Haberdasher

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Haberdashery

A haberdasher is a person who sells small, commonly used items of clothing via retail. These can include ribbons and buttons or completed accessories such as hats or gloves. A haberdasher's shop or the items sold therein are called haberdashery.

The exact definition of haberdasher depends on the locale. In the United States and Canada, it is primarily used for a person who sells men's clothing accessories. In the British Isles, this word is more commonly used to refer to someone who sells buttons, thread, ribbons, or drapery, but the term is much less common now, as fewer people make or mend their own clothing.

Early usage of the term "haberdasher" refers to a retailer of many accessories, including swords, horns, mousetraps, and crucifixes.

The term may come from the Anglo-Norman word hapertas, meaning petty wares.

Notable haberdashers

See also