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It’s raining in Paris!

(45 Posts)
RosiesMaw2 Sat 03-Aug-24 21:00:11

Actually it is (again) but in my teens that was a warning that ‘Your petticoat is showing”.
“Vive l’empéreur!” meant a chap’s flies were undone.
Mum used to refer to “marking the calendar” for my sister’s and my periods (same calendar was kept discreetly inside a kitchen cupboard door!)
Did you have similar euphemisms?

Daddima Mon 05-Aug-24 16:51:39

polomint

Raining in Paris was expression I knew for underskirt hanging down. I loved my petticoats with lovely lace at the bottom

That was mine too. In Paris they say ‘ Vous cherchez une belle-mère’? ( Are you looking for a mother-in-law?)

And the answer to any of the ‘flies open’ sayings was, ‘ The dead bird never leaves the cage’!

If someone’s trousers were short, we’d ask if their budgie had died, because their trousers were at half mast.

polomint Mon 05-Aug-24 15:54:42

Raining in Paris was expression I knew for underskirt hanging down. I loved my petticoats with lovely lace at the bottom

grandtanteJE65 Mon 05-Aug-24 15:43:30

We said it's snowing in Paris, if a slip was on show when I was in Senior school.

"He'd look better with brakes!" was a way of warning other girls about a boy with wandering hands. In other words he went to far too fast, or thought himself God's gift to womenkind!

hollysteers Mon 05-Aug-24 14:39:22

Knittypamela

Charlie's dead here in Ireland. Over shoulder bolder holder for a bra. Boys with desert disease (wandering palms!)

Not safe in taxis (men with the same😁)

Lizzie44 Mon 05-Aug-24 14:26:54

Charlie's dead for petticoat showing; enough blue sky to make a sailor's breeches (likely to stay dry); bit black over Bill's mother's (rain likely); your poorly time (your period); I go the foot of our stairs (I'm amazed, can't believe it); put wood in the hole (close the door). I grew up in Birmingham & my parents were from Staffordshire so some of these may be specific to the Midlands.

Foxyferret Mon 05-Aug-24 14:26:48

Fred’s friends have arrived. (First day of periods).

Knittypamela Mon 05-Aug-24 14:16:11

Charlie's dead here in Ireland. Over shoulder bolder holder for a bra. Boys with desert disease (wandering palms!)

hollysteers Mon 05-Aug-24 14:15:26

My mother called periods my “so so(s)”🤔

Sennelier1 Mon 05-Aug-24 14:06:16

Making birdnoises and flapping your elbows to tell a man his fly is open, like "little birdie escaping" (only between friends/family) 😅 And Aunt Marie has arrived when your period has started.

DaisyL Mon 05-Aug-24 12:14:59

When he was in his 80s if you told my BIL that his flies were undone he used to say 'That's all right - a dead bird doesn't leave the nest'!
The mother of a friend of mine went to the doctor and after he asked he to get undressed he started to ask he all sorts of questions about the name of the Prime Minister and what year it was. Eventually she discovered that he thought she was getting dementia as she was wearing two dresses - he had never seen a petticoat before!

dalrymple23 Sun 04-Aug-24 15:20:18

My great aunt said that there was enough blue sky to put a patch on a sailor's trousers.

When gentlemen's flies were undone, a friend used to say "Basingstoke"! When asked why, he said "Because noone goes there"!!!!

Hope I haven't offended anyone who lives in that fine town!

grannyfranny4 Sun 04-Aug-24 15:01:53

When I was courting my now husband we were at a do in the RAF grounds at morayshire,off he went to "turn the car round" .when he came back. I said ,well is it the right way now,he laughed and said that meant he,s been to the loo .

Nannynoodles Sun 04-Aug-24 13:38:43

I was told that Charlie’s dead for a slip showing was from when Charles 1 was executed in 1649, the lady Royalist sympathisers could not be seen to be openly morning the King and so just let their petticoats show as a sign of defiance and support.
Not sure if it’s true or not but I love where sayings originate from.
Any more?

Grannybags Sun 04-Aug-24 12:38:55

Enough blue sky to make a sailor a pair of trousers!

Aveline Sun 04-Aug-24 11:06:39

Enough blue sky to make a pair of Dutchmen's trousers

Babs03 Sun 04-Aug-24 10:59:20

Correction - whenever the clouds made way….

Babs03 Sun 04-Aug-24 10:58:50

Not sure if anyone has ever heard this but my old mum used to say ‘there is just enough blue sky to make John Bull a pair of trousers’ whoever the clouds made way for a sliver of blue.

Babs03 Sun 04-Aug-24 10:55:03

Yes we said ‘it’s snowing down south’ for underskirt showing, was ‘mind the draught’ if a man’s flies were open, ‘enjoying the matinee’ for couples courting in the afternoon, and for some weird reason ‘it’s time to see aunt Maude’ when our periods arrived.

Grannybags Sun 04-Aug-24 09:41:54

I've just remembered 'I've got the painters in' for periods - how awful!

'Charlie's dead' for petticoat showing

'Flag at half mast' for flies not done up

Aldom Sun 04-Aug-24 09:23:10

It's snowing down south... Petticoat showing.

Auntieflo Sun 04-Aug-24 09:19:48

You're Flying without a Licence, meant your flies were undone.

aggie Sun 04-Aug-24 09:13:36

Spurs at the bottom of the league, for do up you flies !

Sparklefizz Sun 04-Aug-24 07:51:09

It was "Charlie's dead" when your petticoat was showing. (I found this very disconcerting when I had a boyfriend named Charlie)

My ex husband used to say "Has Mrs Johnson arrived?" referring to my period.

Casdon Sun 04-Aug-24 07:30:09

My nana would always say when she was going to the loo that she was off to spend a penny.

Greyduster Sun 04-Aug-24 07:26:54

“It’s a bit black o’er Bill’s mother’s” indicated that rain was in the offing.