Phrase "First in. best dressed" .. origin please

[Bazza99]

G'day All,

I am curious about the origin of

"First in. best dressed" ..

which seems to be prevalent these days. Supplanting what I was brought up with - ie:

"First come, first served".

I had thought it was American usage and, some time ago, asked about it in an American forum -
only to be shot down in flames and told that it was definitely Australian usage!

Though I live (now) in Oz, no-one I confront with the question, can tell me where it came from!
Indeed, I am looked at as if I come from Mars!

Yet I now suspect it's from an advertising slogan and has (sadly) crept into everyday use,
to the extent that I have even been "corrected" when I say... "First come, first served" !!

So ...

Does anyone know the true origin of the expression please?

Many thanks.
Barry

[SepticTone]

G'Day Bazza.

I'm afraid I've never heard of that phrase in Britain either.

However, 2 seconds of copy n paste gets me the following:

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/in ... 017AADcK1j

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/Fir ... st+dressed

http://dictionaries.cambridge.org/defin ... 4+0&dict=I

Far be it for me to shoot anyone down in flames, as I'm far too polite so to do & would never even conceive of so doing, but it seems a purely Antipodean idiom, & probably originates from the era when Britain introduced Charity Shops from clothing donated from England into Australia in 1957, when Australians would routinely queue up very early to be the first in when the shop opened, so they could strip off their stained khaki shorts, sweatstained khaki shirt, big boots & hat with corks on for a nice checked shirt, beige slacks, suede loafers and a suave flat cap.

I just made that up.

Oh, & Welcome.

[Bazza99]

G'day SepticTone,

Umm Thanks for that. Looks like your search skills are a tad superior to mine!

re: "I just made that up."
..That's a shame .. I'd have just loved that to be true!

BTW .. the references quoted aren't certain of the origin either. Tho' they do tag the usage as being Australian.
No-one actually explains why though.

The expression is certainly ubiquitous here (in Oz) ... and drives me crazy (of course)!

I have a feeling it isn't all that old. I am nearly 70 and others of my generation - but who were born here, do
recognise & sometimes use the "English" (ie: correct!) version.

I'd use the "Oz" version too - except that I'd hate to be just .. spluttering an advertising slogan!

Baz

[SepticTone]

Well, I think the simplest answer to your quandary ref. not wishing to utter a line from an advertising slogan is not to use it in the first place, as it's also a bit of a cliche even in its original version.

I am merely a sprightly 60, so clearly not one of your generation, as I had long straggly hair, loon pants, kaftan & a beard when a youth, rather than a greasy quiff, bootlace tie & drainpipe trousers favoured by those 10 years older than myself wnen I was 18 (& that was only the girls, as I remember, but then, my memory's not what it was).

HOWEVER. It is possible to use unconsciously a word or phrase from an advertising slogan which has been adapted & adopted, in every day conversation.

I cite the fact that I sometimes use the word "Simples" instead of 'THERE!' or 'QED', to mean "It's obvious, & my train of thought is thus demonstrated".

This comes from the end word from a series of current (last 4 or 5 years) UK TV adverts for an internet insurance price comparison site featuring meerkats.
Dunno if you get it down under, but hope you don't.

Some genius marketing bod noticed that his client,

http://www.comparethemarket.com

could, if spoken by an Australian or New Zealander, sound like

http://www.comparethemeerkat.com

So a whole raft of adverts were & are run featuring a meerkat with a Russian accent patiently explaining that if you wish to compare meerkats, go to the latter site, but if you want to compare car insurance prices, go to the former.

Why a meerkat should have a Russian accent when speaking English or why one would want to compare meerkats is beyond me, & natch, the insurance website created the comparethemeerkat site after its own, but it's final word, 'Simples' spoken like "SiyImplz" by the meerkat, has now become market (or meerkat) leader here.

Pure genius. & the idiom has now been adopted here & everyone understands what you are referring to.

Example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0AKC3wZdw4

Or even worse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow9qNEIV2sw

Sadly, these ads are now a cherished UK institution, & even I am constrained to watch them & smile wryly at their sly wit, but their meerkating department continue to develop the meerkat website, but no doubt the less interesting market.com site is also quite good if you're after that sort of thing.