Meaning
British expression for clothing bought ready-made in standard sizes rather than made to measure; also used attributively ('an off-the-peg suit') and figuratively for anything standard-issue rather than custom-made. The usual American equivalent is 'off the rack'. Neutral today, though it can faintly imply mass production when set against bespoke. Regional use: British English (clothing origin).
Origin
The phrase comes from the way early ready-to-wear shops displayed garments hanging on wall pegs, so a customer took the item straight from where it hung rather than having cloth cut and fitted. Ready-made clothing appeared in England in the late nineteenth century and became popular in Britain and America by the turn of the century; Grammarist notes that 'off the peg' is slightly older than the American 'off the rack' and influenced it. An Oxford English Dictionary entry dating of 1879 for off-the-peg is reported, consistent with that trade timeline. The expression was originally pejorative, implying inferior quality compared with bespoke tailoring, but it lost that sting as manufacturing improved and now simply distinguishes standard from made-to-measure.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- off the rack (American)
- off the rail
- off-the-peg (attributive)
- straight off the peg
Usage Examples
- The gown looked bespoke, but she admitted it was off the peg from a high-street chain.
- Rather than draft something off the peg, the consultancy built a strategy around the client's own data.
- He buys his suits off the peg and then has a tailor take them in.