What is "ready-to-wear"

a. Describing apparel that does not need any tailoring (for example hemming) before it can be worn.

adj. (especially of clothing) made in standard sizes and available from merchandise in stock; "a ready-made jacket"; "ready-to-wear clothes" [syn: off-the-rack, off-the-shelf, off-the-peg]

Ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter (, ; often abbreviated RTW; "off-the-rack" or "off-the-peg" in casual use) is the term for factory-made clothing, sold in finished condition, in standardized sizes, as distinct from made to measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a particular person's frame. Off-the-peg is sometimes used for items other than clothing such as handbags.

Ready-to-wear has rather different connotations in the spheres of fashion and classic clothing. In the fashion industry, designers produce ready-to-wear clothing, intended to be worn without significant alteration because clothing made to standard sizes fits most people. They use standard patterns, factory equipment, and faster construction techniques to keep costs low, compared to a custom-sewn version of the same item. Some fashion houses and fashion designers produce mass-produced and industrially manufactured ready-to-wear lines but others offer garments that are not unique but are produced in limited numbers.

The Bread & Butter in Berlin is considered to be the world's most important trade fair for ready-to-wear fashion.