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Original poster

If you see someone with a wardrobe malfunction, do you tell them?

52 replies

FamiliesShareGerms · 14/06/2014 14:42

Must be something about the sunshine, but I've seen lots of people this week who are blissfully unaware of issues with their clothes.

I mentioned to one lady that her cardigan was inside out, as she was able to sort that out easily enough. I didn't tell the four people I saw whose knickers were clearly visible through their lovely, summery, light coloured clothes. Partly because I might look like a pervert, but also because I didn't know what they could have done about it at work (commando??). But then if no one tells them, they won't know any different, will they?

What do you do ?

OP posts:
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 17:54

The point is that some people don't care if their knickers can be seen.
It's like some young girls wear a bright or black bar under a light top. As if to say 'LOOK- I've got a BRA on.'

lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 17:54

barShock
Maybe a bra.

kelper · 14/06/2014 18:01

There was a lady at a concert i was at last weekend whose label was hanging out of her vest top, it was massive, and she clearly thought she looked fab. However i didn't tell her because a, i was 4 rows behind and b, her and her mate had obviously decided to drink the place dry, as they had about 8 mini bottles of wine each (which, at £5 a pop wasn't cheap!!) and she was a bit ill so i guess the labels as the least of her worries, as security came and removed her!
However in general i would mention labels, cardis inside out etc

hollycomputer · 14/06/2014 18:02

Last year I saw a woman wearing a halterneck dress, clearly without a bra (and she was a well-endowed lady). The reason I know she wasn't wearing a bra was because I could see most of her tits poking out the side of her dress. I don't think I would have had the front to tell her though.

A former colleague used to wear white linen trousers with a clearly visible purple G-string underneath. I did tell her but she just shrugged and said 'oh well'.

OlyRoller · 14/06/2014 18:06

I say something if there's something they can do about it. Recently, I noticed the snaps of a woman's bodysuit had become unsnapped, so she had sort of a tail escaping from the waistband of her skirt. I said something. But if they can't do anything to fix the problem, I wouldn't mention it.

TheSpottedZebra · 14/06/2014 18:09

A couple of years back I had a long commute, and was wearing a dress that had ties to do up at the back.

I came into the station and got on the tube escalator, and someone gestured at me: my ties were just coming undone and I guess could have been a tripping hazard but kind of them to tell me I guess.

Crossed London, long journey, into work, into the see-through lifts in the middle of our massive building, out onto my floor and I clock that my dress is rucked RIGHT UP. I have no idea now how long it was like that - across London? Was the first person actually telling me about my skirt, not the ties? Blush

Original poster
FamiliesShareGerms · 14/06/2014 18:37

I'm glad I'm in step with others and not being mean by not mentioning certain faux pas...

OP posts:
PipkinsPal · 14/06/2014 18:41

Yes I told a lady that there was a rip in her trousers. She clearly didn't know. It was showing her bare bum as she was either wearing a G-string of going commando. She was shocked but grateful. Luckily we were outside a clothes shop at the time.

hollycomputer · 14/06/2014 18:47

FamiliesShareGerms No, I think as others have said, if it's something they can fix there and then it's fine but it would be awful if it wasn't and they were going to be stuck with it all day.

DH did recently tell a girl on the escalator in a tube station that her skirt had got rucked up under her rucksack and was showing her pants. He said he felt awful but people were staring and he said he'd have felt worse letting her carry on like that.

andream34 · 14/06/2014 19:07

Lots of good answers already... and some amusing stories.

I would only tell a woman if the situation would be one where I would thank someone myself if they told me (such as the typical skirt/dress issues already mentioned - had the skirt one just once), and it would also depend on if they looked aggressive or not, if they looked like they might rip my head off I doubt I'd bother.

See-through leggings / knickers - oh my, I sometimes wonder if people have rather less pride in their appearance these days, I reckon 50% of women just don't bother looking in the mirror these days before they step outside!

And just to show a bit of equality, I wouldn't waste my time telling a guy if there was an issue (although there is rather less scope for issues anyway) because the vast majority of 'em look like they have randomly picked their clothes off the floor and have been wearing them solidly for several days!

