A tailcoat is a knee-length
coat
A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles ...
characterised by a rear section of the skirt, known as the ''tails'', with the front of the skirt cut away.
The tailcoat shares its historical origins in clothes cut for convenient horse riding in the
Early Modern era. Ever since the 18th century, however, tailcoats evolved into general forms of day and evening formal wear, in parallel to how the
lounge suit
A suit, lounge suit, or business suit is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt suit is similar, but with a matching skirt instead of ...
succeeded the
frock coat
A frock coat is a formal men's 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 ...
(19th century) and the
justacorps (18th century).
Thus, in 21st-century
Western dress codes for men, mainly two types of tailcoats have survived:
#
Dress coat, an evening wear with a squarely cut away front, worn for formal
white tie
White tie, also called full evening dress or a dress suit, is the most formal in traditional evening western dress codes. For men, it consists of a black tail coat (alternatively referred to as a dress coat, usually by tailors) worn over a whi ...
#
Morning coat
A tailcoat is a knee-length coat (clothing), coat characterised by a rear section of the skirt, known as the ''tails'', with the front of the skirt cut away.
The tailcoat shares its historical origins in clothes cut for convenient horse riding i ...
(or ''cutaway'' in
American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the most widely spoken language in the United States and in most circumstances ...
), a day wear with a gradually tapered front cut away, worn for formal
morning dress
In
colloquial language without further specification, "tailcoat" typically designates the former, that is the evening (1) dress coat for white tie.
History
Shadbelly
In
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
George Bryan "Beau" Brummell (7 June 1778 – 30 March 1840) was an important figure in Regency England and, for many years, the arbiter of men's fashion. At one time, he was a close friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, but ...
than to the modern version worn with evening formal dress. The male version of the shadbelly is often called a "weaselbelly".
Levée dress coat
This is a type of dress coat traditionally worn with
court dress
Court dress comprises the style of clothes and other attire prescribed for members of courts of law. Depending on the country and jurisdiction's traditions, members of the court (judges, magistrates, and so on) may wear formal robes, gowns, ...
, 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.
Military coatee
From c. 1790 until after the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included t ...
, a red tail coat with short tails, known as a coatee, was part of the infantry uniform of the
British army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...
. The collar and cuffs were in the regimental colors and the coats had white braid on the front. 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
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It ...
. This remained in service until 1833 when it was replaced with a
shell jacket. Officers continued to wear tail coats until after the
Mexican War when
frock coat
A frock coat is a formal men's 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 ...
s became the standard field wear. By the time the
M1858 uniform was introduced tail coats had been relegated to full dress.
The
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
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.
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
A livery is an identifying design, such as a uniform, ornament, symbol or insignia that designates ownership or affiliation, often found on an individual or vehicle. Livery will often have elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or ...
, a servant's uniform. It 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.
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
White tie, also called full evening dress or a dress suit, is the most formal in traditional evening western dress codes. For men, it consists of a black tail coat (alternatively referred to as a dress coat, usually by tailors) worn over a whi ...
dress code
A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regard to what clothing groups of people must wear. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circumstances, and occasions. Different societies an ...
, also known as evening
full dress
Western dress codes are a set of dress codes detailing what clothes are worn for what occasion. Conversely, since most cultures have intuitively applied some level equivalent to the more formal Western dress code traditions, these dress codes a ...
, for
formal
Formal, formality, informal or informality imply the complying with, or not complying with, some set of requirements (forms, in Ancient Greek). They may refer to:
Dress code and events
* Formal wear, attire for formal events
* Semi-formal attire ...
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
The Regency era of British history officially spanned the years 1811 to 1820, though the term is commonly applied to the longer period between and 1837. King George III succumbed to mental illness in late 1810 and, by the Regency Act 1811, ...
, and in America in the 1830s to 1850s. 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
A tailcoat is a knee-length coat (clothing), coat characterised by a rear section of the skirt, known as the ''tails'', with the front of the skirt cut away.
