Tailcoat

Tailcoat

A tailcoat is a coat with the front of the skirt cut away, so as to leave only the rear section of the skirt, known as the tails. The historical reason coats were cut this way was to make it easier for the wearer to ride a horse, but over the years tailcoats of varying types have evolved into forms of formal dress for both day and evening wear. Although there are several different types of tailcoat, the term tailcoat is popularly taken to be synonymous with the type of dress coat still worn today in the evening with white tie.

This dress coat, one of the two main surviving tailcoats, is a dark evening coat with a squarely cut away front. The other one is the morning coat (or cutaway in American English), which is cut away at the front in a gradual taper.

Contents

Types of tailcoats

Beau Brummell wears a Regency period dress coat as daytime dress. The coat is able to close and the tails are knee length.
A mid-twentieth century dress coat, with the longer tails reaching below the knees fashionable then.
A rare women's version of a tailcoat in black wool, from 1939.

Dress coat

A dress coat, sometimes called a swallow-tail or claw-hammer coat, is the coat that has, since the 1850s, come to be worn only in the evening by men as part of the white tie dress code, also known as evening full dress, for formal evening occasions. It is commonly referred to as just a tailcoat, but amongst tailors (both British and American) and dress historians it is traditionally called a dress coat to differentiate it from other types of tailcoats.

The modern dress coat is an evolution of the coat that was once both day and evening dress. It became increasingly popular from around the late 1790s and was particularly widespread during the British Regency, and in America in the 1830s to 1850s.[1] The eighteenth century dress coat was supplanted in the 1850s as formal day wear by the frock coat, which was in turn replaced in the twentieth century by the morning coat. In the Regency period, the dress coat with gilt buttons was always worn with non-matching trousers, pantaloons or breeches. Since the Victorian era, the modern dress coat for evening wear has been worn with matching trousers of the same cloth with two stripes of braiding down the side. The resulting suit is traditionally referred to by tailors as a dress suit.

A dress coat is waist length in the front and sides, and has two long tails reaching to the knees in back. Sometimes there is a pocket on the inside to hold gloves. Since around the 1840s the dress coat has lacked outside side pockets, but prior to this it took flapped side pockets. Since the early twentieth century it has become acceptable to have a welted pocket on the outside of the chest to hold a pocket square, but prior to this dress coats lacked any outer pockets. The front of the skirt is squarely cut away. Since around the 1830s the coat has been constructed with a waist seam that allows greater waist suppression. From the Victorian era, the revers has taken facings in silk (grosgrain or satin) on the lapels. Although it is double-breasted, since the 1870s, the dress coat no longer fastens in the front.[2] As a result, although there are two rows of buttons, these are all non-functional, serving only a decorative function.

As part of modern white tie, either a black or midnight blue dress coat is worn with a stiff detachable white wing-collar dress shirt, with a plain starched bib, and single cuffs fastened with cufflinks; a matching white bowtie and white waistcoat; black trousers; and black patent leather pumps with stockings.

Morning coat

Two men wearing morning coats at a wedding. 1929.

The modern morning coat (or cutaway in American English) is a man's coat worn as the principal item in morning dress. The name derives from morning nineteenth century horseback riding exercise for gentlemen. It was regarded as a casual form of half dress. Gradually it became acceptable as an alternative to the frock coat for formal day wear or full dress. Since the nineteenth century it is normally only seen at weddings, formal baptisms, in England, races such as Royal Ascot and the Derby when it is worn with a contrasting waistcoat, usually light grey or sometimes 'fancy'. It is very occasionally seen at funerals but more often it is used as day wear at formal luncheons, especially civic occasions under formal gowns, when worn with a black matching waistcoat (US 'vest'). Male members of the cabinet of Japan wear it in their first public appearance following the formation of the cabinet.

The Marshal and Clerk of the United States Supreme Court wear morning coats when the justices are appearing in public wearing their traditional robes, for example when the court is in session, or when attending the President's State of the Union address. At one time all attorneys appearing before the court wore morning coats but now wear standard business attire. The United States Solicitor General (when the office is held by a male) and his or her male deputies continue the tradition of wearing morning dress when arguing before the court.[3]

A morning coat is a single-breasted coat, the front parts usually meeting at one button in the middle, and curving away gradually into a pair of tails behind, topped by two ornamental buttons on the waist seam. The lapels are usually pointed (American English peak), not step (notch), since the coat is now only worn as formalwear; when it was first introduced, the step lapel was common, since it was worn as half dress. The coat can be grey or black as part of morning dress, and is usually worn with striped, or very occasionally checked, trousers.

