think the point is that anyone who wears PJ’s to an interview doesn’t deserve us to be paying them the dole!!
27 days ago #
Anyone who goes for an interview in the dole office in their pyjamas obviously don’t want a job, they just want to be able to say they tried to get a job and they couldn’t get one…now give me my free money please!!!
27 days ago #
Are women really wearing an old comfy T-shirt & no knickers to the dole office ?
27 days ago #
No they don’t. They should get nothing
27 days ago #
They should be cut off for this carry on.
26 days ago #
The ‘interview’ that’s been referred to is the process one must go through to receive a payment that assists in seeking employment.
27 days ago #
I’m sorry but these ‘bans’ violate the right to freedom of expression.
27 days ago #
no they dont – its not a ban on wearing them in public – just in welfare offices. my house – my rules!
27 days ago #
rights and freedoms can only be infringed ‘in accordance with the law’, show me the law that gives social welfare offices the legal right to dictate what members of the public wear when they attend to access a state service.
27 days ago #
Freedom of expression? Freedom of laziness more like.
27 days ago #
I can kinda see your point Oisin but let’s worry about them inforcing the laws on the criminal bankers and not on the social welfare offices eh?
27 days ago #
To qualify for unemployment benefit you must be available and actively seeking employment.Being dressed in PJs sort of sends out the wrong signal to a potental employer do you not think?
27 days ago #
Norman I couldn’t agree with you more. Hardly sends out the right impression of being ready and able for work.
27 days ago #
Oisin is obvious troll. Ignore.
27 days ago #
Get a grip Oisin, anyone wearing PJ’s as daily attire did not wear them because it’s a statement of free will, there wearing them because there scum.
27 days ago #
Love to know what is a commissioner in Louisiana, and what powers s/he has to ban the wearing of PJs in public in the land of the free? Not sure this is a question of freedom of expression. But the State and it’s agencies shouldn’t make rules about attire. Can we agree to scowl at public displays of PJ wearing and leave it at that…
27 days ago #
Wow, it violates their right to ‘freedom of expression”, I didn’t realise these clowns were expressing a point when going out in their bedclothes.
So I can walk into Patrick Guibalds in my boxers, and nothing more, on the premise of my rights to ‘freedom of expression, Oisin? And the maitre’d would have no right to deny me entry?
26 days ago #
Good to know some of us can still eat in a gaff with a maitre’d. Any business worth it’s salt will have a dress code for fear of losing its target market. Maitre’d would quickly spot the scowls and let ye know yer not welcome…
26 days ago #
Good to know some of us can still afford to eat in a gaff with a maitre’d. Said maitre’d would soon spot the grimaces of his regular diners and show PJ wearers the door…
26 days ago #
WOW!!!! i’ve never seen so many red thumbs before
Yoink!!
there’s another one for ya.26 days ago #
Whatever floats yer boat Stephen…
27 days ago #
@Oisin: So what do you express when you wear your pajamas outside the home ?
27 days ago #
Hi Patrick, I’m judging the choice of expression, mearly defending the right to express in whatever way one wants.
27 days ago #
im kinda with u on this one oisin. i think they look awful meself but at what point
did the SW elect themselves as fashion police.27 days ago #
Oisin your argument is silly.
These people are going to an interview.
If I went to a job interview like that I wouldn’t get the job.
If these people go to a dole interview like that they shouldn’t get the dole.26 days ago #
Surely the numbers of people who wear pyjamas outside the home is, like this article, negligé bull.
27 days ago #
I don’t own a pair of pajamas neither do wish to and personally I think that wearing them outside the house is inappropriate but what I find most frightening is the government telling people what their attire should be. It’s a problem when society finds it appropriate to wear such clothing outside the house but it’s not up to the government or social services to dictate what they wear , maybe someone can have a word with mick Wallace not wearing a suit in the dail or others wearing suits made of hemp .
The government has made a mistake here as its a free society people wear what they want and when they want , maybe the kwangos can double up as fashion police and stop people on a Saturday night with dresses to tight or short and the fine them on the spot .
27 days ago #
Wearing bed clothes out in public would have had a person sectioned years ago. Nowadays there is just a gentle reminder to cop on. It says a lot about a person’s intelligence, wandering about in bed clothes. Drives me mad. They have it too handy. If it was up to me, there would be on-the-spot fines and public mockery.
