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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Hanging my knickers on the line

159 replies

Boysgrownbutstillathome · 12/05/2024 19:32

When I was growing up all washing went on the line. I have carried this on - everything goes on the line, including undies. I can see three neighbours' gardens and washing lines from my bedroom window and they never hang their undies out. Is it now considered shameful? I am not embarrassed by my family's clean underpants. AIBU?

OP posts:
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JudgeJ · 14/05/2024 13:30

IncognitoUsername · 12/05/2024 19:49

I don’t hang anything out (use an airer in the house) but I wouldn’t be offended by anyone’s pants.
My parents had a birthday party for my grandad in their garden and we only realised after the photos were developed (circa 1980) that next door’s black and red matching set of lacy underwear were in almost every shot! Still makes us giggle.

I wonder if they lived next door to a friend of mine whose neighbour complained to friend's mother about the red and black undies she had on the line, her daughter's not her own?

StarlightLady · 14/05/2024 13:08

RainbowZebraWarrior · 14/05/2024 12:55

"Y fronts" are equally bad. My husband calls them skivvies, says that's what they were called at his school.

I'm sure they were called 'Skiddies' / Skidz at our school. As in the sort of pant worn by a boy likely to sport skid marks. I'm trying to work out what the link to skivvies would be.

Someone has a lisp perhaps? 😀

RainbowZebraWarrior · 14/05/2024 12:55

"Y fronts" are equally bad. My husband calls them skivvies, says that's what they were called at his school.

I'm sure they were called 'Skiddies' / Skidz at our school. As in the sort of pant worn by a boy likely to sport skid marks. I'm trying to work out what the link to skivvies would be.

Itloggedmeoutagain · 14/05/2024 12:54

There's no way i would notice what was or wasnt on next door washing line

HeraSyndulla · 14/05/2024 12:38

SallyWD · 14/05/2024 10:25

I use it for men's underwear but don't like it for women's underwear, for some reason.

"Y fronts" are equally bad. My husband calls them skivvies, says that's what they were called at his school.

My daughters have knickers but they're not really pukka knickers, not in the true sense. They are, at best, lacey things that don't cover your bottom, or cheese cutter thongs. Unless it's shark week then M&S are to the fore.

My 14 year old son has a collection of 1950's union jack boxer shorts. He worries me sometimes.

StarlightLady · 14/05/2024 11:12

I await the knicker inspector on the next sunny day. 😀

l hope l pass. Most are fairly new.

MadisonAvenue · 14/05/2024 10:37

Tatatara · 12/05/2024 21:11

Yes I have two of those. Jolly little octopuses drying my undies in full of all the neighbours 🐙

I’ve never used the octopus on the washing line, just always assumed that it’d fall off in the slightest bit of wind but maybe that’s why it’s quite weighty, to prevent that happening?

SallyWD · 14/05/2024 10:25

HeraSyndulla · 14/05/2024 03:46

I hate the word “pants”. It’s one of my pet hates and banned from the house.

I use it for men's underwear but don't like it for women's underwear, for some reason.

EBearhug · 14/05/2024 10:16

My neighbours hang out their washing too and I have never thought to check if they’re hanging out underwear

Not till now, anyway...

drusth · 14/05/2024 03:51

bloodyplumbing · 12/05/2024 19:38

How did you e en notice this?

Yep I think it’s strange OP has looked at 3 neighbours’ washing.

I hang my knickers and bras on the line, I love washing dried outside in the sun.

My neighbours hang out their washing too and I have never thought to check if they’re hanging out underwear Confused

HeraSyndulla · 14/05/2024 03:46

I hate the word “pants”. It’s one of my pet hates and banned from the house.

IdaPolly · 14/05/2024 03:38

This hideous man who was high up in the Canadian Air force graduated from stealing underwear to murder

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Williams_(criminal)

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 14/05/2024 00:07

Stealing underwear can be a real indicator, though.

