Overview
For many, pyjamas are defined by what they're not: not quite stylish enough to leave the house in but not quite ratty enough to toss out. After a bout of burnout, Sheet Society founder Haley Worley took a six-month hiatus — it caused her to reconsider the practice of rest. Then, she started thinking about a wardrobe to match.
"Things really fell into place when I started to really understand the power of rest. That whole girl boss culture totally consumed me," Haley shares. "Rest synthesises everything that is going on in your world. It really showed me that pausing is actually where a lot of the magic comes from. I really want people to take ownership of this rest time and dress for that occasion."
When it comes to sleep, Haley is something of an expert: Sheet Society has been releasing chic bedding in natural fabrics for nearly a decade. That fabric-forward sensibility — paired with the designer's fashion production know-how from stints at Ted Baker and Tiger Mist — shines at Resting, her loungewear label that debuted last month.
Haley initially imagined a resort-ready take on sleepwear that wouldn't look out of place on The White Lotus. Set in a different ultra-luxury destination every season, the TV show is known for its elegant holiday wardrobe: think floaty designer dresses, printed silk shirts and linen pants. "We were going to lean into [the sort of] resting you do on a holiday," Haley says. "You spend a lot of money on swimwear and beachwear for a holiday, but you spend a lot of time in your pyjamas." Ideas were flying — palm prints and hotel merch were on the vision board — but the first drop was pared back to focus on Resting's three signature fabrics.
Years of experimenting and engineering fabrics for a good night's sleep at Sheet Society had laid the groundwork for Resting. "We've got so much rigour around product testing because people wash their sheets so much. The fabrics and function are 100 per cent in our wheelhouse," she says. For example, breathability is a non-negotiable for sleep: it allows the body to regulate temperature overnight, which is why heat-trapping polyesters and other synthetic materials are ruled out.
While the material science draws directly from Sheet Society's bestselling sheets, thoughtful adjustments were made for movement and comfort. Eden sheets were reworked with a lighter cotton, and elastane was added to the Miller Jersey to allow for stretch. It took almost three years to refine the bedding fabrics for wear and to "put the icing on the cake" with the design choices, Haley says.
Each of the three signature fabrics serves a different style across the 30-piece collection. A classic blue pinstriped combo is crafted from lightweight woven cotton that lends a tailored look, while the cloudknit jersey tanks, tees, and boxer shorts (watch out for the adorable polka dot print) lean into activewear territory. The most luxe-feeling pieces, like a chocolate-brown slip dress and a smart shirt-and-shorts set, come in a patented bamboo lyocell. Stunning drape aside, the fabric mimics a soft yet weighty satin, minus the staticky feel.
Dress up Haley's favourite Resting piece — a cherry-red jersey mini dress with cosy long sleeves called the Marnie — and it wouldn't look out of place at a wine bar. "I think there is a big trend at the moment, which is pyjama dressing. [You can wear] your pyjamas at night, but then also putting a heel on or building some necklaces and getting out of the home with that intimate dressing," she says. "It's so fun. It just feels like, fuck yeah, I'm doing this for me. You're not making yourself uncomfortable, you're not squeezing yourself into a tight dress."
"We're so trend-driven — what you wear outside [the house] really shows who you are and what your personality is like," Haley explains. "You can pinpoint different types of people and who they hang out with based on their apparel. I just want to express myself at home in the same way that I do when I leave the house."
You can shop the Resting collection via Sheet Society now — available online or in-store.
Images: Supplied