A haberdashery is a seller of small sewing items or men’s clothing, depending on where you are in the world. The word originated in the 13th century and has divergent meanings due to differences in spoken English. Notable people, including former US President Harry S. Truman and British explorer Captain James Cook, have worked as haberdashers.
A haberdashery is someone who deals in small sewing items related to clothing, or on the clothing itself. The meaning of the word is actually different, depending on where in the world you are. In the United States, most people take the word to mean someone who is into men’s clothing, including suits, accessories, etc. In Great Britain and Australia, a haberdashery is someone who sells sewing notions such as buttons, zippers, trims, lace, and other sundries. The divergent meanings of this word reflect divergence in spoken English that occurred surprisingly early in American history.
This word first arose in the 13th century, and was initially used in reference to peddlers selling any number of miscellaneous items, from pots and pans to buttons. The term may come from a Scandinavian root, but its origins are obscure. It certainly has nothing to do with “rushing” anywhere, and may come from hapertas, a word meaning “small commodities.” Whatever the origins, it was in common use by the 16th century.
Around the 1700s, divergent meanings for this word began to appear. In some regions, people began to use the term specifically to refer to a hat seller. Although English-speakers in Britain thought of haberdasheries as sellers of various sewing supplies, Americans referred to men’s clothing stores as “haberdasheries.” This may have been the result of a trend toward out-of-store suits in the United States, and perhaps some people who sold sewing supplies ended up selling men’s clothing, keeping their names and confusing the meaning of “haberdashery.”
This term is not widely used today, although some older businesses retain the name ‘haberdashery’ or ‘haberdashery’, reflecting the fact that they were established in a bygone era. Some people today use the term in reference to the sale of hats, and the profession also appears in books set in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some people also just enjoy the old-fashioned sound of “haberdashery,” including the word in skits, poems, and fanciful stories.
Some notable people have been employed as haberdashery at some point in their lives. Harry S. Truman, former President of the United States, worked as a haberdashery in his youth, as did Captain James Cook, the famous British explorer. In Cook’s case, he was actually a full apprentice, training to take over the business before losing interest and pursuing a life at sea.
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