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

Example Sentences

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

Blazy, who brought his ready-to-wear collection to the same venue last October, said he wanted to "probe and explore the heart of Chanel".

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Haute Couture predates ready-to-wear fashion, which is industrially produced clothing in large quantities.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Operating these new technologies were an army of young women clad in tailor-mades, or coordinating jackets and skirts, and easy-to-launder cotton shirtwaists, or blouses—all early triumphs of New York’s nascent ready-to-wear industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

Along with the increased popularity of swimming and the appearance of the knitted swimming suit we note the rapid development of the ready-to-wear swim suit industry.

From Women's Bathing and Swimming Costume in the United States by Kidwell, Claudia B.