Original poster
FamiliesShareGerms · 14/06/2014 19:17

Yes, Holly , that's what I meant: easy to turn a cardigan back the right easy, less simple to sort out a skirt / knicker issue

OP posts:
JuanPotatoTwo · 14/06/2014 20:05

I was sat behind a lady on Wednesday and there was a little spider on her hair. It was there for ages and was having a fab time. I was so engrossed watching it I missed half of the event I was meant to be watching. I couldn't decide whether to tell her or not. I didn't.

Trills · 14/06/2014 20:15

If it's clearly an accident and they CAN do something about it then I'd tell a stranger.

If they can't do anything about it then I'd tell a friend that they might not want to wear that skirt with those knickers in future, but I might not tell them til the end of the day, so that they weren't thinking about it all day.

StormCloudsGathering · 14/06/2014 20:24

I saw a woman at a bar the other day who had a dress on that had a see-through top layer with a slip underneath. Except the slip had ridden up to her lower back so pretty much her entire backside was exposed. I really couldn't think of a polite way to tell her that didn't imply I'd been staring! Luckily she then popped to the loo and when she came back it was in place but if I had seen her leaving with it I think I may have had to have said something!

Fairylea · 14/06/2014 20:33

I know a fair few teens and the consensus is that visible knickers are fine. A bit like wearing a very lacy sexy bra underneath a sheer blouse. They don't see it as a malfunction in the way that I would. But then my knickers are mostly sloggi long length size 18 nude ones..not size 6-8 top shop thongs or whatever else.

I wouldn't say anything. Ever.

For some people having a hole in something or whatever isn't an option. If you don't have anything else to wear sometimes you just have to make do.

peasandlove · 14/06/2014 21:21

I have said things on the london Underground when I've seen them like necklaces come undone or once I saw a girl eat a sandwich and was left with a huge blob of egg on her chin. They were always grateful if not a little surprised someone spoke on the tube Grin I havent seen anyone with giant skid marks or rips or whatever but I would absolutely say something, they could buy a new piece of clothing or get a friend to rescue them

phoneyjoanie · 14/06/2014 22:07

Oh Juan you just made my night with your hypnotising spider!

phoneyjoanie · 14/06/2014 22:08

Oh Juan you just made my night with your hypnotising spider!

EBearhug · 14/06/2014 22:34

the consensus is that visible knickers are fine

Visible knickers would have been fine on the young woman who last summer strode up a Tube escalator ahead of me and was visibly not wearing any knickers under her short denim skirt, which flared out as she rushed ahead. I decided it was time to look at my feet.

I don't know what I'd have said to her, even if she hadn't been rushing way faster than I'd have done. And it may well have been deliberate for all I know.

WildBillfemale · 15/06/2014 07:18

I wouldn't say anything to a stranger - the exception being if they had 'leakage' during shark week - I would want to know in that position.

Other stuff I may mention to friends - label out, seethrough etc not vpl though.

Rainydayblues · 15/06/2014 08:15

I went to the supermarket on Thursday, threw on a jumper because it's a bit nippy in the meat aisle. - discovered it was inside out when I got home, oh the embarrassment but it would have been worse had someone approached me to make me aware of it - so no....I wouldn't make someone aware of an issue they had with clothes, I don't tell the woman who go to bootcamp that I can see their knickers through their poor quality running tights either, especially when they squat!

BranchingOut · 15/06/2014 08:26

I recently came up the long, long escalators at London Bridge Tube station, mesmerised by a lady with her skirt tucked right up on the parallel escalator. There was nothing I could do at that point, but I decided that if I saw her at the top I would say something.

I did and she was appreciative - in her mid-late forties so the teenage 'happy to show things' trend probably didn't apply. However, I was careful to do it and then immediately peel off into the crowd, so as not to embarrass her by walking the same direction.

EBearhug · 15/06/2014 12:37

What's shark week?

StephenKatz · 15/06/2014 16:01

You know EBearhug,
Aunt Flo
The Crimson wave
The Curse
On yer rags Grin

EBearhug · 15/06/2014 17:05

Oh, right - never heard it as shark week before. Thanks.