Adult giraffe onesie: choosing your size, from S to XL

An adult giraffe onesie is a one-piece whose hood forms a giraffe's head, complete with little horns and ears that stick out. At Pyjama Monstre, it's the Giraffe Kigurumi, available from S to XL. Its product page doesn't give a height chart, so this guide explains how to choose your size from what it does say, then when to wear the giraffe and who with.

What does the Giraffe Kigurumi look like?

It's a onesie in cream fleece printed with orange spots, with a large white belly panel running from the collar down to the crotch. The hood forms the head: padded snout, stitched nostrils and eyes, two little round horns and ears that stick out. A pompom tail is attached at the back, and the sleeves and legs finish with brown trims.

It fastens with press studs all the way down the front. You open the onesie up wide to step into it, then close it right up to the neck. According to the product page, the fleece is light and fluffy: it keeps you warm on the sofa in the evening without overheating.

The horns on the hood, a faithful detail

The two little round horns on the hood really do exist on real giraffes: they're called ossicones. San Diego Zoo explains that males and females both have two, covered in hair (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Giraffe).

Photo: Charles J. Sharp / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The same page says the coat ranges from light beige to almost black depending on the species, and that each giraffe's spots are as unique as our fingerprints. It adds that a giraffe gets by on 5 to 30 minutes of sleep every 24 hours, often in naps of one or two minutes. You're probably planning to sleep a little longer in yours.

Adult giraffe onesie: which size to choose?

Take your usual size, and the size up if you're unsure: that's the only instruction on the product page. The Giraffe Kigurumi comes in S, M, L and XL, in a unisex, roomy cut designed to be worn over a T-shirt. A giraffe onesie for women or for men is the same style.

With no height chart to go on, three pointers help you decide:

1. Start from the size of your tops. The product page talks about your "usual size": the one you wear in T-shirts and sweatshirts is a good starting point.
2. Think about what you'll wear underneath. The cut is designed for a T-shirt. If you plan to wear a sweatshirt or pyjamas underneath, you're in "unsure" territory: take the size up.
3. Between two sizes, go up. A slightly long leg can be rolled up above the ankle. A onesie that's too short pulls at the shoulders as soon as you sit cross-legged or raise your arms.

Our guide to choosing the right adult onesie size explains how to take your measurements and what they're for. If you have any doubt about this particular style, the simplest thing is to ask customer service before ordering, using the "Ask a question" button on the product page or by emailing contact@pyjamamonstre.fr.

What if you're very tall?

The Giraffe Kigurumi's product page doesn't give a maximum height for XL. If you want a range in centimetres, the Monkey Kigurumi gives one: its product page states 178 to 189 cm for size XL.

And for a child?

The Giraffe Kigurumi only comes in adult sizes. For a little one, the Baby Animal Kigurumi is available as a giraffe, from 0–6 months to 4 years, and is chosen by the child's age. It's an outfit for awake time; our safety tips for bedtime and our matching ideas are in the article on matching parent-and-baby pyjamas. For older children, see our guide to the kids' kigurumi.

When to wear a giraffe onesie?

The giraffe onesie takes you from fancy dress party to sofa without changing in between.

• Animal-themed fancy dress party: with its spots, horns and pompom tail, the giraffe is instantly recognisable, no make-up needed. Our article on the animal-themed fancy dress party suggests other costumes and activities.
• Pyjama party with friends: a different animal for everyone, and the group photo takes care of itself. Our ideas for a grown-up pyjama party will help you organise it.
• Winter evenings at home: light fleece over a T-shirt, hood pushed back onto your neck. For the rest of the programme, see our cosy winter Sunday.

If the evening takes you outside on foot, the cream and orange giraffe is easier to see than a dark costume, but not enough at night. France's road safety agency, Sécurité routière, advises pedestrians to wear light-coloured clothing and reflective strips as soon as visibility drops (Sécurité routière, pedestrian leaflet, in French). A reflective armband slips easily over the sleeve.

Which animal to pair it with?

• The giraffe and the monkey: a safari duo with the Monkey Kigurumi, with its light-coloured snout and big round ears.
• The giraffe and the crocodile: the watering-hole scene, with the Crocodile Onesie in olive green flannel.
• The giraffe and the explorer: one in the kigurumi, the other in a shirt, shorts and bush hat, with binoculars round their neck.
• A herd of giraffes: for a group of friends, the same style several times over. Everyone picks their own size.

Our guide adult animal onesies: which animal should you choose? compares the giraffe with the shop's other styles, fabric and fastening included.

Care and safety

Machine wash the kigurumi at 30 °C on a delicate cycle, then leave it to air dry, as the product page says. Our tips for keeping fleece soft are in how to wash and care for fleece pyjamas.

Before ordering, note that slippers are not included: the ones in the photos don't come with it.

A roomy onesie, with a pompom tail hanging behind you, can brush against a flame without you feeling it. The London Fire Brigade recommends keeping candles away from anything that can catch fire, clothing included, and presents LED candles as a safer option (London Fire Brigade, Candles).

In short

The shop's adult giraffe onesie is a kigurumi in light cream fleece with orange spots, a white belly, horns, ears and a pompom tail, fastened with press studs. It comes from S to XL, in a unisex, roomy cut: take your usual size, or the next one up if you're unsure or wearing a sweatshirt underneath. Wear it to a themed party, with friends or on the sofa, on its own or paired with a monkey or a crocodile. Find it on the Giraffe Kigurumi page, or browse every style in the shop.

Cover photo: Jozef020 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)