Goodbye Jammies

I arrived in Shanghai nearly six years ago during the Chinese New Year holiday. Since my husband's new office was closed during the holidays, we spent the better part of two weeks exploring the city - the very cold, deserted city. (Folks spend Chinese New Year at home indoors. Rightly so, since the "Spring Festival", as Chinese New Year is locally called, falls in the coldest part of the year.) But when we did see locals, out and about at local wet markets buying fresh fish, stocking up on beer at the local Lianhua Supermarket or standing in line for fireworks on the corner, we were impressed with their attire.

Many wore a set of very thick, quilted pajamas. They were usually quite stylish, printed with teddy bears or stripes. They looked warm and comfortable and we could see a sweater or turtleneck poking out of the open collar. The outfit was accompanied by warm weather-proof boots. It was strange - to be sure - but somehow endearing. These folks were strolling about the neighborhood in their jammies, as casual and comfortable as anything.

The longer we lived in Shanghai, the more accustomed to outdoor pajamas we became. My husband even joined, going on a few errands in his flannel jammies and T-shirt (he didn't have a matching set - a real faux pas) in the early morning when we had our first child to the Alldays 24-hour convenience store to pick up yogurt or other odds and ends that were required in those wee hours. As the seasons changed, so did the jammies: lightweight long sleeves for warmer spring days, cooler short sleeve cottons for the summer. We stopped noticing after a few years.

But now recently and sadly, a public campaign to modernize Shanghai in advance of the upcoming World Expo in Shanghai (May-October 2010) has citizen special forces roaming neighborhoods, reminding people that their quaint habit won't serve Shanghai well when all the foreign guests arrive. While not technically against the law, the public campaign is aimed to stop the "embarrassing habit".

What a shame, I say. One of the wonderful things about visiting a foreign country is seeing what locals do and how locals live. Wearing PJs outside is a typical Shanghai custom - one that every foreigner I've ever spoken with about it finds interesting and quaint. Yes, somewhat laughable; but not in a bad way. It's cute. I hate to see Shanghai become just one other city that looks just like any other - McDonald's, 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Gucci, Prada, Pizza Hut. Stand on that street corner and you could be anywhere in the world. Then watch the locals get off the bus and spot the lao ye ye (grandpa) in his fancy jammies off to do an errand. Yes. You are in Shanghai.

From Sara Naumann, About.com's Guide to China Travel, guest-blogger for Chinese Culture.