Thursday 2 December 2010

Taken to the cleaners.....

Dry Cleaning - Belgian style!
Belgians, I was once told, can neither clean anything nor fix anything. And so it was with some trepidation that I took the panzer in for repairs to the steering lock. As I write this I have yet to find time to go and collect it - or perhaps I am just putting off the almost inevitable bad news....

I mention this because I am getting depressed about the amount of suits in my wardrobe that need dry-cleaning. This is a bit of a problem here. There appear to be two systems in Europe:

1. The UK system. Drop off suit, then later in the day pop in, pay £6, then take the nice clean suit home.

2. The Belgian syatem. Drop off suit, then 1 week later pop in, pay €18, then stare in dismay at the spots and marks that have appeared all over the once nice suit.

A couple of months ago I collected a suit from the dry-cleaners in the European Parliament. The lady took my money, then promptly dropped my suit on the floor. "Its ok" she said as she wiped dust off the jacket "it didn't hit really the floor".

I simply cannot muster the will power needed to inflict more of this on myself.

4 comments:

  1. You might be interested to know that Sainsburys and Tesco both sell a home dry cleaning product called 'Dr Beckmann'.

    Apparently, the way it works is that you place stained item of clothing in a tumble dryer and add a sheet of the 'magic product', and the sheet absorbs all the stains and leaves clothing clean and smelling sweet and fresh.

    Worth a try.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I once worked for a chap whose suits smelt of moth balls!

    Ghastly! He was handsome, but I kept my distance. There are just some things a girl cannot cope with.

    I remember as a child whenever my late father wore a suit it smelt of moth balls. My late mother had a 'thing' about them. They were in all the wardrobes and she swore by them.

    Are moth balls just a British obsession or do Belgians use them as well.

    Do tell.

    Never mind the politics, it is things like this that are much more fascinating.

    If your love life is on the wane Gary, then it might be the moth balls in your wardrobe that are causing the trouble.

    Personally, I would never date a man who kept his suits in a wardrobe full of moth balls.

    ReplyDelete
  3. There is truth in the old adage, that it is the suit that maketh a man, and not the man a suit.

    I remember seeing Labour MP Tony Benn 10 years ago, and at 75 he cut a dashing figure and looked most distinguished in his tailor made black suit.

    There were no shortage of ladies wanting to talk to him.

    There is no doubt, that a finely executed hand made suit does wonders for a man's appearance, and puts him way above the department store 'off the peg' suit brigade.

    But a man needs a certain amount of beef to fill a suit, which I noticed on one of your photographs you do possesss Gary.

    The one group of men that definitely do not wear suits well are footballers.

    Footballers are far too slim and suits always sit, or should I say hang on them and look as if they are two sizes too big for them.

    A well-cut suit gives an edge to a man.

    The same goes for a woman's suit.

    In Howard Spring's novel 'Rachel Rosing', the heroine Rachel had little money and saved hard for a long time for an expensive suit.

    With this suit which she wore often she was able to advance in the world. She looked 'moneyed' and so attracted money and did very well for herself.

    I am always dismayed and disappointed when I see politicians who are not short of a bob or two looking a bit worse for wear dressed in an unsuitable, ill-fitting suit.

    Wise moneyed men often have their shirts hand made too and have their ties chosen by their wives or girlfriends (or both!).

    The complete no no for all men is the cartoon tie. If you attempt to wear one, you will lose respect from your colleagues and be laughed at.

    A well-cut suit can make the most ordinary looking man dashing and attract the ladies.

    A suit like any uniform is very appealing to many women.

    ReplyDelete