Frock coat

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
cravat pin
(April 1904).

A frock coat is a

coat characterised by a knee-length skirt cut all around the base just above the knee, popular during the Victorian and Edwardian periods (1830s–1910s). It is a fitted, long-sleeved coat with a centre vent at the back and some features unusual in post-Victorian dress. These include the reverse collar and lapels, where the outer edge of the lapel is often cut from a separate piece of cloth from the main body and also a high degree of waist suppression around the waistcoat
, where the coat's diameter round the waist is less than round the chest. This is achieved by a high horizontal waist seam with side bodies, which are extra panels of fabric above the waist used to pull in the naturally cylindrical drape. As was usual with all coats in the 19th century, shoulder padding was rare or minimal.

In the

dress coat with breeches or increasingly pantaloons, and top hats. However, by the 1820s, the frock coat was introduced along with full-length trousers, perhaps inspired by the then casual country leisure wear frock. Early frock coats inherited the higher collars and voluminous lapels
of the dress coat style at the time, and were sometimes offered in different, albeit increasingly dark, colours. Within its first next few years, though, plain black soon became the only established practice, and with a moderate collar. The top hat followed suit.

Although black trousers did occur, especially at daytime, the black frock coat was commonly worn with charcoal grey, pin-striped or checked

Roman collar for clergymen
, was harmonised to the style of the contemporary frock coat.

By the late 19th century, the knee-length

British royal court. While effectively relegated to a rarity in formal wear ever since, it does occur in certain formal marriages and traditional processions
.

Name

The name frock coat appeared out from the earlier frock.

Earlier terminology also used redingote (or redingotte, redingot),

alteration of the English "riding coat", an example of reborrowing
.

History

Justacorps, the precursor to the frock coat fashionable from the 1660s until the 1790s.

Frock coats emerged during the

greatcoats
on campaign.

The earlier frock

Man's wool and silk twill frock coat, France, 1816–1820. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, M.2010.33.7.. However resembling the preceding 18th century frock.
Main article: Frock

During the mid seventeenth century the older

gold braid, embroidery and gold buttons to demonstrate their wealth.[2]

Before the frock coat existed, there was another garment called the

dress coat worn with white tie dress code
.

These relations can be seen in similar foreign terms. The modern word for a

dress coat
.

This suggests that the earlier frock from the 18th century is more the direct ancestor of the modern dress coat, whereas the frock coat in the 19th century, the subject under discussion here, is a different garment altogether with separate military origins in the 19th century. However a remote historical connection to the frock cannot entirely be excluded, as is the case with similar looks variably referred to as

redingote or riding coat
.

Other meanings of the term frock include clerical garb and a type of woman's dress combining a skirt with a shirt–blouse top.

Military uniforms

German Landwehr soldier in frock coat, 1815
Light Infantry

The first military frock coats were issued late in the

full dress
and more practical for campaigns.

By the 1840s, frock coats were regulation for the American, Prussian, Russian

US Civil War.[7]

The earlier redingote

The men's redingote was an eighteenth-century or early-nineteenth-century long coat or greatcoat, derived from the country garment (i.e. derived from "riding coat") with a wide, flat collar called a frock. In French and several other languages, redingote is the usual term for a fitted frock coat. The form a men's redingote took could be of the tightly fitting frock coat style or the more voluminous, loose "great coat" style, replete with overlapping capes or collars, such as a "garrick" redingote, depending on fashion throughout its popularity.

During the 19th century the term redingote also applied to a military riding coat worn mainly by French cavalrymen. This took the form of a greatcoat with long skirts, extending over the sides of the horse being ridden.[8]

The origins and rise of the frock coat

Prince Albert
wearing a black frock coat with silk-faced lapels and bow tie
Heads of government wore frock coats at the formal signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

When the frock coat was first worn, correct daytime full dress was a

lounge suit
is worn today such as in weddings, funerals and by professionals. It was the standard business attire of the Victorian era.

Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria, is usually credited with popularising the frock coat and even gave a synonym for its double-breasted version, a "Prince Albert". During the Victorian era, the frock coat rapidly became worn universally in Britain, Europe and America as standard formal business dress or for formal daytime events. It was considered the most correct form of morning dress
for the time.

Notably, however, this time was before contemporary established dress code terminology and so definitions of

formal attire
, as well as morning and evening attire, were not altogether according to later standards.

The decline of the frock coat

Around the 1880s and increasingly through into the

full dress
. Once considered a casual equestrian sports coat, the morning coat slowly started to become both acceptable and increasingly popular, as a standard day-time town full dress alternative to the frock coat, a position which the morning coat enjoys to this day.

The morning coat was particularly popular amongst fashionable younger men and the frock coat increasingly came to be worn mostly by older conservative gentlemen. The morning coat gradually relegated the frock coat only to more formal situations, to the point that the frock coat eventually came to be worn only as

diplomatic dress
.

The

British royal court
.

Since that time it has been worn sparingly, albeit arguably not altogether vanished (see section on contemporary use further below).