The morning coat may also be worn as part of a morning suit, which is mid-grey with matching trousers and waistcoat.

During the Victorian and Edwardian era, in America morning coat referred to a single-breasted frock coat, so the British then made fun of the fact that Americans were unable to distinguish between morning coats and frock coats. In modern American English, morning coats are referred to as cutaway coats.

Shadbelly

In the extremely conservative field of equestrianism, a variant called a shadbelly is still worn in certain disciplines in its eighteenth century role as daytime formalwear. It is basically a form of dress coat which is closer in cut to the early nineteenth century style worn by Beau Brummel than to the modern version worn with evening formal dress.

Levée dress coat

Is a type of dress coat traditionally worn with court dress, until the mid twentieth century. It was made of black velvet and traditionally worn at court, levées, and evening state parties by those who did not wear uniforms. A version made of black barathea was also worn as diplomatic dress. It was single breasted with a stand up collar, with plain gauntlet cuffs, and two three-pointed flap pockets on the waist seam. It had six metal buttons at the front, and two decorative buttons at the back. The body of the coat was lined with black silk, and skirts with white silk. It was worn with breeches, black silk hose, white bow tie, white gloves, and court shoes (pumps) with steel buckles. The front of the coat was cut away squarely like a standard dress coat.[4]

Highland coatee

This is worn with Highland dress, and has a square cut away front like a dress coat, but the tails are cut significantly shorter.

Footman's coat

This was worn as livery (servant's uniforms) and was knee length with a sloped cut away front like a morning coat. It was single breasted with a stand up collar and gilt buttons. There were three pronged side pockets similar in style to the levée dress coat.

Military use

Winfield Scott wearing a tailcoat at the Battle of Veracruz
Military issue tail coat, 1789

From c.1790 until after the Crimean War a red tail coat with short tails (known as a coatee) was part of the infantry uniform of the British army. The collar and cuffs were in the regimental colors and the coats had white braid on the front.[5] Elite light infantry units like the 95th Rifles were issued short green coats to provide camouflage and ease of movement.

The Americans issued a similar uniform in dark blue to enlisted men during the War of 1812. This remained in service until 1833 when it was replaced with a shell jacket.[6] Officers continued to wear tail coats until after the Mexican War when frock coats became the standard field wear. By the time the M1858 uniform was introduced tail coats had been relegated to full dress.

The Royal Navy had an elaborate hierarchy of tailcoats for the officers, allowing further buttons and gilding according to rank and seniority. These were single-breasted for junior officers and double-breasted for those with the rank of lieutenant and above.

