Twill, pleating, knitwear jeans–a large proportion of clothes we purchase online or at stores are made on an assembly line at textile factories across the globe. This kind of clothing is referred to as “ready-to-wear.”

What is ready-to-wear?

“Ready-to-wear” (known as pret-a-porter in French) is an industry term that means that a piece of clothing was manufactured in standard size and is sold in a finished condition rather than being created and made for a specific individual. The majority of clothing we purchase in our lifetime, from sweatshirts to denim card sigans, handbags to cardigans –is ready-to-wear. That means it was bought “off the rack.”

Pakistani designer dresses can also be worn to your wedding reception since they come in unique styles.

A Short History of Ready-to-Wear Fashion

Prior to the 1800s, virtually every piece of clothing of fashion was custom tailored to fit, which meant that the garments were sewn by tailors and seamstresses for people. In the War of 1812, the US government started mass-producing military uniforms, which was among the very first clothing items that were ready-to-wear in the history of. The idea of ready-to-wear male clothes survived the war and by the close century, the majority of men could find ready-to-wear fashions at department stores.

In the past the fashion for women was more elaborate and fitted than male clothing, including fitting waistlines, necklines, and sleeves. This made ready-to-wear women’s clothes not practical in the time. But the 1900s brought more attention to the market for clothes for women in the US and, together with the economic downturn of the time made ready-to-wear clothes more attractive and practical customized clothes.

In the latter half of the 1960s, the gap between fashions for ready-to-wear in addition to haute couture (the custom-made clothing produced by fashion houses such as Chanel and Dior) was shattered when, in 1966 the Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent opened up his first boutique offering a line of ready-to-wear. This set the stage for designers from other fields to create ready-to-wear clothes as well as their traditional haute couture collections.

What is the difference between Fashion-forward and Haute Couture?

Fashionable clothing and ready-to-wear are two different ways that the fashion industry looks at clothes production. Ready-to-wear clothing is available “off the rack,” meaning it’s manufactured in standard sizes, typically mass-produced and intended to be bought and worn in a short time, typically without modification. Haute couture refers to expensive fashions, made to order and made specifically to the wearer.

The majority of major fashion labels (like Gucci, Lacroix, Prada and Dior) present pret-a-porter and ready-to wear collections along with their haute couture collections. The main differences between ready-to-wear and haute couture are:

  • Production. Manufacturers make ready-to-wear clothes by using automated factories and the haute couture process is typically hand-crafted from beginning to end. This includes the design, stitching, and fitting.
  • Sizing. Clothing that is ready-to-wear can be purchased as “standard sizes” (for instance sizes ranging from XXS to XXL) to speed up the manufacturing process. Haute couture is custom-made to fit, that is, it is tailored to the body of the wearer.
  • Cost. Fashionable clothing is affordable to manufacture and usually sells at a bargain price. The price of haute couture isn’t cheap because its price is determined by its exclusiveness and the top-quality materials and craftsmanship used to create these often unique pieces.

Do you want to know more about unleashing Your True Fashionista?

Queer Eye’s fashion guru reveals everything he’s learned about building an assortment of capsules, creating an iconic style, knowing the proper proportions, and much more (including the importance of having to wear your underwear for the duration of bed)–all in an easy British accent, not less.

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