Metal handrail…

I know it’s old hat but I love this area of town so much that I keep returning to the same old, same old.and the handrails are definitely one of my ‘go to’ blips and fit today’s theme of ‘metal’ perfectly.
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So I’ve accidentally used two idioms today. The
first ‘old hat’ has been in use for quite a while; same old, same old is recent.

The idiom "old hat" meaning something out of date or familiar has evolved over time. While it's now used to describe something uninteresting or commonplace, it initially had a more vulgar meaning. The earliest known use of "old hat" in its current sense is from around 1911, notably by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. However, earlier in the 18th century, it was used in a derogatory way to refer to a woman's genitals. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Early Usage (18th Century):
In the late 1700s, the phrase "old hat" was used in a crude and offensive way to refer to female genitalia. 

Shift in Meaning (20th Century):
Around 1911, the phrase began to take on its modern meaning of something old-fashioned, out of date, or familiar. Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch is credited with helping to popularise this new sense of the phrase. 

Modern Usage:
Today, "old hat" is commonly used to describe something that is no longer new, exciting, or relevant, often due to overexposure or the passage of time. 





Same old, same old is a phrase that means something boring, predictable, dreary. There are several theories as to the origin of the phrase same old, same old. One theory is that it comes from pidgin English spoken in either post-World War II Japan or Korea during the Korean War. The phrase is alleged to have been same-o, same-o, indicating that something should remain unchanged. Whether same-o, same-o was created by the English speakers or the non-English speakers is unclear.
Another theory concerning the origin of same old, same old is that it simply derives from the phrase the same old thing. Whatever the origin, the phrase same old, same old does not appear until the 1970s.