Keeping things for best, I’ve turned into my mother! ?

If my nan felt really under the weather, she would put on her best nightie, just in case, and tried to lie straight.
We always joked that she must have been quite cross when she woke up.

I have a canteen of cutlery which my father bought my mother decades ago. I use it on Christmas Day, and that’s it! I had to buy a new container a few years ago as the weird spongy lining had disintegrated.

I never keep anything for best. Why have it if you do not use it.

I have just folded and put away a beautiful ribbon lace bedspread, hand made by a lady for her marriage bed, which she then considered too good to use. It is over 100 years old and I have used it as a bedspread on our bed, then the visiters bed for nearly 40 years. It is now very fragile, the cotton fabric is rotting in places and the lace is a bit ragged where it has split and been repaired, very inexpertly by me.

I love it and visiters always admire it. It was once beautiful, it now has remains of its former beauty, but it has had 40 years of careful use and admiration.

That was my mum too. Such a waste. ?
When she was in a long term geriatric unit, I had to buy a whole new wardrobe for. She was transformed the first time I went to see her after being transferred from hospital.
The staff had done her hair ( hadn't been to a hairdresser in years) and she was wearing the new clothes, I had bought.
She lost so much weight, the nice, unworn clothes in the drawer were useless!

A dinner service (it can't go into the microwave) but it used to get more airings before lockdown. Crystal glasses (they can't go into the dishwasher), but generally, no, I use things.

My MIL kept things for best so I inherited a lot of brand new towels which we use, a great pile of collectable tea towels (actually I don't use those but would if I ran out!).

DH's aunt had some lovely things and I remember DS, then about 3, admiring her china when we went round for tea; he said "That's very smart, Aunty" . She said "I think if you've got it, you should use it".

I recently discovered that my mother has kept all the clothes I bought her as gifts over the year and never worn them - they are apparently 'too nice' for everyday wear and she rarely goes out anywhere so she has never worn them. I asked her why she didn't just take them back and exchange them for something she wanted but she doesn't like to do that. So she has hundreds of pounds worth of moth eaten (probably) jumpers, skirts and blouses sitting in a cupboard

We grew up using the inherited linen, china, glassware and silver, with the very best brought out for visitors. I was always wary of breaking or scratching things.

I've deliberately gone the opposite way, going for basic stoneware and cheap plates - and never made a fuss about breakages when the kids were here.

Still, I remember the strange items we took for granted, like cruet sets, special mustard and egg spoons, silver egg cups!

I don't keep 'best' clothes for special occasions. I like to wear them in and get used to them instead. It cheers me up to drift about in a beautiful dress - for no particular reason.

My mother used to buy expensive clothes for me to wear to church on Sundays. Such a waste because I grew out of them fairly quickly.

I have the most comfortable pair of everyday trousers but I had a look at myself the last time I wore them- there were more holes than a sieve and the top was well over 20 years old but has seen better days now.

I have cardigans hanging in my wardrobe- for best. That will change tomorrow.

Last winter I decided that I was not going to save clothes for best, but have the pleasure of wearing them all the time. I cleared my wardrobe and began. Then came sheltered lockdown and I gradually slid into wearing the most comfortable of the clothes saved, and realised that actually I am still saving clothes for best. Must try harder!

Oh Marydoll, your op took me right back to my childhood. Literally everything my mother owned had a utility version and a 'best' version. We were not well off but I always had a 'best' coat for Sundays as well as school coat and play coat. Likewise brown practical t bar Clark's shoes for school and black patent leather ones for best. Summer dresses were always divided into everyday and best. When I look back at photos of Christmas I see myself in new outfits which were rarely worn again unless we were going somewhere special. What a waste! The result was that many of the more expensive items, especially Sunday coats, were passed on hardly worn.

Did I learn from any of this? I'm afraid not. Did something similar with my own daughter and myself. I well remember a far more expensive make of suit than my usual M & S bought for an interview. When I got the job, the suit languished in the wardrobe as 'too good' for ordinary work days and I returned to my usual standard M&S and the best suit was kept for rare important occasions at work. How silly of me! I well remember how much more sophisticated 'cool' and confident I felt in that suit, yet it was finally given to a charity shop, practically brand new, when it became too tight.

