You've likely heard the centuries-old "something borrowed, something blue" saying. Here's what it means and where it came from.
The Real Meaning of the “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” Saying
Like most customs, wedding traditions tend to be standard yet symbolic. The bouquet toss, the cake cutting, the first dance—you’ll see them all at almost every wedding you attend. So you’ve likely heard the next example: the popular “something borrowed, something blue” saying. The probability of hearing it increases if you’re from the bride’s side because, ultimately, she’s the one who needs something old, new, borrowed and blue.
But what does this old wedding saying really mean? And who gives the bride something borrowed and something blue (plus something old and something new, for that matter)? Hold onto your wedding garter as we get to the bottom of this fascinating wedding tradition. Ahead, you’ll learn the real meaning behind the “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” wedding saying, where it came from and how it applies to modern celebrations.
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What does the saying “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” mean?
The centuries-old wedding rhyme describes the four (technically five, if you count the oft-forgotten sixpence) objects a bride is supposed to wear or carry with her on her wedding day. The full saying goes like this: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in your shoe.” But why?
While they’ve taken on slightly different meanings today, each is still deeply symbolic for brides on their special day. Because it’s such an old tradition, historians differ on the meaning, but they’re in general agreement on the interpretations, with each item given its own symbolism:
- Something old represents continuity and protection for a bride’s future child.
- Something new represents optimism for the future.
- Something borrowed represents borrowed happiness from another happily married couple or bride.
- Something blue represents purity, love and fidelity, and it serves as a sort of good-luck charm meant to ward off the Evil Eye—a curse that could make the bride infertile.
What’s the history behind “something old, new, borrowed and blue”?
The mantra started as a Victorian-era rhyme that came out of the English county of Lancashire. The first documented reference appeared in an 1871 issue of St. James Magazine. The goal of most of the items was to ensure healthy fertility for the bride, who could have been cursed by the Evil Eye or the malicious eye of the bride’s former suitors.
In the 1800s, they believed that wearing these items would confuse the Evil Eye into thinking the bride was already fertile, therefore thwarting the curse and ensuring successful pregnancies.
Who gives the bride something old, new, borrowed and blue?
A bride typically collects the items from women in her family or female friends who have had successful marriages and families. Specifically, “something borrowed” was preferably the undergarment from a woman who already had children, and “something blue” was generally a garter belt under the bride’s dress. Wondering who gives the bride something blue? Ideally, it’s a married woman or mother.
As for the sixpence, a bride traditionally received the token from her father and placed it in her shoe. Today, it matters less who the coin comes from.
Why do brides wear sixpence in shoes?
While it isn’t always included in the rhyme today, the sixpence—an old British coin no longer in circulation—was once an important part of this wedding tradition. When a bride wore a sixpence in her shoe, it represented prosperity for the new couple’s future.
If a non-British bride is lucky enough to find a sixpence to put in her shoe, she uses it as a wish for good fortune. Today, when women include the sixpence tradition in their special day, they’ll commonly substitute a penny or another small coin. Some brides make the custom extra special by finding a coin minted in the year they were born or the year they met their spouse-to-be.
Do you have to follow this tradition?
It’s your wedding, and you can do what you want! Not a fan of the “something borrowed, something blue” saying? Feel free to sidestep tradition.
Still, while wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” is a pretty outdated practice, many brides still have fun with it today.
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Source:
- The St. James’s Magazine: “Volume 7; Volume 28”
