# The Pajama Shorts Worth Sleeping and Living In > A style editor tested pajama shorts through hot nights, lazy weekends, and bodega runs to find the pairs that earn their keep. - Title: The Pajama Shorts Worth Sleeping and Living In · Men's Health - Summary: A style editor tested pajama shorts through hot nights, lazy weekends, and bodega runs to find the pairs that earn their keep. The best pajama shorts pass… - Keywords: pajama shorts, menswear, loungewear, sleepwear, shopping, Pajama, Shorts, Worth, Sleeping, Living, Men's Health - Source: Men's Health — https://menshealth.com/style/a73653710/best-pajama-shorts - Author: Joseph Cheatham - Published: 2026-09-10T19:56:46+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: pajama shorts, menswear, loungewear, sleepwear, shopping ## Not all pairs are equal Some pajama shorts go stiff, some ride up the moment you relax, some turn into a sauna under a duvet. The good ones you put on Friday night and never want off. > The ones I can put on Friday night and have no desire to take off Sunday morning. ## The two-job test A great pair works for sleeping, couch sprawling, tidying up, and a late-night bodega run. If it looks good enough to leave the house in, that is the double win. ## How they were tested Softness, stretch, breathability, fit, pocket space, and how the fabric holds up after a few trips through the wash. ## Best overall: Skims The Skims Relaxed Short, $64, was the coziest pair tested. A cotton-rayon blend with a smooth hand and a relaxed cut that lets you stretch out without feeling pinned in. ## Cinch it or leave it The Skims waistband sits fine on its own, but a drawstring is there if you want it locked down. There is some heft, so expect warmth under a heavy duvet. ## Skims goes outside They read more sweat short than pajama, so grocery runs and matcha pickups are fair game. They survive repeated washes; dry on low or air dry. > They have a clean, put-together look that gives more of a sweat-shorts vibe than straight-up pajama shorts. ## Best budget: under $20 Amazon Essentials Cotton Knit Sleep Shorts cost $19 and feel nothing like a bargain pair. Soft cotton, relaxed through thigh and hip, waistband that sits just below the waist. ## Built for hot sleepers These are the lightest pair on the list. They stayed wearable through the whole night even when the apartment started heating up. ## Longest inseam, real coverage They stop just above the knee, more coverage without tipping into dad-short territory. Fine for a dry cleaning run, not for a lunch date. ## Best multi-pack: Hanes Two pairs for $25, in a cotton-poly blend with a button fly and a drawstring waist that sits without digging in. ## Hanes pulls double duty Loose enough to breathe at a work-from-home desk, stretchy enough for a morning treadmill run. Still soft after seven loads in the wash. > I can move however I want and not have the fabric fighting back. ## Best for errands: Quince The $30 Bamboo Jersey Lounge Short feels like sweatpants in short form. Rayon and spandex, soft with real stretch, and it holds its shape. ## Coffee run approved Quince reads as polished sweat shorts, not sleepwear. You can hit the grocery store without feeling like you forgot to change. ## Best naked-ish: Tommy John The $58 Second Skin short in modal and elastane is so light and smooth you can skip underwear entirely and barely register you are wearing anything. > You don't even need boxers or any underwear because Tommy John's pajama shorts feel like a second skin. ## No riding up, no readjusting Enough stretch to move with you through a night of tossing and turning. The waistband stays put without digging, and a drop-crotch gusset adds room. ## Most comfortable: Cozy Earth The $64 Bamboo Stretch-Knit short is buttery, like a broken-in T-shirt. It flexes like a rubber band, so squatting or sprawling costs nothing. ## Pockets that hold a remote The pockets have enough give to take a bulky TV remote without the shorts sagging. They stay breathable even in a studio that heats up fast. ## Most stylish: Tekla At $185, these striped organic cotton-poplin shorts are the splurge. They pass as vacation shorts, good enough for a beach walk in Costa Rica. > The stripes especially give them more of a vacation-short feel. ## No stretch, plenty of room The poplin is mid-weight and completely non-stretch. A roomy cut and low-crotch construction do the work instead. Wash cold, around 30 degrees. ## Best luxe feel: Eberjey The $138 Henry set pairs a top and short in Tencel-modal and elastane. Silky, fluid, and draping rather than boxy. Great for bed, not for going out. ## Key takeaway The best pajama shorts pass two tests: soft enough to sleep in all night, sharp enough to wear out for coffee without looking like sleepwear.