Where does the phrase 'top drawer' come from?
| Updated: 07 Jan 2020
The phrase 'top drawer' has high society origins.
Mystery Hour Question
Why do we say things are 'top drawer' if they are the best?
Matthew, Stockport.
Answer
Name: Stefan, Cardiff
Qualification: None really, but his mother told him.
Answer: In the olden days in England, a woman's dresser-room would have a hierarchy of drawers. The top drawer was where they kept the jewellery and valuables. The saying is, therefore, linked to being high-class.