Looks Like They Stepped Out Of A Bandbox

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, this is Susan. I’m calling from Cocker City, Kansas.

Hi, Susan. Welcome to the show.

I’m curious about some expressions that my mother had, one in particular. She grew up in Daint, Virginia, out in the Appalachians, so she had a lot of funnies. But one in particular, she had always called, if she saw a woman from church or her bridge group or something, it was always immaculately dressed and makeup and hair and matching purse, shoes, things like that. She’d always say to us girls, she always looks like she just stepped out of a band box.

We’d say, well, what is a band box, Mom? Well, she had no idea, but it was one of her favorite expressions. And did you picture anything in particular when she said this? In my mind, I just saw someone immaculately dressed. I mean, my mother was the kind of person, her gloves matched her purse and her shoes. And so that was kind of that era. But she always would have a hair out of place or something because she had five children. So I guess she just admired the woman that could just show up and be completely flawless.

Okay, got it. And she said she looked like she just stepped out of a band box. That’s what she would say. Okay. Okay. What I pictured when I first heard this expression was somebody stepping out of a gazebo in a park, you know, at some band performance or something like that. I was thinking of a place where a band gathers to play, but that’s not what it is.

Well, that makes more sense, though. Well, it’s picturesque. Yours is picturesque as well. But here’s the cool thing about this expression. They looked like they stepped out of a band box. Back in the 17th century, a band was a kind of ruffly collar that you wore at your neck, and a band box was like a cylindrical box made out of cardboard or really, really thin wood to protect that, or to protect a hat, or to protect a clerical collar. So you would store those items of clothing in a band box, a band being originally that ruffly collar that you would wear around your neck. You would store those things in a band box.

So it would be perfect. It would be perfect, exactly. We see the expression stepped out of a band box back in the early 19th century, talking about exactly the kind of thing you’re talking about, somebody who’s very fastidiously put together, just perfection, really. Well, that’s very interesting. I sure appreciate that. Thank you.

We’re happy to help. Sounds like you were fond of your mother. Thank you for sharing that with us. Take care, Susan.

Well, thank you, guys. Thanks so much. Bye-bye.

Well, if you are fussy and finnical about your language, call us, 877-929-9673, or talk to us on Twitter @wayword.