We had a spate of disappearing frillies disappearing in the village where I lived some decades ago. They found them in the thief’s house when they went to arrest him for lying in wait for his neighbour when she walked the dog, and beating her to death.

Librarybooker · 13/05/2024 23:44

It’s so much a real thing that there is even a game

Hanging my knickers on the line
SallyWD · 13/05/2024 20:37

None of my neighbours seem to hang underwear on the line but I always have. If it shocks or offends them, well then I think it's their issue.

Tatatara · 13/05/2024 20:27

Theoldwoman · 13/05/2024 02:58

What’s the time
half past nine
hang your britches on the line
when they’re dry
bring them in
and put them in the biscuit tin

Eat the biscuit, eat the cake, eat the knickers by mistake!

Thank you, you've brought me down memory lane with this. Funny what's hidden in the darkest recesses of our minds.
😆

Boysgrownbutstillathome · 13/05/2024 19:41

AllTheChaos · 13/05/2024 00:58

I don’t think there was ever a photo in my grandparents’ garden that didn’t have undies on the washing line in the background somewhere! It became a standing joke in the family.

🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
MagnetCarHair · 13/05/2024 18:40

I don't put out undies or socks on the line. Not because I'm a prude but because I'm bone idle and just bundle them up and bung them in the dryer rather than peg them out and bring them in.

Boysgrownbutstillathome · 13/05/2024 18:39

SunGoesIntoHiding · 12/05/2024 21:54

I sometimes hang 3 bits of mine into one and peg on inside or rotary or on octopus so they aren’t noticeably pants but that’s because they old worn and much bigger than I’d like them to be! Bras always inside again main as few are ten years old (sure that’s not good for me!!) and massive cups. That’s all more shame of my size and neighbours see that than the fact it’s underwear as such. I’ve started hanging my DC pants by a single peg so they more hidden on inside also as they’re getting older and friends come around more although im
not sure they particularly care (so haven’t mentioned this to them as don’t want to give them complex like me!!). DH’s big boxers hang two pegs in all their glory.

When we first moved hear neighbours either side didn’t hang any washing out at all so even me hanging tops trousers towels etc seemed against the grain in our street. Luckily next door on left sold and a regular family moved in with kids and lots of line drying of washing. Right still never hangs anything out as a single man although I did see an aired out with bedding drying last summer that surprised me enough to text the news to DH at work 🫣😂

I love your observations!

OP posts:
Boysgrownbutstillathome · 13/05/2024 18:35

YaWeeFurryBastard · 12/05/2024 22:08

I thought it was what’s the time/half past nine/hang your knickers on the line/when they're dry take them in/put them in the biscuit tin/eat a biscuit, eat a cake/ eat your knickers by mistake 😂

That's a great version!
I learned - "What's the time?
Half past nine
Hang your knickers on the line.
If a robber comes along
Hurry up and put them on"
Yours is funnier!

OP posts:
PinotDragon · 13/05/2024 18:32

I hang em out. Although I do now fold them over as my 3yo son mistook them for a t-shirt once and I've never lived it down with DH 🤣

Boysgrownbutstillathome · 13/05/2024 18:30

KeepYourFingersOutOfMySoup · 12/05/2024 20:19

I got a new pack of drawers recently. DH declared them "3-peg pairs" 😆 I'm yet to prove test that assertion...

🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
twilightcafe · 13/05/2024 18:30

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 13/05/2024 15:31

Do pervs nick school uniform off washing lines? I've never heard that.

It's not that they might nick them. More that I don't want to advertise info about my teenagers to passing strangers (which school they go to, what size they are, etc)

Boysgrownbutstillathome · 13/05/2024 18:29

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 12/05/2024 20:47

I hang mine proudly in the front garden for everyone passing by to admire. The rest of the washing goes in the back garden.

🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
StarlightLady · 13/05/2024 17:32

In general, if you are ashamed of your knickers on the line, it’s high time you bought some new knickers!