MENS WEAR Frock coat

A frock coat is a man's coat characterized by a knee-length skirt (often cut just above the knee) all around the base, popular during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. The double-breasted style is sometimes called a Prince Albert (after the consort to Queen Victoria). The frock coat is a fitted, long-sleeved coat with a center 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 cut from a separate piece of cloth from the main body, and also a high degree of waist suppression, where the coat's diameter round the waist is much 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. HISTORY

The frock coat was widely worn in much the same situations as modern lounge suits and formalwear, with different variations. One example is that a frock coat for formalwear was always double- breasted with peaked lapels; as informal wear, the single-breasted frock coat often sported the step. As the frock coat does not have the cut away front which gives dress coats and morning coats tails at the back. As was usual with all coats in the nineteenth century, shoulder padding (called 'American shoulders') was rare or minimal. The formal frock coat only buttons down to the waist seam, which is decorated at the back with a pair of buttons. The frock coat that buttoned up to the neck, forming a high, stand-up collar, was worn only by clergymen.

DOUBLE BREASTED FROCK COAT

LAPEL FITTED LONG SLEEVE KNEE LENGTH WAIST SUPPRESSION REVERSE COLLAR DOUBLE BREASTED

Before the frock coat existed, there was another garment called the frock in the eighteenth century, which was probably unrelated to the frock coat, sharing only a similarity in name. The earlier frock was originally country clothing that became increasingly common around Formal dress was then so elaborate that it was impractical for everyday wear, so the frock became fashionable as half dress, a less formal alternative. By the 1780s the frock was worn widely as town wear, and, towards the end of the eighteenth century, started to be made with a single-breasted cut away front and tails. It was thus the precursor to the modern dress coat worn with white tie.

Another characteristic of frock coats was their lack of any outer pockets. Only late in the Victorian and Edwardian era were they ever made with a chest pocket to sport a pocket square, a feature more typical of the modern lounge suit. Side pockets were always absent from frock coats, but pockets were provided on the inside of the chest. 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. The 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.

STANDERED TWO BUTTONS ON THE CUFF Decorated braid element

An informal checked frock coat suit with odd waistcoat.

Standard fibers used for the frock coat included wool and vicuña. The most common weave was known as broadcloth. The standard color of a 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 color. 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. CLOTH USED AND COLORS

FROCK COAT WHERE ALL USED

Military wear: The first military frock coats were issued late in the Napoleonic Wars to French line infantry and Prussian Lander troops. Unwilling to soil the expensive tail coats on campaign, the French adopted a loose fitting single- breasted coat with contrasting collar and cuffs.

VARIATIONS OF FROCK COAT