上世纪80年代之前生的人大多数都要历程过一件衣服两代穿,贵重家什代代传的时期,英文里这个传下来的旧衣服叫做hand-me-down。到了经济进步的今天,估计没几个青年会想穿父母或哥哥姐姐的旧衣服。目前的青年衣物更新换代频繁,而上一辈人都不忍看着好好的东西被遗弃,于是就出现了与hand-me-down完全相反的物品继承模式,也就是由下传上,即hand-me-up。

Hand-me-up is a used object, especially an article of clothing, passed from a younger person to an older person.

Hand-me-up 就是年轻一代用过的然后传给比自己年长的一代人继续用的物品,多指衣物。

Younger kids know the pain of hand-me-downs, the clothes they inherit from bigger siblings1. Sleeves hang below the wrists, pants slide around the hips2 and style seems like the magazine selection in a waiting room outdated3.

家面小一点的孩子都了解从哥哥姐姐那里接衣服穿的烦恼。衣袖盖过手腕、裤腰绕着屁股打转、款式与候车室的过期杂志是同伴。

But some families put a twist on the trend. Instead of hand-me-downs, they share hand-me-ups. Older offspring who tire of wearing the same old threads pass garments to their parents, who might not be as picky about fit or fashion.

但有的家庭扭转了这个趋势。在他们那里没有由上传下,而变为由下传上。年长的子女会把不想穿的衣物给他们的爸爸妈妈,由于爸爸妈妈可能不会对尺寸和样式太挑剔。