26 days ago #
But its alright to walk into your local social welfare office wearing very high cut hotpants that leave nothing to the imagination and a boob tube crop top!!!!! At leas in they’re covered up in their pyjamas. Nothing worse than a fat lazy person wearing hotpants…..eugh
25 days ago #
Who’s talking about hot pants??
27 days ago #
We are building a scobie culture in this country and it won’t be long till we catch up with section of UK described as broken Britan
27 days ago #
Are they that lazy to change their PJs…i bet they put more effort into going clubbing….
27 days ago #
that’s sash off fair city knobbled then
27 days ago #
would the do gooder brigade please piss off,get dressed you lazy cows!!!!
27 days ago #
Remember the outcry when the no hoodie signs were put up ?
27 days ago #
Dave I agree wearing PJs in public is inapproaite but I do believe the goverment has a right to expect people accessing services to be dressed not wearing the germ collecting clothes they have slept in after all they are supposed to be ready and available for work how Can they show this when they are unable to dress them selves do they also wear them to job interviews etc..when we go out to clubs pubs we follow the dress code imposed ..I love my pjs and love a day when I can wear them all day but I would not leave my house in them never mind engage in official business in them this lowering of standards is not acceptable from a hygiene point alone what about the rights of the workers this infringement of civil liberties is crap if they wish to wear the pjs out and about fine but if they wish to access services be they government or retail the should be dressed…..
26 days ago #
The pjs are not necessarily slept in, your germ argument is nonsensical. Try looking at the bigger picture in all this Pjs on a catwalk are ‘official’ business, but pjs on a sidewalk are ‘”inappropriate”…this is the type of standards you expect from your general public. My standards are different. Civil liberties are to protect the lesser gifted masses from standards such as yours.
27 days ago #
Some people are unbelievable .. How much effort does it take to just throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before going out the door . Total lazy attitude to life and not acceptable to the rest of us who at least try .
27 days ago #
It is a disgraceful carry on to go in to an office with PJ’s on. It is a complete lack of self respect and shows contempt for everyone else on the dole as well.
It is not working class politics to tolerate this kind of shit. It is profoundly destructive to the working class. A society that is not bothered to project a can do attitude, to take control of its own affairs is never going to stand up to bent bankers or FF criminals.
26 days ago #
The amount of people who wear pyjamas in public is, like this story, negligé bull.
27 days ago #
Is there some rapper who wears pyjamas or what? How do people decide to start at this crack? It’s a mystery to me how other people operate.
27 days ago #
“I mightn’t agree with what you say, but I’ll fight for your right to say it … ” It’s a similar situation, is it not?
27 days ago #
Listen anyone who’s employed or semi responsible has to dress in a certain manner for certain occasions – eg suit to work, hair net and overalls in kitchen etc etc. Wearing pyjamas to your dole office is a joke. Minimum requirement for getting state aid is that you show a bit of respect for the people providing it and show up in something other than what you sleep in, end of!
27 days ago #
persoanlly, i would ban the wearing of sports gear. i find the wearing of man utd tops, nike runners, various other similar items indicative of a generally couldnt care less attitude to life. surely, people can go out and buy proper clothes instead of going around looking like something out of the bin around the back of lifestyle sports outlets?
27 days ago #
Have you seen the price of nike shell suits and man utd/ liverpool etc football shirts? And shiny new trainers are abundant in the dole queue. Tell me this doesnt look at least suspicious?
27 days ago #
I’d be more inclined to ban the wearing of tracksuit bottoms and football shirts by the workers in places like the social welfare offices and council offices – you’re government employees who are required to deal with members of the public – dress appropriately!!! /rant over.
27 days ago #
It has nothing to do with “Freedom of Expression” – would you go to a job interview in your PJs? If you are serious about it, probably not.
There are certain situations in life where a certain dress code is required – end of.
If these people wouldn’t have been taking the piss, there would be no need for the signs – end of.
27 days ago #
Pyjamas as daywear, and please note, usually carefully washed ironed and put on with full make up, are a current fashion trend. They are no worse than the weird trend for wearing tracksuits for everything, and possibly better, as the fabrics are more likely to be cotton than nylon.
As for employability, that depends on the employer. Some employers like their workers to look edgy and trendy.
