Closets and Wardrobes

[Geoff Bannister]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> > Carol responds:
> > 
> > Since the British put their cups in dressers and their dresses in
> > cupboards, maybe the expression should be "coming out of the 
> cupboard"?
> > 
> > Carol, who puts her cups in the cupboard and her dresses (what few she
> > owns) in the closet, with the dresser reserved for underwear, socks,
> > and nightgowns)
> 
> 
> Potioncat:
> And do you keep trousers in a chest of drawers?

Geoff:
Of course not; how silly. Obviously, you keep underwear and 
knickers in a chest of drawers.
:-))

I don't know how serious you are being, Carol, but in UK 
speak, dresses, shirts and trousers. would go in the wardrobe 
while socks, underwear and small items would go in drawers. 
The word "dresser" is a bit old-hat. It might be used if you 
possess something like a Welsh dresser but they are very 
out of fashion with modern kitchens having wall-hung 
cupboards. Closet is, surprisingly, somewhat confined in 
its use to something you come out of..... Well, not necessarily 
*you* but you know what I mean.

Off at a tangent, I have been amused several times recently 
when reading material from across the "pond" to find 
references to the "parlour" being made. This, to English eyes, 
is very Victorian and labels its user as being incredibly 
old-fashioned.