SHAKING hands with a marketing executive Michelle Love, 38, looks every inch the businesswoman as she strided into the boardroom.
Wearing heels, perfect makeup and a blazer over a silk ‘dress’ the mum of two, from Ealing, West London, started her presentation.
Listening were men dressed in posh, pinstriped, hand-tailored suits from London’s Savile Row and women in Chanel and Prada dresses who gave Michelle’s pitch the thumbs up.
It’s a scene played out in boardrooms around the country.
But what the expensively clad executives hanging off Michelle’s every word don’t know is she didn’t spend thousands on her outfit – she’s wearing her much loved Primark PJs for her powerpoint presentation.
“I wear my Primark nighties to business meetings. I wear my pyjamas to nights out. I glam them up with heels and a posh bag. I look hot for less than a tenner,” said Michelle, mum to Izzy, 15, and Tom, eight, with her husband John Lopez, 35, a sound recording engineer.
She spoke as Tesco released its new Bridgerton range.
When Primark released its version last year proved so trendy it saw people wearing the nighties to weddings and christenings.
“I save hours each week getting ready. I pop a blazer over my nightie or throw on a Primark faux leather jacket over my pyjamas and head out to do business deals.”
I know some people will troll me and think wearing pyjamas instead of Prada to business meetings is trashy – I think it’s tasteful.
Michelle
“My favourite £6 satin negligee doubles as a boardroom suit – if you add the right accessories.”
“I wear my comfy pyjama bottoms and top with heels and the right makeup and go to posh dinner parties,” said Michelle.
“I know some people will troll me and think wearing pyjamas instead of Prada to business meetings is trashy.
“I think it’s tasteful. My Primark pyjamas make perfect boardroom attire. They’re classy and classic.
“People are gobsmacked when I tell them my dress designer is Primark.
“I’ve even worn a pound shop nightie to a meeting and had a woman ask me where I found my ‘amazing dress’,” she said.
Michelle, who is also an actress, said she needed a “classic wardrobe” but one that she could dress “up or down for meetings.”
I’ve even worn a pound shop nightie to a meeting and had a woman ask me where I found my ‘amazing dress’.
Michelle
“The cost-of-living crisis means I can’t afford a designer wardrobe,” she said.
“It’s time to bust the taboo that pyjamas are just for the bedroom. They’re not. They make you a success in the boardroom.
ABBY McHale reveals why Primark is renowned for its nightwear section.
Taking over large sections of the stores it has everything from trend led satin styles, to fluffy Disney PJ’s and everything in between.
Plus it means you can head to bed looking and feeling good without having to break the bank.
It’s also a great place to bag yourself a pyjama dupe.
Last year Primark had a great version of the Skims pyjamas and its latest dupe is that from Victoria’s Secret.
The pink striped pyjamas are a great match for that of the American lingerie brand, I even have a pair myself.
They’re lightweight, super comfortable and only a fraction of the price – what’s not to love.
According to Michelle a blazer and negligee is great for networking.
“Jim jams are perfect for job interviews. You just have to accessorise with heels and jacket, and the right handbag,” she said.
When it comes to wearing PJs to work Michelle is not alone.
According to employment firm Indeed survey conducted in November last year, a staggering one third of British employees have admitted to working in their pyjamas.
Indeed’s surveyed more than 1,000 employees and 500 employers in the UK, discovering 33% of workers wear pyjamas during shift hours.
Jim jams are perfect for job interviews. You just have to accessorise with heels and jacket, and the right handbag.
Michelle
The research showed that staff wear jim-jams 46 working days a year on average.
The study also found one in 12 employees wear pyjamas every day.
Michelle upgraded her PJs to workwear two years ago.
She said: “I love my Primark slip nighties. I had to run to the shops and simply put a jacket on over the top of the nightie and grabbed some heels.
“I was terrified I’d be called out for wearing pyjamas. Instead, two other shoppers asked me where I’d got the dress,” she says.
“That was my ‘miracle moment’. I realised I could double my wearable business and events clothes by using my pyjamas.”
I am proof you don’t have to be a superstar to master the Primark PJ trend. I look fabulous, and I am saving cash.
Michelle
Michele was inspired to continue her ‘bedroom boardwear’ outfits after spotting celebrities doing the same thing.
Rhianna, Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian. Kendall Jenner and model Gigi Hadid have all been photographed wearing pyjamas out to restaurants, work events and business meetings.
JUST how does Primark do it? Continue delivering on-trend items at such incredible prices? According to bosses, it's down to four points.
For more information about how Primark keeps their costs so low, and are able to deliver such amazing bargains, visit the Primark website.
“I am proof you don’t have to be a superstar to master the Primark PJ trend. I look fabulous, and I am saving cash,” she said. “Primark PJs for business is the best form of power dressing.”
