Laundry- Comme les Français

Famille Chic had one washing machine and a very tiny dryer. The dryer was only used for things like bed linens, table cloths and certain articles of clothing… everything else was hung up to dry on a laundry string suspended in the front hallway and the hallway leading to the kitchen.

The first time I gave my washing to Madame Chic was early one morning before I jetted off to the Sorbonne. When I came home that evening she had lovingly folded my clothes and placed them on my bed (so nice of her!). I remember wondering at the time where she had put my underwear as I couldn’t find the ones I had given her to wash. Famille Chic was having one of their many dinner parties that night so I made a mental note to ask Madame Chic about my underpinnings later and quickly freshened up for the dinner party. We had an apéritif in the lounge while waiting for the guests to arrive. When the guests did eventually arrive we all moved to the front hallway to greet them. Something caught my eye as I greeted these dinner guests (two chic Parisian couples) and I looked up to discover (in horror) that my underwear was hanging out to dry above all of our heads!

Now back then I was in college so I was wont to wear knickers with cute little sayings on them such as Go Team! and Drama Queen (TMI, I know- and I know I just wrote a post about that- but I feel that I have to describe them to you so you could fully grasp my horror). But no one seemed to notice and if anyone did they were probably wondering who on earth would wear hot pink underpants with immature slogans on them.

This must be one of the reasons why French women only wear the best lingerie!, I remember thinking at the time. Ever since that experience I now buy only sophisticated and alluring underwear- the sort that I wouldn’t mind hanging over my head at a party ;)