My mother was right. We married in 1969. At the time that I selected china, I was less than twenty years old. I got the following advice from my mother:

Pick something simple. Tastes and styles can change. If you want something colorful or trendy, use it for your everyday dishes. Silver is better than gold. Most tableware is silver. Sterling silver, silverplate or stainless steel will mix well with a platinum band. The food should be the star of the show -- not the dishes.

She urged me to select Lenox Solitaire because of its elegant simplicity. It remains beautiful today, and after all these thirty seven years, Solitaire, and its gold banded counterpart, Eternal, are the only two patterns that remain open stock from Lenox since 1969.

I tried to urge both of my daughters in law to choose this pattern. Oddly enough, they disregarded my advice. I hope to have more influence in this format.

The trend today is away from matched formal table settings in favor of mixed settings that may feature mismatched pieces or flea market finds. The china makes a great background setting, and can be mixed with all manner of other dishes. At Christmastime, I use the Lenox Holiday pattern, and often mix in the Solitaire for large groups.

The only drawback to Solitaire is the styling of the serving pieces. I love the shape of the cup and serving bowls. . In fact, the cup shape was a deciding factor in choosing the pattern. The platters are elegant. The creamer and sugar, and coffee pot design look a little dated. If you're into mid-century modern this is not a problem, but you may want to mix in other serving pieces if you think these are a little "sixties."