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Snowing down south

(48 Posts)
Jane71 Sun 15-Feb-26 16:37:03

Yesterday I was telling DD that when I was a teenager, I remember my granny saying to my mother 'its snowing down south' if her underskirt was showing. DD asked if she would have said the same if she had been wearing a black underskirt. I had to say that I didn't know. Did they only wear white ones in those days?

spottybook Sun 15-Feb-26 16:45:35

I’ve never heard that one. Growing up in the Midlands we would say Charlie’s dead.

sharon103 Sun 15-Feb-26 16:58:42

I haven't heard of that one either.
My mum always had white underskirts. Full ones.
If I remember right, if they showed under her dress or skirt she had a self made elastic band around her waist and hitched it up over that to make it shorter.

Fallingstar Sun 15-Feb-26 17:05:06

We lived in Lancs originally, near the Penines and ‘it’s snowing down south’ would be said if an underskirt was showing.
And ‘she’s got it all in the shop window’ if a woman was showing her cleavage.

Fallingstar Sun 15-Feb-26 17:05:53

I never remember black underskirts back then they were all white as far as I know.

Grannybags Sun 15-Feb-26 17:11:10

I only remember white ones. Black was probably thought of as ‘common’ back then! 😂

Charlie’s dead in Kent too

Aveline Sun 15-Feb-26 17:13:37

We used to say that 'It's snowing in Paris' if a petticoat was showing.
If a male family member had forgotten to do up their zip it was, 'Showing your medals?' or 'Egg on your chin'.

JamesandJon33 Sun 15-Feb-26 17:16:18

We, in the 1950, north of London, said ‘aunty’s dead’ if your petticoat was showing .

Jane71 Sun 15-Feb-26 18:08:59

I only remember white ones. Black was probably thought of as ‘common’ back then!

How things have changed.

Oreo Sun 15-Feb-26 19:02:11

Grannybags

I only remember white ones. Black was probably thought of as ‘common’ back then! 😂

Charlie’s dead in Kent too

Charlie’s Dead in London too.

M0nica Sun 15-Feb-26 19:05:36

I can remember black petticoats, worn under a dark skirt. M&S sold them, so they must have been respectable.

merlotgran Sun 15-Feb-26 19:07:15

It was always Charlie’s dead when I was at school.

Petticoats or slips disappeared with the mini skirt and thankfully never returned.

Grandma70s Sun 15-Feb-26 19:24:19

I think we just said “Your slip’s showing”.

Is anyone old enough to remember those gorgeous stiff ruffled nylon petticoats from the late 1950s? It was a matter of pride to wear as many as possible, to make your full skirt stick out. I sometimes think that particular fashion, small waists and full skirts, was the prettiest I’ve lived though.

Blossoming Sun 15-Feb-26 19:36:01

Yes, I live in Lancashire and this was a common saying.

Visgir1 Sun 15-Feb-26 19:38:01

Charles dead in my part of Hampshire.

boheminan Sun 15-Feb-26 19:56:37

'Charlie's dead' in South London.
Grandma70s I remember the stiff white petticoats and they stayed a fashion until the early 60's. They kept stiff by spraying them with starch - years later I remember as a nurse, we'd starch our aprons and caps in the same way.

Nandalot Sun 15-Feb-26 20:29:36

“Charlie’s dead’, in Hertfordshire and North London.
Our ‘sex education’ lesson included the warning that letting your slip show would inflame the boys. You can guess the effect that had on impressionable teenagers!

Witzend Sun 15-Feb-26 20:34:12

Fallingstar

We lived in Lancs originally, near the Penines and ‘it’s snowing down south’ would be said if an underskirt was showing.
And ‘she’s got it all in the shop window’ if a woman was showing her cleavage.

For excessive cleavage, a colleague of my mother’s used to say ‘Her dumplings are boiling over’. My DM found it very amusing.

kittylester Sun 15-Feb-26 21:55:29

We used to soak our petticoats in sugar water till make them stiff.

What about the tiered net ones? My friend had a multicoloured one which we all covetted.

JamesandJon33 Mon 16-Feb-26 03:42:36

Oh I just loved those stiff petticoats. All dripping on the line on a Saturday morning. Used to wear at least three at a time , even under my regulation blue gingham school dress.

Mamie Mon 16-Feb-26 04:36:15

Stiff petticoats also made from tarlatan? I think my mother used that to make my sister's petticoats and my tutus.

denbylover Mon 16-Feb-26 05:54:25

It’s snowing down south, often used to be heard if yr petticoat or knickers were showing, in NZ, well my part anyway, but probably all over.

Grannmarie Mon 16-Feb-26 11:12:13

'It's raining in Paris' was the turn of phrase in our area, SW Scotland.

Elegran Mon 16-Feb-26 11:23:28

boheminan

'Charlie's dead' in South London.
Grandma70s I remember the stiff white petticoats and they stayed a fashion until the early 60's. They kept stiff by spraying them with starch - years later I remember as a nurse, we'd starch our aprons and caps in the same way.

They were so stiff they scraped your stockings and laddered them.

Elegran Mon 16-Feb-26 11:24:47

You could also stiffen them by soaking them in sugar water and letting them drip-dry.