When she married him in 1940 her presents included a Bentley, a hill-station house and a trousseau that was left for collection at the Ritz in Paris.

ECONOMIST: Gayatri Devi | The

It stems from the Syrian tradition for brides-to-be to be given a trousseau of exotic underwear - sometimes dozens of items - usually by girlfriends, aunties and cousins, to add spice to their wedding nights, honeymoons and beyond.

BBC: Sexy secrets of the Syrian souk

There was also the fact that we already had first-class tickets (by this time we had racked up a gazillion miles), a suite at L'Hotel and, on my end, a particularly swell trousseau.

WSJ: Julia Reed's French Non-Honeymoon | Traveler's Tale