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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

reach-me-down adj.

[SE reach-me-down, a ready-made new or second-hand garment, often trousers; ult. any garment that is hung up on display and must be ‘reached down’]

1. (UK Und./US) inferior, shoddy.

1901		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Aug. 29/2: Old woman don’t want things that are better; they have no desire for marble halls and grandeur; they want their own special bits of rags in their own little reach-me-down room.
1921		N.Y. Tribune 21 Aug. 8/5: Our self-elected high priests of efficiency and imposers of reach-me-down morals.
1940		R. Chandler Farewell, My Lovely (1949) 190: They all had the well-fed stomachs, the careful eyes, the nice clothes and the reach-me-down manners.
1972		K. Bonfiglioli Don’t Point That Thing at Me (1991) 29: I looked [...] at the tatty Shayers and reach-me-down Koekkoeks.

2. thrown together, improvised.

1895		Herald (L.A.) 10 Nov. 18/2: It is a comfort to know that there are agents who deal in reach-me-down dramas, as there are dealers in ready-made garments.
1906		Omaha Dly Bee (NE) 11 Mar. 3/3: Reach me down dresses, reach me down scenery, reach me down equipments are considered good enough.
1923		J. Manchon Le Slang.