Composition

Formal wear

Part of a series on
Western dress codes
and corresponding attires
Formal (full dress)
Semi-formal (half dress)
Informal (undress, "dress clothes")
Casual (anything not above)
Supplementary alternatives
Legend:

= Day (before 6 p.m.)
= Evening (after 6 p.m.)
    = Bow tie colour
= Ladies
= Gentlemen

 
Contents/Culture and the arts portal

Frock coats worn with

morning coats
, in order to give the wedding attire a Victorian flavour. They are today usually only worn by the wedding party, where elements of historical costume are more acceptable and even this practice is unusual, as its role as a formal ceremonial coat in daytime formal wear has been long supplanted in modern dress code by the morning coat. Like morning coats, frock coats are only worn for daytime formal events before 5pm. and no later than until around 7pm.

Prior to the establishment of morning dress around the turn of the century in 1900, the expression "morning dress" tended to refer to frock coat, while gradually extending to mean both the frock coat and morning dress in the contemporary sense.[9]

The morning dress for gentlemen is a black frock coat or a black cut-away, white or black vest, according to the season, gray or colored pants, plaid or stripes according to the fashion, a high silk stove pipe hat and a black scarf or necktie. A black frock coat with black pants is not considered a good combination.. The morning dress is suitable for garden parties, Sundays, social teas, informal calls, morning calls and receptions.

— Our Deportment(1879)

At afternoon funerals, wear a frock coat and top hat. Should the funeral be your own, the hat may be dispensed with.

— The Cynic's Rules of Conduct (1905)

Cloth

Navy blue frock coat
Navy blue frock coat

Standard fibres used for the frock coat included wool and vicuña. The most common weaves were known as broadcloth and duffel, both so called "heavy wools" manufactured along a process originating from Flanders in the 11th century (Flemish cloth). The standard colour of a civilian frock coat was solid black but later, in the Victorian era, charcoal grey became an acceptable but less common alternative and Midnight Blue was an even rarer alternative colour. For business and festive occasions the revers was lined with black silk facings (either satin or grosgrain). For funerals black frock coats without self-faced revers were worn with a matching black waistcoat. In military uniforms a wider variety of colours was and is common, prompting such colour names as "navy blue" and "cadet grey".

On more formal outings the coat was worn with a pair of cashmere striped morning trousers (

cashmere stripes refers to the muted design in black, silver and charcoal grey, not the fibres of the cloth). However, trousers of muted checks were also worn in slightly more informal situations. In keeping with the rules set for morning dress
, trousers matching the coat were considered a somewhat less formal alternative.

A matching black waistcoat was worn for more formal business or more solemn ceremonies. During the earlier Victorian period, colourful fancy waistcoats of silk were noted as being worn by gentlemen such as Charles Dickens. In summer a white or buff coloured linen waistcoat could be worn. For festive occasions a lighter coloured waistcoat such as light grey was permissible.

Cut

The length of the skirt of the frock coat varied during the

lounge suits to minimise drape – particularly around the waist – when cutting a historically accurate frock coat. Sometimes, modern lounge suit coats with an unusually long skirt are referred to by ready-to-wear makers as a 'frock coat' but these lack the waist seam, resulting in the fuller drape more typical of a modern overcoat
or a lounge suit jacket. The silhouette of the historically accurate frock coat has the waist seam precisely tailored to permit the classical and elongating hourglass figure with the strong waist suppression.

Details

pocket square
and a pinned cravat in a Ruche knot. Frock coats with any external pockets at all are a rarity.
Dandies of 1831, one wearing a Polish frock with hood and Brandenbourg fastenings, design elements later used for the Royal Navy Duffel coat

Another characteristic of frock coats was their lack of any outer pockets. Only late in the Victorian and

lounge suit. Oscar Wilde, a famous dandy
of his time, was often seen in portraits wearing just such a model but this was rather rare on frock coats; while in keeping with the flamboyant nature of Wilde's dress, it was frowned upon by traditionalists. Side pockets were always absent from frock coats but pockets were provided on the inside of the chest or inside the top part of the tail.

The buttons on a frock coat were always covered in cloth, often to match the silk on the revers, showing in the triangle of lining wrapped over the inside of the lapels. Another common feature was the use of fancy buttons with a snow-flake or

check pattern
woven over it.

Through most of the Victorian era until towards the end, the lapels were cut separately and sewn on later, apparently because it made the lapel roll more elegantly from bottom up. The lapel revers from the inside of the coat wrapped over to the front, creating a small triangle of silk, while the outer half was cut from two strips of the body fabric. This was a feature of double-breasted frock coats used on all such coats but morning and dress coats, which had previously followed this practice, began to be made with attached lapels (wholecut) around the end of the Edwardian era. Through the Victorian era, a row of decorative button holes was created down the lapel edge but by Edwardian period these were reduced down to just the one lapel boutonnière button hole.

Turn back cuffs on the sleeves, similar to the turn ups (cuffs in American English) on modern trouser hems, were standard, with two buttons on the cuff.

Another rare feature was the use of decorative braiding around the sleeve cuffs and lapel edges.

Accessories

Vanity Fair
from 1876.

