|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loose Threads
Shanghai, CHINA -- New arrivals to Shanghai are often taken aback at the sight of women nonchalantly walking down the street clad in cartoon-charactered pajama sets. Were there any public places people dared not wear pajamas? I decided to find out. A flowery pink set was purchased: long pants and a top with elasticized ruffles at each wrist. Taking cues from my street-side observations, I wore them with flesh-colored ankle stockings and demure black pumps from Sigerson Morrison before traipsing out the door. Here’s where I went: the ATM machine, the supermarket, the convenience store, my office, a restaurant. Here’s what happened: Nothing. It was 9am when I first set out, and no one blinked an eye. I even crossed paths with another PJ-in-public wearer (she was middle-aged, carrying some leeks, and topped off her pink PJ ensemble with a clashing blue plaid vest). As I entered my office, my boss was introducing some new sales executives to the editorial staff. They shook my hand and smiled diplomatically. For lunch, I went to Yuan Yuan, a popular Shanghainese restaurant that received a 25, 17, 18 from Zagat for food, decor and service respectively. We were shown to a comfortable banquette, and although the waitresses whispered “psst psst psst pajamas” to each other in Chinese when I went to the bathroom, no one said a word to my face or indicated by any facial tic or quizzically raised eyebrow that I was wearing anything remotely inappropriate. Just as I had concluded that pajamas knew no boundaries, I went in to do a session of proofreading with my design staff. One graphic designer said I looked “cool," but my art director decided to teach me a new Chinese expression. In English, he said I was “rapping his eyes.” “Oh,” I replied. “You mean like rubbing your eyes, because you’re surprised to see what I’m wearing?” He frowned. “No, it’s not rubbing. Rapping. It’s very bad.” I frowned too, then sharply rapped my fingertips against the table. “Like rapping your eyes with my fingers? Because the pajamas are so ugly it hurts your eyes?” He rolled his eyes instead. “I don’t know how to say. Rapping? Rahping? Rayping?” I paused. “Oh. You mean raping?” He looked relieved. “Yes. Raping. You’re raping my eyes.” Pajamas do have their limits after all.
|