Everybody Needs a Boudoir
Hello,
This week’s word is boudoir. It’s finally cold enough here to break out the winter duvet and my handmade reading socks. No snow, yet, but my offspring are hopeful. With my bedroom in full Cosy Mode, and “Bridgerton” on Netflix, it turned my thoughts to the idea of a boudoir, something mostly associated with the ladies of the family but definitely a room that everybody needs these days.
Ted in his boudoir
What exactly is a boudoir? It is “a woman’s dressing room, bedroom, or private sitting room” according to Merriam-Webster. That’s a pretty broad definition, but it is certainly a private space for a lady’s personal use, although sometimes shared with friends, or loved ones. As a keen reader I would suggest that a boudoir should contain some books. The male version might involve a pool-table or power tools and be called a Den. Either way it’s a space to retreat from the outside world.
The word boudoir, as you probably know, has French roots. It entered English in the late 1700s from the French verb bouder (to pout or sulk), so a boudoir is literally a sulking room. Yes, that removes some of the romantic gloss from it alright, but doesn’t everybody need somewhere to sulk sometimes?
Fleece-lined reading socks, perfect for warming toes in the boudoir
Until next time happy reading, writing, and wordfooling in your boudoir,
Grace (@Wordfoolery)
