wearing silk pyjamas Photo

Photographer’s Note

Sunday morning in Dundee. The sunday papers have been collected by a woman in her pyjamas. I happened to be standing outside the small newsagent's shop as this woman came out. It's not unusual in some working class areas for women to shuffle out to the local shops in their house slippers. However, this is the first time I have seen anyone in their pyjamas. There was a bizarre contrast between the silky nightwear and this run down area of Dundee. It was raining too.
A line of a song came to mind that starts
She'll be coming down the mountain...
She'll be wearing silk pyjamas....
The couple on the billboard seem to think it amusing too.
ps i think she has her slippers on as well.

tyro, Cretense, AROBN54, noborders, TopGeo, cobbydale has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

lousat (15302) 2008-01-03 15:58

eheheh very nice and interestin daily life pic,thanks for share,Luciano

tyro (2662) 2008-01-04 5:10

Hello, Bev.

A great candid shot. And, by gum, this really takes me back and that's for two reasons:

Firstly, in Dundee, when I was young, it was not at all uncommon to see women out doing local shopping wearing their "hoosecoat" (dressing gown) and "baffies" (slippers) of a morning. Just a wee "donner" (stroll) down to the local shop!

Secondly, if you had pointed your camera ninety degrees to your right, you would have seen the front facade of the Morgan Academy, my old school, a fine Vicorian building which was a few years ago gutted by fire but has now, thankfully, been restored to its former glory.

Thanks for this one, Bev!

Kind Regards,

John.

Cretense (55812) 2008-01-06 9:59

Hi Bev and Happy New Year (better late than ever)!

This is a beautiful, funny shot, with great composition and light managment. Nice to see people that feel comfortable enough to go out on the streets wearing pijamas!

Hercules

AROBN54 (10725) 2008-01-06 14:18

Hi, Bev,
I love these street shots and she seems to have very good taste in pajamas. :)) It was so hot here during the summer, I bought pajama pants and wore them all summer for outer wear.
>:-O Very comfy... Great color and contrast and I like all the different lines and shapes. Nice catch!! Thanks and all good wishes to you!!
Shelly

LamCam (3603) 2008-01-07 12:56

Hello Bev
A nice little slice of life. I wonder how far she is going to have to walk ( or shuffle )before she can find a gap in that barrier - as a pedestrian I hate those things. Extra praise is due for having your camera at the ready on a rainy grey Sunday morning!!
Best wishes Maggie

noborders (14199) 2008-01-08 1:37

But she looks very elegant in her silk pijamas, why not ? Better than all those people wearing jogging outfits all the time when clearly it has been decades that they were running or practicing any sports !

Funny post, I like these kinds of details... Note that in Turkey some years ago, it was very common to see men not leaving their pijamas, and more recently, ladies in Kerala (India) in some villages were wearing for their daily chores long and large night gowns for practical reasons (large space, easier to move than in sarees) and more crucially one of them explained, because that way, they would feel less attractive and therefore, less susceptible to get sexual harrassment from any man from the village or any passer by ; however, they would wear their silk saree when going out of their neighbourhood.

Wearing slippers out of the home : don't like this idea at all !
(NB : do you also call a certain sort of light, transparent and sexy underwear / night outfit for women "négligé", which means "sloppy, scruffy, unkempt, neglected, careless etc." ??? This woman here does not look "négligée" at all !)

OK, this is getting too long - thank you for your last visit, please don't write "comments" as you suggest as I would not notice it and as it takes as long to write !!! I would not like to miss your "critique" !
Cheers,
Best,
Cath.

barrie (36) 2008-01-15 13:58

Hi Bev ,you scots ,just like to brag you can afford silk? in wales its wool or nothing,i have just been reading your comment about what and what not should be on TE ,i think you hit the nail on the head and summed it up just right ,now my main question then as i have looked at all your photos ,where do you get the nerve to just openly take a persons photo on the street or garden just lift the lense and click seems to be your style ,but with me i freeze at the tought of it give me landscapes any time no worries or thought of offending except the sheep here in wales , barrie

dougie (2920) 2008-01-16 1:45

Hi Bev,
I can remember folk doing that when in Glasgow when I was wee, sometimes with a headscarf on protecting the curlers, but maybe not when it was raining. I think it's a reflection of the local community society that used to be a lot more common before all the wee shops closed. Everybody in the street would know everybody in all their guises. Wouldn't go down so well in Tesco's though. The billboard is a cracker, scope for lots of good shots with a backgound like that. Thanks.
Dougie.

TopGeo (21711) 2008-01-22 23:58

Hi! Bev,I liked your note in somebody of friend the criticism (Arobn54) and thus accidentally saw your gallery. I liked that you have scenes of city as reportage also that him you accompany with beautiful notes. Here is very good your idea you make the combination of poster and grin, beautiful moment I praise you!
Georgios

evanrizo (456) 2008-02-02 6:12

Hi Bev,
it is really very well composed, the lady staying there with the placard.
Cheers
Evangelos
later...

romanaa (2551) 2008-02-20 1:09

Hi Bev,
this is great. Interesting shot, interesting note and wonderful reading comments of others. I would not do that, going out in pyjamas. Though, I have moved to a village and I must admit, it is really difficult to recognize neighbours when I meet them in the town and not in their garden clothes.
Regards
Romana

cobbydale (1924) 2008-03-02 2:07

An intriguing shot Bev. I'd have thought it would be a bit cold in Dundee for wandering round in yer jim-jams but obviously not. Thanks for sharing this shot which is in the true spirit of TE.
cheers
Leon