In traditional American and British culture, a bride's 'bottom drawer' (more commonly known in America as a 'hope chest' or 'dowry chest') refers to the collection of household linens, embroidered tablecloths, fine towels, and intimate apparel that a young unmarried woman traditionally accumulated over years in preparation for her future marriage. The phrase originates from the historical custom of storing these special handmade linens in the bottom drawer of a bedroom bureau or chest in anticipation of setting up a future household.
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