# "Careful, your slip is showing" Suggestive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 7, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106 "2014-01-07T03:55:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Themis00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/13edae/32.png) [@Themis00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themis00)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/1 "2014-01-07T03:55:16Z")
Is it just me or is that a very sexually suggestive phrase? I’m surprised that it isn’t listed in sexual harrassment policy books across the country. I’m shocked that it is used in casual and even professional conversations. A “slip” is a woman’s undergarment just like bras and panties. Undergarments cover private parts, therefore mentioning that someone’s slip is showing is an inappropriate way of saying that someone is revealing their true feelings. Whenever someone tells me that I get slightly offended, or turned on, depending on who said it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/2 "2014-01-07T03:58:30Z")
At the beginning I was going to tell you it would be no different then telling someone her shirt/sweater had fallen off her shoulder and her bra strap was showing. If telling her that is sexual harassment, then she should be written up for inappropriate attire. But you clearly have a very different meaning for ‘you’re slip is showing’ then I do. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/3 "2014-01-07T04:04:03Z")
Also, to add, what’s wrong with telling someone they’re showing their true feelings or maybe talking a little more then they should and in what world what be sexual harassment? Is it sexual harassment if I tell you that I think you have your undies in a bundle over nothing. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/4 "2014-01-07T04:05:33Z")
The word “slip” has multiple meanings. One of them is “a mistake” (derived from another meaning of slip, which is to lose your footing.) I have not heard “your slip is showing” to mean that you have revealed your true feelings, but if I did hear it in that context, I would take it to refer to “a slip of the tongue,” or a mistake, not to an undergarment. Women don’t even wear slips these days (try finding one in a department store), and anyway, it is O.K. to refer to a woman’s underwear without harassing her, unless you’re doing it in a particularly salacious way. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/5 "2014-01-07T04:29:48Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > At the beginning I was going to tell you it would be no different then telling someone her shirt/sweater had fallen off her shoulder and her bra strap was showing. If telling her that is sexual harassment, then she should be written up for inappropriate attire. > > But you clearly have a very different meaning for ‘you’re slip is showing’ then I do. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, to add, what’s wrong with telling someone they’re showing their true feelings or maybe talking a little more then they should and in what world what be sexual harassment? Is it sexual harassment if I tell you that I think you have your undies in a bundle over nothing. I think the OP’s point is that you’re using a sexual metaphor for a non-sexual situation. If somebody’s slip is literally showing, there’s no problem with you pointing that out. Nor do I think the OP has any problem with people expressing by some other phrase the idea that you’re revealing something that should remain concealed. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/6 "2014-01-07T04:35:23Z")
I’ve never heard the expression used in any way other than to tell someone their slip is showing. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/7 "2014-01-07T05:12:36Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, to add, what’s wrong with telling someone they’re showing their true feelings or maybe talking a little more then they should and in what world what be sexual harassment? Is it sexual harassment if I tell you that I think you have your undies in a bundle over nothing. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I think the OP’s point is that you’re using a sexual metaphor for a non-sexual situation. If somebody’s slip is literally showing, there’s no problem with you pointing that out. Nor do I think the OP has any problem with people expressing by some other phrase the idea that you’re revealing something that should remain concealed. But did you see what I did there? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/8 "2014-01-07T08:46:24Z")
If you’re in a boat race, and you overtake someone else, is it okay to tell them their ship is slowing? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/9 "2014-01-07T08:53:16Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > If you’re in a boat race, and you overtake someone else, is it okay to tell them their ship is slowing? Sure, as long as you don’t make fun of the size of their dinghy when you pass. That is sexual harassment. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/10 "2014-01-07T08:59:28Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I’ve never heard the expression used in any way other than to tell someone their slip is showing. I haven’t either. I don’t even know any younger women that wear slips. The only situation I can imagine this coming up is at something like a wedding where ancient Aunt Beatrice literally has underwear sticking out and needs to be informed of it before she figures it out herself and gets the vapors. My daughters tell all the time that my underwear (boxers) are showing when I bend over. They are correct and there is no harassment involved. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/11 "2014-01-07T09:40:59Z")
Count me as another who has never heard the phrase “your slip is showing” used to mean anything other than “your slip is showing”. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/12 "2014-01-07T09:43:36Z")
I don’t know how universal this is, but in the UK, the way to impart this information is to say “Charlie’s dead”. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/13 "2014-01-07T09:57:08Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I don’t know how universal this is, but in the UK, the way to impart this information is to say “Charlie’s dead”. I thought it was “Bob’s your uncle.” No? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/14 "2014-01-07T11:28:41Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I thought it was “Bob’s your uncle.” > No? Is that a whoosh? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/15 "2014-01-07T12:11:25Z")
> [@Themis00](#): > > Is it just me or is that a very sexually suggestive phrase? I’m surprised that it isn’t listed in sexual harrassment policy books across the country. I’m shocked that it is used in casual and even professional conversations. > > A “slip” is a woman’s undergarment just like bras and panties. Undergarments cover private parts, therefore mentioning that someone’s slip is showing is an inappropriate way of saying that someone is revealing their true feelings. > > Whenever someone tells me that I get slightly offended, or turned on, depending on who said it. I suppose that use of this expression should be slightly discouraged or encouraged then. Also, we need to be covering up table legs. They are absolutely obscenely suggestive, and bound to either discourage or encourage rape … or at least impure thoughts, which comes to much the same thing at the end of the day. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/16 "2014-01-07T12:23:19Z")
‘Pardon, Your Slip is Showing’ was (is?) a section in the _Reader’s Digest_ which had examples of humorous ‘slips of the tongue’ from print. [http://dcourier.com/m/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=115947](http://dcourier.com/m/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=115947) \*From a church bulletin in a small South Carolina town: “There will be a regular monthly Deacon’s Meeting next Sunday morning. It will be gin with breakfast at 7:30 a.m.” \* [http://ephemerastudio.blogspot.com/2012/02/from-1949-fun-fare-readers-digest-wit.html](http://ephemerastudio.blogspot.com/2012/02/from-1949-fun-fare-readers-digest-wit.html) _The following correction appeared in a small town paper: “Our paper carried the notice last week that Mr. Jones is a defective in the police force. This was a typographical error. Mr. Jones is really a detective n the police farce.”_ ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/17 "2014-01-07T12:33:32Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Is that a whoosh? It’s a fair cop 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/18 "2014-01-07T13:43:28Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > If you’re in a boat race, and you overtake someone else, is it okay to tell them their ship is slowing? Not my decision. I just listen to my coxswain. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/19 "2014-01-07T14:16:30Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > If you’re in a boat race, and you overtake someone else, is it okay to tell them their ship is slowing? And of course when you dock at your designated spot at the pier, your slip is indeed showing. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106/20 "2014-01-07T14:40:32Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Not my decision. I just listen to my coxswain. “Stroke!” “Stroke!” “Stroke!” I’ll be in my bunk. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/careful-your-slip-is-showing-suggestive/678106.md?page=2)