off-the-rack

[awf-thuh-rak, of-]

adjective

1. (of clothing) not made to specific or individual requirements; ready-made.

   off-the-rack men's suits.

2. Slang.,  off-the-wall.

Word History and Origins

Origin of off the rack¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Idioms and Phrases

Ready-made, as in She has all her clothes made; she never buys a dress off the rack. The rack here is a frame from which clothes are hung. [Mid-1900s] A British synonym is off the peg, similarly alluding to a knob from which clothes are hung and dating from the late 1800s. Also see off the shelf.

Example Sentences

Perversely enough, these shows also take viewers into other worlds — those of middling wealth and off-the-rack glamour that seem just out of reach.

From Salon

But there are times when off-the-rack arrangements just won’t cut it.

From Los Angeles Times

It prevents you from doing anything too foolish, while still freeing you of the compromise of the off-the-rack suit.

From Los Angeles Times

Through her work at RefineLA, Luo said she aims to help her peers find outlets for their self-expression through secondhand fashion — especially because thrifted pieces sometimes have an individuality that off-the-rack clothes lack.

From Los Angeles Times

Due in large part to globalization and offshoring, the prices of the things we want — electronics, household appliances, off-the-rack designer clothing and so forth — have generally increased slowly, or even gone down.

From Salon