I think this objection to the daywear pyjamas trend is a reflection of the class-bound mindset of people who assume poor people are lazy by definition. If it is a trend that happens to be popular among poor people, by this circular reasoning, it must be a sign of laziness.
27 days ago #
@Auntie Dote
Its about a basic level of self respect and respect for others. It is highly disrespectful for anyone to turn up to what amounts to an official meeting in your PJs, no matter where you come from or from what background.NO employer in their right mind would employ anyone that turned up to an interview dressed in PJs. Dressing appropriately to an interview is the first sign that shows you are serious about the job.
27 days ago #
@auntie dote. That’s odd, I was in an off licence recently when two 20stone plus ladies came in in their pajamas stinking of cigarettes and b.o cursing and complaining loudly about the lack of Scrumpy Jack cider. They didn’t strike me as jet setting fashionistas for some reason….
26 days ago #
Some of those in the dole que wouldn’t wash themselves let alone their pj’s! Cut their dole till they show up respectably dressed. It’s the least they should be doing.
26 days ago #
Shut up. It’s disgusting seeing people wear pj’s walking around in public. End of!
27 days ago #
Oisin, no doubt you’ll support my right to expression when I say STFU
27 days ago #
What an embarrassment for Ireland to have this in the Times editorial.
26 days ago #
No more so than “Our Leader’s” comments in Davos!
27 days ago #
people talk about freedom and democracy, but not in Ireland, dictate dictate dictate, baa baa
27 days ago #
Freedom of expression comes with responsibilities. There is a general level of respect that we all owe to each other and ourselves as members of society.
27 days ago #
I sleep in the nip. Does that mean that if I lose my job that I have the right to parade down to the dole office stark bollock naked just because I’m too bone idle to put on some clothes??
Didn’t think so!
Freedom of expression my arse!
Get a grip!
27 days ago #
At least you have a job to lose
27 days ago #
i went for me dole dressed as a banana. The dole lady said I was outta me bleeding tree.
27 days ago #
BBC Radio 4 Also did a piece on this last night – including PJ fashion advice. It’s at 26:50 and yes iplayer radio does work in Ireland (except mobile) http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019q8yp/Six_OClock_News_26_01_2012/
27 days ago #
I used to see young wans in UCC wearing PJs and Uggs to lectures…so its fair to say that this phenomenon spans across all social divides! I also used to hear of stories about girls with long skirts down to their ankles wearing PJs underneath. I honestly think its pretty rank to be wearing them outside then going to bed…also not pleasant to see people not take more pride in their appearance.
26 days ago #
I used to hear those stories too…then I stopped listening.
27 days ago #
Anyone who wears pj’s to an interview should be removed from the ever growing list of freeloaders in this country. Attach them to the list of those who have never had a job in their 3-10 years post 18th birthdays, people with criminal records & those who’s disabilities range from chronic laziness to “I only rob those who have”! Welfare state..cripples those who support, correction, who fund the state!
26 days ago #
The worldwide use of pajamas,the word originally referred to loose trousers tied around the waist. Such a garment is used by various persons in India e.g. by women of various classes,It was adopted from the Muslim by Europeans.They were introduced in England as lounging attire in the 17th century,Even more generally, pajamas may refer to women’s combination daywear, consisting of short-sleeved,At present, most trousers are held up through the assistance of a belt which is passed through the belt loops on the waistband of the trousers. However, this was traditionally a style acceptable only for casual trousers and work trousers; suit trousers and formal trousers were suspended by the use of braces (suspenders in American English) attached to buttons located on the interior or exterior of the waistband. Today, this remains the preferred method of trouser support amongst adherents of classical British tailoring.Are all others pajamas,??????
26 days ago #
What people don’t understand I’d that these are not the same PJ’s as they wear to bed. They change into these PJ’s to go out.
26 days ago #
I quite like polls, and wouldn’t mind seeing one in this.
My view is quite the same as banning hoodies in shopping centers etc.. (Well, they can have hoodies on, just ot have the hood up). I for one, wear hoodies and I do wear them with the hood up. When it’s raining and or windy! Not when I’m inside giving evil stares to oul ladies walking past.It was a good ban, and still is. This will be too.
My opinion of course.If I see someone wearing Pyjamas out, I instantly think ‘dole for lifer – role outta bed, down to the offo, back into bed’. Yep, instantly. So sue me!
