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

Crown adds around $56 million in annual revenue from sales of ready-to-eat meals and meat options, according to Mama’s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 30, 2025

Trader Joe's even has its own stall where employees prepare and serve samples of ready-to-eat meals to customers.

From Salon • Sep. 20, 2023

The company also flagged higher promotions in the market as customers hunted for cheaper alternatives for its ready-to-eat meals and snacks, sauces and cooking essentials.

From Reuters • Aug. 2, 2023

Just in case his employees are marooned in the building after a disaster, Mr. Williams bought hundreds of military ready-to-eat meals that are now stored in giant file cabinets.

From New York Times • Apr. 8, 2022

But sometime in the 1960s, Grandma abandoned those old school methods, opting instead for ready-to-eat meals from a box.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 16, 2021