Dear Queenie,
My mother-in-law gave me a dress for my birthday that is just too much! It’s the right size, but I would never wear anything like that. Even my husband laughed when he saw it.
I thanked her for her gift, but I can’t help wondering if she was trying to make a comment about my style of dressing.
Queenie, what do you think?—Insulted daughter-in-law
Dear Insulted daughter-in-law,
Don’t be so quick to take offence. Most people, when they are buying a gift for someone, tend to choose something they themselves would like to receive.
To forestall any question about why you never wear her gift, wear it once in her presence – perhaps when she comes to visit you, so you don’t have to wear it where anyone else can see you. Maybe when she sees it on you, she will realise how inappropriate it is for you.
On the other hand, you may be able to tell from what she says when she sees the dress on you whether she was commenting on your preferred style of clothing.