Thirteen and the odd

[Michael Quinion]

Whilst researching "soup and fish" the other day for a subscriber, I found
"thirteen and the odd" as another term for male formal evening wear, which
seems to have been known a little in the first half of last century. Does
anyone have any idea where it comes from?


--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
E-mail: wordseditor at worldwidewords.org
Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org