26 days ago #
They have there going out pjs and staying in pjs. I have seen a mother and daughter going in to the welfare both in there pjs
26 days ago #
Wow…you get out.
26 days ago #
come on cormac. pajamas on the street is a statement that they couldnt give a monkeys about what anyone thinks of them and that they couldnt even be bothered getting dressed. its disrespect to all of society. considering most of these women are being paid dole, the least they could do is show respect for themselves.
26 days ago #
Come on seriously. Since when is it a crime to not have thoughts on the internal opinions of others.
26 days ago #
How can you honestly say, ” yeah I’m actively seeking employment” when you turn up ay the post office/social welfare office in your pjs scratching your star. They should have their dole cut for making false declarations…and further prosecuted for lack of hygiene and looking like f***ing muppets…
26 days ago #
We kind off smile to ourselves nowadays looking back at our parents. I love the memory of my dad getting dressed to go to work (farah slacks and a shirt and tie topped off with a v neck jumper). It wasn’t about his job, but more about the pride he had as a man going out to work.
26 days ago #
Hitler brings back many false memories for me…maybe it was the pride in a prescribed way of life, maybe the dress code of the Gestapo, those fine leather crafted boots and long horsehide trenchcoats.
26 days ago #
Discrimination over what people wear is as bad as discrimination based on religion gender etc
26 days ago #
Wow what a load of fascist class hatred this sparked off! Going to the social welfare to collect your dole is not comparable to going to a job interview as anyone who’s been on the dole knows. Does a potential employer make you queue for hours, sometimes in the rain, and then treat you with contempt? Refusing social welfare to people on the grounds of what they are wearing is probably illegal as unemployment benefit is a legal right, not charity bestowed on a whim. When you are at the dole office you are by definition not looking for work at the moment so what you are wearing is completely irrelevant to whether you are seeking a job.
If we want to ban any form of clothing on the basis it indicates social destructiveness we should ban suits, as ti is people wearing these who have banjaxed the country, not people in pyjamas!
26 days ago #
I was on welfare for a period a d was never treated with any ounce of contempt by the employees in the office! But then I didn’t treat them with any either, I was well dressed, well spoken, polite and represented someone with a bit of self respect like a lot of the people I saw in there!
However there was one element of society in there who did all the opposite, treated the welfare office like their social where they got to see their other sponger mates to get some drinking money and then shot evils at the rest of us like we were the idiots!!!!! Unfortunately this lot have not been sterilised and their kids are doing the same in bedroom attire!!!!!
26 days ago #
PJs outside = Scumbag
Conversation over.
26 days ago #
Well said Inda
26 days ago #
If you’re out in public in pyjamas it looks like you’re a lazy ass – so if you’re on the dole and collecting your stuff at the office in your pyjamas, it doesn’t quite look like you’re out looking for a job, you look like you’re too lazy to get dressed, never mind go looking for work.
And if you’re so in to freedom of expression and determined that you’re gonna go out in your pyjamas, why not just go au naturelle and be done with it?
26 days ago #
I was on the social welfare for two days the one week were we were put on slow time and received €44.32. For those days that I had to go in I either wore a suit or my work uniform. The officers behind the desk are professionals, and just like any meeting with a civil service officer you need to look presentable. Now, obviously everyone wouldn’t wear a suit, but a t-shirt and jeans are hardly out of the question. Nobody wants to see someone wear pajamas. And if you need reminding… http://youtu.be/YJIldZb3x2c
26 days ago #
It’s the pits. I used to work in sundrive superquinn and the young ones would come in to do their shopping in silk jammys and their SLIPPERS!! You think that’s bad? I went for a pint last year in Crumlin and an oulone was sitting at the bar happily sipping her drink in her jammys and morning coat…. Hahaha it’s bleeding NUTS!!!!
26 days ago #
Ha ha, I would have thought anyone stumbling around in the street in slippers and Pj’s has just wandered out of their care home and is a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic. Or am I just brought up in a time when potential bosses assessed you in the first 10 seconds before you even shook hands. Taking the P if you ask me.
26 days ago #
problem. solved.
26 days ago #
Maybe they’re wearing pyjamas on planning of sleeping their way to the top… *tumbleweed….*
26 days ago #
@ Kevin. Classic hahaha
26 days ago #
Jesus has anyone seen the way the civil servant cabbages dress, not that’s ugly.
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