off the peg

off the peg

Of clothes, mass-produced and ready to wear. Often hyphenated. Primarily heard in UK. You can find really stylish clothes off the peg, if you look hard enough. Don't show up to the interview in some off-the-peg suit—you need to spend a bit more money if you want to impress them.
See also: off, peg
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

off-the-peg

BRITISH
Off-the-peg clothes are made in large numbers and sent to shops, not made specially for a particular person. He was wearing an off-the-peg suit. Note: You can say that people buy clothes off the peg. Instead of dining in top restaurants and wearing expensive suits, he likes to eat hamburgers and buys clothes off the peg. Note: The usual American expression is off-the-rack
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

off the peg

(of clothes) ready-made as opposed to specially made for a particular person. chiefly British
A North American variant of this phrase is off the rack .
See also: off, peg
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌoff the ˈpeg

(British English) (American English ˌoff the ˈrack) (of a suit, etc.) ready to wear; not made specially to fit one person: He couldn’t afford a made-to-measure suit, so he bought one off the peg.
See also: off, peg
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • off the rack
  • off-the-peg
  • off-the-rack
  • in the nude
  • roast-meat clothes
  • higher than a cat's back
  • get (one's) kit off
  • get your kit off
  • go like a rocket
  • hand down from (someone) to (one)
References in periodicals archive
The store is due to close by the end of February next year and until then, stock will be sold off the peg at discounted prices.
Chester bridal shop announces closure after almost a decade in business; Stock will be sold off the peg at discounted prices
Off the peg Pupils and PTA members show off the donated uniforms
Clarkston Primary's pop up stall
We've put together a gallery of just some of the dresses you can buy off the peg right now with the help of some of Teesside's boutiques.
17 prom dresses you can buy right now on Teesside; Left prom shopping until the last minute? Check out these gowns available right now on Teesside
Trade agreements between the EU and 52 other countries, which currently cover the UK, could not just be lifted off the peg.
Pakistan should coordinate with UK officials to continue trade: FPCCI
It should be off the peg and moving smoothly within 5 to 10 seconds of adding full power.
Abort-analysis checklist
"So they had to call in the fire brigade to cut a section off the peg.
Northumberland dad tells how he impaled his eye on a 2ft tent peg; Golf club worker tells how he was left with a 2ft pole sticking out of his eye after a horror accident. WARNING: This article contains images that some readers may find distressing
He knows what he wants, and it's not something that can be bought "off the peg" at your typical furniture store.
TV CHOICE
Put your hook through the last peg on the left-hand side, and slide the bands off the peg and on to the wide part of your hook.
HOT DRINKS HOLDER
Can you fit a lift to your stairs "off the peg" or will you need a bespoke and probably expensive curved set-up in the banisters?
Step up and get help to fit your stairlift
There the clothes are and you just take them off the peg. There are some lovely jackets and cravats in The Day Of The Jackal, which I still wear" Edward Fox, admitting that he keeps the clothes he wears while acting.
THEY SAID WHAT?
As well as off the peg items, there is also a style-lab service, including custom fittings on some ranges.
A splash of style in the heart of the city
There is a feeling we have rushed to re-embrace nuclear power and are now being bounced into buying something off the peg. It doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence.
DAILY POST YOUR VOICE IN WALES: New nuclear power station for you, guv?
The first thing I noticed was the airspeed indicator didn't come off the peg at the normal spot during the takeoff roll.
Running out of runway
Combined with Liz's expertise at developing training programmes for systems such as Microsoft Office, the company is now able to offer off the peg software with made-to-measure training programmes.
E-BUSINESS: Brownhill Data logs on to Australia
The final coup is its technical detailing, which transforms what could have so easily been an ordinary off the peg metal facade into constructional haute couture.
Steely determination: with a seamless skin of steel, this training centre is a subtly subversive urban presence