This is where I get confused. If they are sweat pants, you could go jogging in them, couldn’t you? I mean, there’s no way to tell by looking that they are pjs. And if you could go jogging in them, you could wear them to the gym, and if you can wear them to the gym, it’d be ok to pump gas or drop something off at your husband’s work while you were away.
I think for me, it comes down to thinness. Some PJs are paper thin and drape in a way that conceals very little. Those sort of PJs shouldn’t be worn out.
It doesn’t happen where I live in the South of Englad very much, if at all. I truly don’t understand the offense people take over this (as long as there is not an actual example of indecent exposure of breasts, genitals, etc, although in truth, I hardly care about that either)
I just don’t understand why it is, or ever should be any of my business what anyone else wears in public (rules in the workplace, fine - standards when visiting your home, no problem). Go shopping in your PJs, or in a clown suit if you like. I might chuckle if you look funny, but I certainly don’t care.