I do try not to do this now, but at aged 68 it has taken me far too long and I still think twice about opening expensive smellies gifts, with one exception. Dh always gives me Chanel scent as part of my Christmas present and he would be quite upset if I didn't use it, so this is always used. Mind you, there was still a certain element of 'best' about this as well before I retired as I would never wear it for work. It was always kept for going out. I really must try harder

My dear old Mum had a set of pink flannelette sheets and pillow cases still in their wrapper in a drawer from the 60’s. They were lovely quality and she considered them too good to use and was saving them for visitors. They ended up in my house, still unopened, after my parents died.

I eventually opened them for making a tent over the kitchen chairs for my grandchildren. She didn’t live to see her great grandchildren but I think she would be delighted to see the fun we’ve had with her special sheets.

I have to laugh at the various sets of negligee's I've got with a couple of sets unworn and still have a gorgeous frilly nylon set from the 60's/70's, all with the intentions of " wearing them in the summer ". Well summer's been and gone a number of times and I've still worn sleeved pyjamas because I'm so nesh . I can't part with the darned things

My Mum loved baking and used to say one day she would get a Kenwood Chef. I bought her one for her 70th Birthday but she never used it, she still mixed things by hand. She moved in with us when she could no longer cope in her flat and it was still in the box. We gave it to my brother’s older daughter who loved to cook. I was really sad that she never used it.

I have (shock horror) decided to use my parents' fancy china in the kitchen. Lots of it is delicate and gold rimmed too.
I am even putting it in the dashwasher which I know is wicked... but, I've looked it up on Ebay and it's selling for SO little I might as well enjoy it and the happy memories it brings.

When my mother died, many years ago now, I found a lot of the presents I had bought for her still wrapped in tissue paper unused in her dressing table. I made a decision then that I would never keep things for best or unused. Enjoy using lovely things and wearing the gifts you have been given, life is too short.

I have beautiful delicate gold trimmed china from my granny.None of the kids will want it .Never used of course along with the lovely modern set I bought recently, also too nice to use.?

I had lots of ‘new with tags’ clothes, nightwear, bags etc then decided to use them now. I wouldn’t want them to go the charity shop brand new, I’ll get some use first!

When my wee hoarding auntie died ( she had Tampax in her drawer. She was 94), I came upon beautiful embroidered sheets and pillowcases which her mother had received as a Golden Wedding present and never used. Auntie never used them either, so I fell heir to them. As I reckoned they were about 40 years old then I used them immediately. 10 years on, they’re still going strong.
I do, however, have a set of cutlery I ‘inherited’ from a friend which is too good for everyday, and I couldn’t even tell you where it is. If it turns up during my clearout I will start using it.

When first married, we saved up to buy a Wedgewood dinner service, piece by piece, until we had a gloriously full set. But it was always kept for special occasions only. 45 years later, I still have it, unused and in pristine condition. But it's so heavy and old fashioned and I can't see it ever being used now.
Marydoll you've inspired me to use that lovely tablet of Chanel 5 soap that I've kept "for best" for the past 10 years.

I don't keep anything for best now. I decided to clear out lots when I downsized. If I haven't worn something or used something in a year, it goes. Wear those aprons, Marydoll! And use your lovely smelly stuff.

MrsThreadgoode, we could be twins.

I have told my children to phone the charity shop when I die and ask them to send their van.....or perhaps two.

I decided not to keep things for ‘best’ last year.
I now have 5 aprons in the kitchen and so much stuff that my drawers are full, I don’t think I’ll live long enough to use things up or wear things out, but fat better than leave them in boxes in the spare rooms.

I do use my fancy soaps and lotions! I don't get a lot of clothing as gifts, but love to have sweets and lovely smellies.

China does not get used very often, but that's only because i think it's too floral for my taste. You should really not pick china patterns when you are 21!

We grew up using silver for daily use, since my mother realized we hardly had company for dinner, so may as well enjoy!

Must admit I used to keep clothes for best, but just reading marydolls post has got me thinking differently, I’m going to start wearing these so called “best “ clothes of mine, even though I’m isolating for second time, so the only time I can go out is for exercise, apart from tomorrow when I’m going for my long awaited ct scan abdominal and pelvic, where I will have to wear loose fitting trousers and tops and no jewellery, time to make use of all these BEST clothes

Ilovecheese

My mother never kept things for best and neither do I. So maybe we all turn into our own mothers.

I know it’s an awful things to say but I strive not to turn into mine.