# Do/did French maids really dress provactively? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098 "2007-10-26T13:24:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/1 "2007-10-26T13:24:33Z")
The title is the question. Did maids in France really dress [like this](http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9823/classicblacksatinfrenchkf0.jpg)? (Link safe for work, unless you work at some Bible college in Oklahoma or someplace like that.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/2 "2007-10-26T14:02:35Z")
No. The modifications started in burlesque comedies (master of the house chasing the maid around) and became more elaborate over time as lingerie companies, roleplayers, and costume freaks got involved. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/3 "2007-10-26T14:46:33Z")
It’s also worth pointing out that “French maids” could refer to maids who were French by birth/heritage who lived in England. Not that they would have dressed that way either, just that I read too many historical romances where French modistes, dressers, chefs, etc. are proof that titled/welathy people are fashionable/snobby. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/4 "2007-10-26T16:20:17Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] The title is the question. Did maids in France really dress [like this](http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9823/classicblacksatinfrenchkf0.jpg)? [/QUOTE] I don’t know, but I’m ready to hire **her** if you’ll give me the phone number. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/5 "2007-10-26T16:29:24Z")
No. They looked more like the girl on[this](http://www.hiddenlives.org.uk/learning_materials/work/girls.html) page. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/6 "2007-10-26T16:40:54Z")
[QUOTE=Eureka] It’s also worth pointing out that “French maids” could refer to maids who were French by birth/heritage who lived in England. Not that they would have dressed that way either, just that I read too many historical romances where French modistes, dressers, chefs, etc. are proof that titled/welathy people are fashionable/snobby. [/QUOTE] Plus the idea that the French are much less uptight about _l’amour_ – thus a French maid would be more coquettish/apt to put out than her British counterpart. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/7 "2007-10-26T17:04:04Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] No. They looked more like the girl on[this](http://www.hiddenlives.org.uk/learning_materials/work/girls.html) page. [/QUOTE] I’d hit that. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/8 "2007-10-26T17:20:20Z")
And nurses don’t dress like [this](http://www.3wishes.com/nurse.asp) either, but that’s what the costumes look like. (Not 100% work safe - couple of pics feature topless models covering breasts with their hands) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/9 "2007-10-26T17:32:56Z")
But do/did French Maids really dress _pro-actively_? (That’s how I read the title, at first glance.) ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/10 "2007-10-26T17:56:54Z")
[QUOTE=scr4] And nurses don’t dress like [this](http://www.3wishes.com/nurse.asp) either, but that’s what the costumes look like. (Not 100% work safe - couple of pics feature topless models covering breasts with their hands) [/QUOTE] Wow. That is a really comprehensive site. I’ve never seen so many variations on the sexy nurse uniform. ---
**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:** [October 26, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/11 "2007-10-26T18:10:39Z")
> [@](#): > > And nurses don’t dress like this either, but that’s what the costumes look like. I’m pretty sure these aren’t regulation [military issue](http://www.3wishes.com/military.asp) either. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/12 "2007-10-26T18:15:32Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] But do/did French Maids really dress _pro-actively_? Mine do. Its required that they come from France AND that they properly fill out the uniform (feather duster optional). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/13 "2007-10-26T18:18:23Z")
There’s a french maid theme to a lot of threads [today](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=441556) . ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/14 "2007-10-26T18:19:20Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] I’m pretty sure these aren’t regulation [military issue](http://www.3wishes.com/military.asp) either. [/QUOTE] The [fairies](http://www.3wishes.com/fairies.asp) all look pretty legit, though. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/15 "2007-10-26T18:22:24Z")
[QUOTE=scr4] And nurses don’t dress like [this](http://www.3wishes.com/nurse.asp) either, but that’s what the costumes look like. (Not 100% work safe - couple of pics feature topless models covering breasts with their hands) [/QUOTE] You just wanted an excuse to post that link, huh? ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/16 "2007-10-26T18:29:37Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] The [fairies](http://www.3wishes.com/fairies.asp) all look pretty legit, though. [/QUOTE] Just a minute, they don’t look a bit like real fairies, as in Cottingley ones ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/17 "2007-10-26T18:31:19Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] The [fairies](http://www.3wishes.com/fairies.asp) all look pretty legit, though. [/QUOTE] I’d tinker with those belles… 😛 Si ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/18 "2007-10-26T18:42:40Z")
Of course French maids dressed like that, don’t screw with my fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/19 "2007-10-26T18:55:54Z")
And what’s this talk about nurses not dressing like that, either? I mean really. Why do you hate America? ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098/20 "2007-10-26T19:00:48Z")
Well, to be fair, it depends on which hospital one is admitted to. As for the military outfits, you have to admit they’d do wonders for morale. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-did-french-maids-really-dress-provactively/424098.md?page=2)