ready-to-wear

American  

[red-ee-tuh-wair] / ˈrɛd i təˈwɛər /

noun

1. clothing made in standard sizes; ready-made clothing.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or dealing in such clothing.

   the ready-to-wear business; a ready-to-wear shop.

ready-to-wear British  

adjective

1. (of clothes) not tailored for the wearer; of a standard size

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noun

1. an article or suit of such clothes

Etymology

Origin of ready-to-wear

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Explanation

Use the adjective ready-to-wear to describe clothes that are made in standard sizes and sold in stores. If you buy a pair of jeans at the mall and put them on as soon as you get home, they're ready-to-wear. Almost all clothing is ready-to-wear — the opposite is tailor-made clothing, which you can also call bespoke or made to measure. These much fancier and more expensive garments are sewn especially for the wearer's body, while ready-to-wear clothes are more affordable and — inevitably — fit less perfectly. In French, the term is prêt-à-porter, "off the rack" or "off the peg."

Example Sentences

Kering said it is reshaping Gucci’s product architecture across categories from a strengthened leather goods offer to more coherent ready-to-wear, shoes and jewelry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

It’s been tweaked and freshened up a few times since, and became a signature of the brand’s first forays into ready-to-wear apparel under the guidance of Marc Jacobs.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Slumped into folding chairs inside his New York studio, renowned designer Marc Jacobs and his brand’s creative director, Joseph Carter, ponder the mood of Jacobs’ Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

His niece Silvana - who worked with him on women's ready-to-wear - oversaw the new wardrobe, designed to be "like classic Armani, but with a touch of originality".

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

There's a new girl at the perfumes who wears too many braids, and puffs, and curls, and in the basement misses' ready-to-wear there's another who likes to break store rules about short-sleeved, lace-yoked lingerie waists.

From Roast Beef, Medium by Ferber, Edna