The well-known poem explained...

Something old, something new
something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in your shoe.

• Something old signifies the life you had with friends and family previous to the marriage.
  
  
• Something new signifies your future life with your new mate.
  
  
• Something borrowed was usually something borrowed from a happy former bride to ensure the current bride's happiness, and which is later returned.
  
  
• Something blue represents the bride's purity and faithfulness (this comes from the Jewish tradition where the bride wear's blue to represent fidelity).
  
  
• The silver sixpence in the shoe is to ensure wealth to the couple in their married life (most people now opt to put a penny in their shoe).

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