Proper accessories to wear with the frock coat included a non-collapsible

cufflinks. The waistcoat was usually double-breasted with peaked lapels. Formal gloves in light grey suede, chamois or kid leather
were also required.

Informal frock coat suits

An informal checked frock coat suit with odd waistcoat. The foreparts are connected by a chain link.

The solid black garment described above was widely used but before the

morning coat and was used in such a less formal context and double breasted coats made this way would often not fasten, being held loosely together in much the same way the modern morning coat is, with a single link.[10]

The accessories for the two styles depended on the intended use of the coat: for more formal settings, the outfit might still have striped trousers and demand a top hat and white gloves; for business, by the turn of the century, the morning coat was used (again, this referred to a single breasted frock coat then, not the modern morning coat). This last was accompanied by a business collar (such as winged collar, not a standing Imperial collar); a four in hand tie (as opposed to the formal cravat and puff) and a soft

Homburg.[10]

Modern use

blood of Jesus Christ
.

General

Although ceasing to be required by protocol as formal attire at the

British royal court in 1936, at the order of the short-reigning King Edward VIII
, the frock coat has not altogether vanished as modern civilian formal wear.

The state funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965 included wearers of frock coats.[11]

Savile Row tailor and reinnovator Tommy Nutter (1943– 1992) was a frequent wearer.

Frock coats, albeit often in other colours than black, survive until this day in the livery of hotel staff.

King Tupou VI of Tonga (born 1959) is a frequent wearer of frock coats.

Examples of frock coats in fashion in the 21st century include

Alexander McQueen in 2012,[12] Prada's autumn edition in 2012, and Paul Smith in 2018.[13]

Frock coats still appear in certain traditional Catholic processions, such as the Blutritt in Germany.

Some wedding

Prince William opted for military full dress uniform
variants of frock coats.

Military uniforms

A British Army general wearing a frock coat in 2012.

The cut of a frock coat with a waist seam flatters a man's figure, as opposed to a

sack coat, and such frock coats remained part of some 21st-century military uniforms. They can either be single-breasted, as in some army uniforms, or double-breasted as in both army and navy uniforms. An example of the latter is seen in the modern gala dress of officers in the Spanish Navy.[14] The British Army currently retains the frock coat for ceremonial wear by senior officers of Lieutenant-General rank and above, by officers of the Household Division, by some bandmasters and by holders of certain Royal appointments.[15]

The 19th century Polish frock coat with hood and toggle-and-tow fastenings stood model for the overcoat used by the Royal Navy and British Army from 1890 on, known as Duffel coat or Monty coat.[16][17]

Orthodox Jewish wear

In the

Sefardi rabbis also wear a similar frock coat. The frock coat amongst non-Hassidic Jews is usually reserved for a rosh yeshiva, (maybe also the mashgiach
and other senior rabbis of the yeshiva) and other rabbis such as important communal rabbis and some chief rabbis.

Most married male

Lubavitcher Hasidim also don frock coats on Shabbat. All Hasidim also wear a gartel
(belt) over their outer coats during prayer services.

Most

suit jackets. On Shabbat, Hasidim wear bekishes, which are usually silk or polyester as opposed to the woollen frock coat. The bekishe and the rekel
both lack the waist seam construction of the frock coat. Additionally, bekishes can be distinguished from frock coats by the additional two buttons on front and a lack of a slit in the back.

Part of the slit hem in the back of the frock coat is rounded so as to not require tzitzit. The buttons are usually made to go right over left on most Jewish frock coats, particularly those worn by Hasidic Jews.

In Yiddish, a frock coat is known as a frak, a sirtuk or a kapotteh.

Teddy Boys

The

Teddy Boys
, a 1950s UK youth movement, named for their use of Edwardian-inspired clothing, briefly revived the frock coat, which they often referred to as a "drape".

Gallery

Popular culture

  • Nehru collar
    .

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frock coats.
Look up frock coat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Look up redingote in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, Third Edition, September 2009
  2. ISBN 978-0-313-33662-1
  3. ISBN 0-8061-3399-6
    .
  4. ^ Napoleonic Association Prussian Landwehr
  5. ^ Image of Russian troops in the Crimea
  6. ^ Major R. M.Barnes, page 247 and plate 23 "A History of the Regiments & Uniforms of the British Army", First Sphere Bools edition 1972
  7. ^ Howard Lanham - Generalizations regarding the US Army uniforms
  8. ISBN 0-684-15130-8
    .
  9. ^ "The Frock Suit | Mass Historia".
  10. ^ a b Croonborg (1907). p.30
  11. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "THE STATE FUNERAL OF SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL (NEWS IN COLOUR) - COLOUR IS VERY GOOD". YouTube.
  12. TheGuardian.com
    . 18 June 2013.
  13. ^ "Paul Smith Fall 2018 Menswear Collection". 21 January 2018.
  14. ^ Jose M. Bueno, plate 38772, "Uniformes de La Infanteria de Marina", Editions Barreira
  15. ISBN 978-1-78200-593-3
    (p. 55)
  16. ^ "The History of the Duffel Coat". 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Duffel Coat History". 13 November 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2022.

Bibliography

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