SLEEPING BEAUTIES

I went to the Frock Me vintage clothes fair today in Chelsea. It was packed with rails of the most covetable clothes and I was suddenly struck by the volume and beauty of nightdresses on sale. There were silk, satin, cotton nightdresses of such sensuous appeal. All second-hand survivors from as long ago as the 20's. Delicately embroidered, bias-cut, bosom-hugging, hip-skimming made from fabrics as light as butterfly wings. Many were stunning enough to wear as summer dresses - indeed I lusted after a pale blue floral one which wafted around my shins and would have looked fabulous with a pair of white laceless converse and a cotton cardigan. It made me realise what a massive cultural change has taken place in the way we dress for bed. 70,60,50 years ago women obviously put much more care and effort into their night-time attire than we do now. I don't know many women of my age (and under) that sleep in anything note-worthy. We all stumble off to bed and sling on an old kaftan or a pair of ill-fitting pajama bottoms or an over-sized t-shirt. Or we sleep naked. My mother buys me "pretty" nightdresses, possibly because she belongs to a generation that placed importance on such things. I could be wrong ( and I'd love to hear your views) but could it be because we've become culturally impervious to spending serious money on things only our husbands/boyfriends/lovers see? Or are we simply too multi-tasking, too time-starved, too tired and too lazy to make an effort?