What the Best Dressed Wear to the Land of Nod

Although choosing children’s pajamas may seem like a simple task, it can be complicated.

By federal mandate, there’s an important difference between children’s sleepwear and pajamas.

After studies in the early 1970s showed that most of what kids were sleeping in was flammable, a federal law was passed that requires all children’s “pajamas” to be flame retardant, says Cecil Smith, compliance officer with the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission.

To be called “pajamas,” children’s clothing must undergo extensive testing, including setting the item on fire and ensuring that it self-extinguishes.

The comfortable, untreated cotton clothing many parents choose to use as sleepwear for their children is referred to as “loungewear,” “playwear,” or other names for sleepwear since it does not meet federal requirements.

The following is a sampling of stores that carry girl’s and boy’s pajamas and loungewear.

BALBOA ISLAND KIDS CLOTHING CO.

This store carries a variety of kid’s pajamas and loungewear, including Sara’s Prints long johns for boys. These flame-resistant pajamas are 100% cotton. The long-sleeved shirt and pants have a sport theme design of colorful baseball players and balls in blue, white, yellow, green and red ($24).

When it’s time to wind down, boys can don this store’s Kid Basix 100% cotton long-sleeved shirt and pant outfit. This white loungewear has a colorful fish design ($24).

For girls, there is a Lagneau Dor very soft 100% cotton play dress. The white outfit comes in long or short sleeves and has a red apple design. The dress falls below the knees ($34).

There is also an I.C. flame-retardant gown and robe in 100% crinkled polyester. The frilly pink gown and robe are decorated in ruffles, ribbons and lace ($36 for both).

All pajamas and loungewear are available in sizes infant to 14.

224 Marine Ave., Balboa Island, (714) 723-4490.

BENETTON

These stores carry a wide variety of children’s loungewear, including a boy’s Benetton 100% cotton white T-shirt with red, navy and yellow flags in a horizontal pattern ($24). There are matching 100% cotton tie shorts with an elastic waist ($24).

There is also a boy’s Benetton 100% cotton beige T-shirt with a navy blue and mauve fish outline design ($19). The matching tie waist shorts are also 100% cotton ($22).

In girl’s loungewear, there are Benetton fitted navy blue spandex leggings in 92% cotton and 8% spandex ($24), and a matching sleeveless top. On the front of this 100% cotton navy blue shirt is a diamond shape with stripes in a horizontal pattern. The collar is red and white sailor-striped ($24).

Also in girl’s wear is a Benetton T-shirt with a yellow collar. This 100% cotton loungewear is pink with fish and shells in yellow, green, red and blue ($22) with matching pink leggings with schools of fish and shells in yellow, green, red and blue ($24).

All items mentioned come in sizes 2 to 12.

Fashion Island Newport Beach, (714) 760-6577; MainPlace/Santa Ana, (714) 542-8283; Mission Viejo Mall, (714) 364-0222; South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, (714) 754-5415, and Westminster Mall, (714) 891-8558.

BERGSTROMS CHILDRENS STORES

There’s a variety of sleepwear for a boy at this store, including I.C. 100% polyester flame-retardant pajamas. This two-piece set has a polo-type shirt in royal blue with red trim and blue elastic waist pants. Both pieces are decorated with baseball hats, balls and bats in primary colors. These pajamas are lightweight

and come in T-7 ($17).

The stores also have Kid Duds flame-retardant 100% polyester pajamas. This long-sleeved shirt and pant outfit is white and decorated with primary-colored dinosaurs and red trim. It comes in sizes T-7 ($14).

In girl’s sleepwear, there are I.C. “babydoll-style” pajamas that are 100% polyester and flame retardant. This pink set has a cap-sleeved shirt with white lace, a bow down the front and matching panties. It comes in sizes T-14 ($20).

In Kid Duds for girls, there is a 100% polyester nightshirt. These long-sleeved, thigh-length pajamas are white with a pink and lavender design in dots, flowers and stripes. At the bottom of the nightshirt is a ruffle covered with pink flowers. This comes in sizes T-14 ($18).

200 W. Alro Way, Anaheim, (714) 774-5050, and South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, (714) 540-9090.

THE DUCK POND

In boy’s wear, this store carries Sara’s Prints long-sleeved shirt and pant pajamas. This 100% cotton flame-resistant sleepwear is white with an abstract design of space men and satellites in blue, green and yellow. These can be found in sizes infant-10 ($30).

Also in Sara’s Prints for boys is a two-piece 100% cotton flame-retardant pajama. The white long-sleeved shirt and pants have an abstract design of safety pins and color blocks in red, blue and yellow. You’ll find sizes infant-10 ($30).

For girls, the store carries a Caspi Kids 100% cotton outfit. The white ruffle shorts and short-sleeved top loungewear ensemble has a blue and green splash design. Choose from sizes 2-8 ($38).

Also offered is a Christian Dior burgundy-colored velour robe. This long-sleeved ankle length robe has 10 buttons down the front ($72). Pair this with a pale pink satin gown. This is also ankle-length and long-sleeved and pulls on over the head ($62). Both come in sizes 4-10.

Enderle Center, 17350 E. 17th St., Suite G, Tustin, (714) 730-7232.

KIDS ‘R’ US

These stores carry a variety of nightwear, including Wundies 100% polyester “dorm shirts” for girls. These nightshirts are pink and decorated with a picture of the cartoon character, Bobby, wearing a blue ballerina gown. The shirt is short-sleeved and falls above the knee. It comes with a 100% polyester camisole and panties, which are both pink with white hearts ($14 total, sizes 4-14).

The stores also carry Giggles 100% polyester dorm shirts. These short-sleeved white nightshirts fall above the knee and have a picture of the Little Mermaid on the front. Available in sizes 4-14 ($12).

For boys the stores have Carters three-piece 100% polyester pajamas. The shirt is short-sleeved and white with blue stripes; the shorts are white with blue stripes and the pants are solid blue with an elastic waist. There is a baseball on the front of the shirt and “All Star” written in red. This outfit comes in 8-14 ($16).

The PCA 100% polyester boy’s pajamas have a short-sleeved blue shirt and blue shorts. On the front of the shirt there is a picture in red, yellow and blue of two boys jumping for a basketball. At the top of the shirt it says “Team Spirit” and at the bottom “Basketball Champs.” This outfit can be found in sizes 8-14 ($10).

755 E. Birch St., Brea, (714) 256-1936; 1447 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 992-1980; 12110 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, (714) 748-0362; 7600 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 848-6155; 3923 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana, (714) 241-9377; 3011 El Camino Real, Tustin, (714) 669-9796.

SMALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

You’ll find a variety of children’s loungewear and sleepwear here, including a girl’s Tom and Jerry lace floral multicolored nightgown. This full-length gown comes long or short-sleeved ($24-$34).

Also for girls, there is Sara’s Prints 100% cotton flame-resistant two-piece long underwear. This long-sleeved white nightwear has an abstract design of flowers and dolls in bright colors ($22-$35).

In Sara’s Prints for boys, they have 100% cotton flame-resistant long underwear with an abstract design of trucks in bright colors. This two-piece outfit has a long-sleeved shirt and pants ($22-$35).

All pajamas and loungewear listed come in sizes infant-14.

32565-A Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point, (714) 493-0193.