Before the birth of my daughter four months ago, I was way more critical of people in general, but especially of those who wore pajamas in public. “It seriously isn’t that hard to put on jeans, and it isn’t like jeans are uncomfortable,” I would snarkily comment to my wife.
But as a new member of the Tired Dad Club, I’m now finding it hard to work up the motivation to put on jeans. Which is why I will be forever grateful for my ($100).
For the first two sleep-deprived months of my daughter’s life, I wore the Weekenders more than any other piece of clothing. I didn’t take them off for the entire time we were in the hospital and pretty much lived in them until I had to return to my office three weeks later. I am so addicted to wearing them that I’ve taken them off for washing, then waited in my underwear until they were dry so I could put them back on.
I love the Weekenders most of their next-to-skin feel. Outdoor Voices calls the fabric—a blend of 89 percent polyester, 11 percent spandex—“mossed jersey.” I think of it as angel’s skin. It feels like cotton and silk had a love child, and my calves are reaping the rewards.
On top of being supple, the Weekenders are lightweight and extremely stretchy. I sit comfortably for hours in these pants while watching my daughter enjoy playtime. I can sneak away and go directly from couch to gym, appreciating how the pants move with me and vent heat and sweat while I sneak in a quick workout. While OV claims these are for “not-so-sweaty activities,” the Weekender’s slim fit, coupled with ample four-way stretch, hits that perfect not-too-formfitting sweet spot for slow squats and burpees. The light weight and thin profile isn’t great in the cold—I was notably uncomfortable when hiking with my daughter on a 40-degree day—but those features make them exceptionally comfortable to sleep in underneath a comforter.
Finally, the Weekenders can kind of pass for regular pants, thanks to their fit. While they do have a tapered leg that tightens at the bottom of my calves, they sit more like tailored jeans than jammies. But at the end of the day, the rest of me really doesn’t care what people think about my apparel in public. I’m a dad now, after all.