The tailcoat shares its historical origins in clothes cut for convenient horse riding i ...
. 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
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb.
If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless gl ...
. 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
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edward ...
, the
revers has taken facings in silk (
grosgrain
Grosgrain ( , also sometimes ) is a type of fabric or ribbon defined by the fact that its weft is heavier than its warp, creating prominent transverse ribs. Grosgrain is a plain weave corded fabric, with heavier cords than poplin but lighter t ...
or
satin
A satin weave is a type of fabric weave that produces a characteristically glossy, smooth or lustrous material, typically with a glossy top surface and a dull back. It is one of three fundamental types of textile weaves alongside plain wea ...
) on the
lapels. Although it is double-breasted, since the 1870s, the dress coat no longer fastens in the front. 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, a black dress coat is worn with a stiff, white wing-collar
dress shirt
A dress shirt, button shirt, button-front, button-front shirt, or button-up shirt, is a garment with a collar and a full-length opening at the front, which is fastened using buttons or shirt studs. A button-down or button-down shirt is a dre ...
, with a plain starched (pique or plain-weave) bib that takes shirt studs,
single cuffs fastened with
cufflink
Cufflinks are items of jewelry that are used to secure the cuffs of dress shirts. Cufflinks can be manufactured from a variety of different materials, such as glass, stone, leather, metal, precious metal or combinations of these. Securing o ...
s (of a white metal); a matching white marcella cotton or satin silk bowtie and white
waistcoat
A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wea ...
; black trousers with one or two silk galon; and black oxfords (without a toe cap) or
pumps
A pump is a device that moves fluids ( liquids or gases), or sometimes slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic energy. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method the ...
; the shoes must be polished to a mirror shine or be made of
patent leather and are worn with black, over-the-calf silk socks. Additionally, a top hat, silk dress scarf, and white dress gloves are also seen as acceptable.
Morning coat
A morning coat is a single-breasted coat, with 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.
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
Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, Driving (horse), driving, and Equestrian vaulting, vaulting ...
exercise for gentlemen. It was regarded as an informal 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, at formal baptisms, and in England and Australia, at races such as
Royal Ascot
Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races a ...
,
the Derby and the
Victoria Derby where 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 (or '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
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point ...
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
The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current condi ...
. At one time all attorneys appearing before the court wore morning coats but they now wear standard business attire. The
United States Solicitor General
The solicitor general of the United States is the fourth-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. Elizabeth Prelogar has been serving in the role since October 28, 2021.
The United States solicitor general represen ...
(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.
In modern American English, morning coats are referred to as ''cutaway coats''.
References
Bibliography
*Antongiavanni, Nicholas: ''The Suit'', HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2006.
*Ashelford, Jane: ''The Art of Dress: Clothing and Society 1500-1914'', Abrams, 1996.
*Byrd, Penelope: ''The Male Image, Men's Fashion in England 1300-1970''. B.T. Batsford Ltd, London, 1979.
*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.
*Doyle, Robert: ''The Art of the Tailor'', Sartorial Press Publications, Stratford, Ontario; 2005.
*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
*
Flusser, Alan: ''Dressing the Man'', Harper-Collins, 2002.
* 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.
*Peacock, John: ''Men's Fashion: the complete sourcebook'', Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, 1996.
*
Roetzel, Bernhard: ''Gentleman: a timeless fashion''. Könemann, Köln, 2004. *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.
*Tozer, Jane and Sarah Levitt, ''Fabric of Society: a century of people and their clothes 1770-1870''. Laura Ashley Press, Carno, Powys
*Unknown author: ''The Standard Work on Cutting Men's Garments''. 4th ed. Originally pub. 1886 by Jno J. Mitchell, New York.
*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.
*Whife, A. A. (ed): ''The Modern Tailor Outfitter and Clothier''. The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd, London, 1951
{{Clothing
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