Bibliography

  • Antongiavanni, Nicholas: The Suit, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2006. ISBN 0-06-089186-6
  • Ashelford, Jane: The Art of Dress: Clothing and Society 1500-1914, Abrams, 1996. ISBN 0-8109-6317-5
  • Byrd, Penelope: The Male Image, Men's Fashion in England 1300-1970. B.T. Batsford Ltd, London, 1979. ISBN 0 7134 0860
  • Croonborg, Frederick: The Blue Book of Men's Tailoring. Croonborg Sartorial Co. New York and Chicago, 1907
  • Cunnington, C. Willett; Cunnington, Phillis (1959): Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century, Plays Inc, Boston, 1970 reprint
  • Devere, Louis: The Handbook of Practical Cutting on the Centre Point System (London, 1866) revised and edited by R. L. Shep. R. L. Shep, Mendocino, California, 1986. ISBN 0-914046-03-9
  • Doyle, Robert: The Art of the Tailor, Sartorial Press Publications, Stratford, Ontario; 2005. ISBN 0-9683039-2-7
  • Druessedow, Jean L. (editor): Men's Fashion Illustration from the Turn of the Century Reprint. Originally published: New York: Jno J. Mitchell Co. 1910. Dover Publications, 1990 ISBN 0-486-26353-3
  • Flusser, Alan: Dressing the Man, Harper-Collins, 2002. ISBN 978-0060191443
  • Mansfield, Alan; Cunnington, Phillis: Handbook of English Costume in the 20th Century 1900-1950, Plays Inc, Boston, 1973
  • Minister, Edward: The Complete Guide to Practical Cutting (London, 1853) Vol 1 & II. Edited with notes by R.L. Shep, Mendocino, California, 1993. ISBN 0-914046-17-9
  • Peacock, John: Men's Fashion: the complete sourcebook, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, 1996. ISBN 0500017255
  • Roetzel, Bernhard: Gentleman: a timeless fashion. Könemann, Köln, 2004. ISBN 3-8331-1061-9 *Salisbury, W. S.: Salisbury’s System of Actual Measurement and Drafting for all Styles of Coats upon Geometric Principles. New York 1866. Reprinted in Civil War Gentlemen: 1860 Apparel Arts and Uniforms by R. L. Shep, Mendocino, California, 1994. ISBN 0-914046-22-5
  • Tozer, Jane and Sarah Levitt, Fabric of Society: a century of people and their clothes 1770-1870. Laura Ashley Press, Carno, Powys ISBN 0-9508913-0-4
  • Unknown author: The Standard Work on Cutting Men’s Garments. 4th ed. Originally pub. 1886 by Jno J. Mitchell, New York. ISBN 0-916896-33-1
  • Vincent, W. D. F.: The Cutter’s Practical Guide. Vol II "All kinds of body coats". The John Williamson Company, London, circa 1893.
  • Waugh, Norah: The Cut of Men's Clothes 1600-1900, Routledge, London, 1964. ISBN 0-87830-025-2
  • Whife, A. A. (ed): The Modern Tailor Outfitter and Clothier. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd, London, 1951

References

  1. ^ We Make History. "An Introduction to Gentlemen's Fashions During the Regency Era". http://www.wemakehistory.com/Fashion/Regency/RegencyMen/RegencyMen.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-06. 
  2. ^ Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society. "White Tie – Coat". http://www.societies.cam.ac.uk/cuhags/whitetie/tailcoat.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-12. 
  3. ^ William Suter, Clerk of the U.S. Supreme Court, interview, C-SPAN U.S. Supreme Court Week
  4. ^ An example of such a levée coat can be seen at "Henry Poole — Court Dress". http://www.henrypoole.com/court_dress.cns. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  5. ^ 19th Foot uniforms
  6. ^ War of 1812 uniforms

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • tailcoat — [tāl′kōt΄] n. a man s full dress coat, with long, tapering tails at the back * * * tail·coat (tālʹkōt ) n. A man s black coat worn for formal daytime occasions and having a long rounded and split tail. Also called swallowtail, swallow tailed coat …   Universalium

  • tailcoat — ► NOUN Brit. ▪ a man s formal morning or evening coat, with a long skirt divided at the back into tails and cut away in front …   English terms dictionary

  • tailcoat — [tāl′kōt΄] n. a man s full dress coat, with long, tapering tails at the back …   English World dictionary

  • tailcoat — UK [ˈteɪlˌkəʊt] / US [ˈteɪlˌkoʊt] noun [countable] Word forms tailcoat : singular tailcoat plural tailcoats a man s formal jacket that is short at the front and has two long pointed parts that hang down at the back …   English dictionary

  • tailcoat — [[t]te͟ɪlkoʊt[/t]] tailcoats also tail coat N COUNT A tailcoat is a man s coat which is short at the front with long pieces at the back. Tailcoats were popular in the 19th century and are now worn only for very formal occasions, such as weddings …   English dictionary

  • tailcoat — noun Date: 1847 a coat with tails; especially a man s full dress coat with two long tapering skirts at the back • tailcoated adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • tailcoat — noun /ˈteɪlkoʊt/ a) A formal evening jacket with an extended back panel; a dress coat. b) Any coat with similar tails …   Wiktionary

  • tailcoat — tail|coat [ˈteılkəut US kout] n a man s jacket which is short at the front and divided into two long pieces at the back, worn to very formal events = ↑tails …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • tailcoat — tail|coat [ teıl,kout ] noun count a man s formal jacket that is short at the front and has two long pointed parts that hang down at the back …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • tailcoat — n. man s formal evening coat with a short front and long and tapering in the back …   English contemporary dictionary

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