How Should Pyjamas Fit? A UK Pyjama Size and Fit Guide

By Snoozyn · Updated September 2026

Pyjamas are the one thing people buy without trying on and then wear every night. A good fit is not the same as a daytime fit: you need room to turn over, draw your knees up and lie on your side without a seam pulling. This guide covers how pyjamas should fit, how to measure, and what to do if you are petite, tall, curvy or between sizes.

How pyjamas should fit, piece by piece

Shoulders

The shoulder seam should sit on or just past the edge of your shoulder. If it sits well down your arm, the top is too big. If the fabric pulls across your back when you reach forward, it is too small.

Chest and buttons

A button-front top should close without gaping between the buttons when you sit up or lie on your side. Gaping means go up a size, or choose a fabric with some stretch.

Waistband

An elasticated waistband should stay up when you walk around without leaving a mark on your skin. If it digs in, the size is too small, however well the rest fits.

Hips and seat

There should be room to sit cross-legged and draw your knees up. Pyjama bottoms that are tight across the seat pull down at the back when you sleep on your side.

Leg length

Long trousers should end at or just above the ankle bone, so they do not drag underfoot or twist around your legs. Too short and they ride up to mid-calf when you bend your knees; that is the most common fit problem for tall women, and the reason tall cuts exist.

Sleeves

Long sleeves should reach the wrist bone. Short sleeves and camis are more forgiving, which is why they suit anyone who is between two sizes.

How to measure yourself

• Chest: around the fullest part, with the tape level under your arms.
• Waist: around the narrowest part of your natural waist.
• Hips: around the fullest part of your hips and seat, feet together.

Keep the tape snug but not tight, and measure over underwear rather than clothes. Then match your measurements to the table below. If two measurements point to different sizes, go by the larger one.

UK women's pyjama sizes (body measurements)

Men's, kids' and maternity sizes, with inches as well as centimetres, are in our full size guide.

Petite, tall, curve and maternity

Petite: 5'3" / 160 cm and under

A petite cut is not a smaller size. It keeps your usual chest, waist and hip measurements and shortens the body, sleeve and leg, so the waist sits at your waist and hems do not fold over. Take your usual UK size. Our petite collection is cut for 5'3" / 160 cm and under, currently in the Ripe Lemon short set.

Tall: 5'9" / 175 cm and above

A tall cut adds length through the body, sleeve and leg rather than just a longer hem, so the top covers the waistband when you stretch and the proportions stay right. Take your usual UK size. See our tall collection, currently the Ripe Lemon short set in a tall cut.

If you are petite or tall and want a long set that is not yet made in your cut, email support@snoozyn.com with your height and the style before you order, and we will help you choose.

Curve and plus size: UK 6 to 28

Our Modal Cloud and cotton pyjamas run from UK 6 to UK 28, with the pattern graded across the whole range rather than scaled up at the end. Mulberry silk runs to UK 22. Shop the curve and plus-size collection.

Maternity

Take your pre-pregnancy UK size. Our maternity pyjamas have a gathered bump band and popper nursing fastenings, so they work before and after the birth.

If you are between sizes, go by the fabric

Not sure which fabric to choose in the first place? Our pyjama fabric guide compares silk, modal and cotton.

Men's and kids' pyjamas

Men's pyjamas run S to XL. If your chest and waist point to different sizes, go by the chest for a top-heavy fit and by the waist if you prefer room in the trousers. Kids' pyjamas run from 1–2 years to 11–12 years. Sizing by height is more reliable than age, and if a child is between two sizes, the larger one lasts longer.

Questions people ask about pyjama fit

How should pyjamas fit?

Loosely enough to move in and turn over without anything pulling, but not so loosely that fabric bunches under you. The shoulder seam should sit at your shoulder, the waistband should stay up without digging in, and long trousers should end at or just above the ankle bone.

Should I size up in pyjamas?

Only if you are between sizes or like a very loose fit. Most people should take their usual UK size. In silk, which has no stretch, take the larger size if you are between two.

What size pyjamas should I get if I am petite?

Take your usual UK size and look for a petite cut, which is proportioned for 5'3" / 160 cm and under, with a shorter body, sleeve and leg rather than a smaller size.

What are tall pyjamas?

Tall pyjamas are cut for about 5'9" / 175 cm and above, with extra length through the body, sleeve and leg, so the set sits properly on a longer frame instead of riding up.

Do pyjamas shrink?

Hot washes and hot dryers are the main cause of shrinkage in cotton, and they wear out the elastane in modal. Wash pyjamas cold or at 30°C on a gentle cycle and dry them on low, or follow the label for silk.