Money doesn’t come into it. Actually, it does, obviously, starting with the private jet, the flashy wristwatch, the designer sunglasses. And that’s before we get to the pyjamas.
But the question is whether it’s acceptable to wander through an airport in PJs. Is Erling Haaland, the Manchester City footballer, guilty of dragging us down a slippery slope in travel attire? Or should we celebrate his verve, his self-confidence, his fashion sense? Here are two contrasting views…
No, it’s slobbish, says Amanda Platell
He may earn almost £900,000 a week but turning up for a flight wearing £1,000 Dolce & Gabbana pyjamas shows that Erling Haaland has no class, even when he’s on a private jet to Monaco.
What’s more, he echoes a troubling trend whereby travellers increasingly appear at the airport looking like they’ve just fallen out of bed.
Writers Amanda Platell and Alexandra Shulman comment on whether it was acceptable for footballer Erling Haaland (above) to wear his pyjamas on a private jet
On a recent trip to Ibiza I couldn’t believe the state of my fellow passengers who had pitched up for the 6am flight. Yes, we all had to set our alarms for pre-dawn but, surely, out of sheer self-respect there’s time for a shower and a quick change into a clean outfit to travel in.
Why do people think it’s acceptable to look like an unwashed slob when those who are employed to check our tickets, serve us in duty free, prepare our full English breakfast and look after us on the plane are all dressed in their uniforms, neat as a pin.
It’s disrespectful to them and to yourself. Even for me, having travelled from here to Australia and back for 40 years on 20-hour flights, I wouldn’t dream of turning up in PJs, even if they were gold-encrusted.
I’m not saying we should go back to BOAC days when passengers dressed as if they were going to a smart dinner party (although that would be nice) but what’s wrong with a pair of Sweaty Betties and a loose top?
As it happens, as an experienced traveller on long and short haul flights, my preferred attire is a smart loose coat, scarf, jeans and a T-shirt, something I also feel comfortable in when turning up after the flight at a decent hotel.
Wearing PJs on planes is just naff.
Yes, they’re stylish, says Alexandra Shulman
Not long ago, I was advised by a travel PR that the first rule when it came to wangling upgrades was not to wear denim. I wonder if they’ve come on board with the news that pyjamas are now acceptable.
Or they are, if they’re the right kind of pyjamas because not all pyjamas are created equal. Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s platinum blond striker, definitely has a catwalk-worthy collection, including several pairs by the Italian design duo Dolce & Gabbana who led the movement in anytime, anyplace, anywhere pyjamas.
But he’s not alone in indulging in the appeal of this look. It’s no longer difficult for the rest of us to pull it off, meaning you can travel in the same sartorial comfort, even in seat 23D rather than the cream leather cocoon of the other kind of PJ (private jet). Pyjamas have appeared on the red carpet these days so there’s no reason to avoid them for travelling, but they must have a certain elan. They have, in other words, to be worn with confidence rather than as if the wearer forgot to set the alarm in time for check-in.
Higher class: Smart passengers on an airplane in 1970
I’ve arrived: Actress Sophie Turner at the airport in PJs
So pristine and crease-free colour or a bold print is the way to go. And they should not, under any circumstances, be that kind of pull-on jersey and sweatshirt style. Nor, heaven forbid, feature any kind of cartoon character.
Thought of as the modern two-piece they are simply a great plus when it comes to travelling in comfort.
So much better than being trussed up in a tight pair of trousers, leggings which are always a zero-style zone or shorts (particularly on men) which I find far more slobby than PJs.
Accessorised with styled hair (as Erling does), a pair of shades and some smart carry-on luggage, pyjamas are definitely a serious option for travel.
But when it comes to footwear, fluffy slippers are still very much a no-go area.