Borrowed garments never fit well.
Borrowed garments never fit well.
Meaning in plain English
Something adopted from someone else may not suit your own circumstances. Adapt a borrowed method or style to the actual purpose instead of assuming it will work simply because it worked elsewhere.
Example
A small reading group simplifies a programme borrowed from a large festival, retaining useful ideas while changing the schedule to fit its own volunteers and room.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The garments provide an image of a borrowed thing that was not made for its new wearer. Figuratively, an approach, manner or arrangement may fit one setting better than another. Never fit well is too absolute: borrowing can be useful, and some shared resources suit many people. The useful question is what needs adjustment rather than whether every borrowed idea should be rejected. A method may require different scale, language or preparation in its new setting. Examine that fit instead of copying the visible form while overlooking the conditions that originally made it appropriate.
When to use it
Use it when an adopted approach needs adaptation to different circumstances.
Keep in mind
Borrowing and reuse can work well; the proverb does not prove that originality is always better.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 146 · Borrowed garments
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