Example: Elle était sur son trente-et-un pour la soirée de gala.
Definition
"Être sur son trente-et-un" means to be dressed very elegantly or formally, typically for a special occasion. It describes someone who is wearing their best clothes and looking particularly stylish or sophisticated, as in the example, "Elle était sur son trente-et-un pour la soirée de gala."
Translations
To be dressed to the nines
Ir de punta en blanco
Tot in de puntjes gekleed zijn
Anar molt elegant
Sich geschniegelt haben
Etymology
The phrase "être sur son trente-et-un" literally translates to "to be on one's thirty-one." Its exact origin is uncertain, but it likely stems from the 18th or 19th century French tailoring or fashion context, where 'trente-et-un' might have referred to a perfect measure or a high standard of dress. Did you know? Some suggest it relates to the idea of being dressed to the nines, but French style humorously uses thirty-one instead.
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"Être sur son trente-et-un" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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To be dressed to the nines