All Kinds of Overcoats Past and Present (with Illustrations ++++)

[Sator]

In this little potted overview of different types of overcoats I am aware I have left out many different types of coat. Please feel welcome to contribute to make the thread more complete. Once again - enjoy! And if you really like it consider printing the illustrations out and taking it to your tailor. Tailors' patterns are only available for some of these garments.

1. The Frock Overcoat or Top Frock Coat (Taglioni Great Coat after Minister, 1853)





The frock overcoat was cut like a frock coat except a little longer to reach below the knees. Note the absence of the side pockets in the first example and of a chest pocket in the second. Frock coats (and dress coats) traditionally have no external pockets at all.

For the sake of clarity I would like to also briefly discuss this illustration:



There is a post on LL where it is discussed by Etutee as being a "paddock coat". I have to question that because closer examination of the overcoat demonstrates that it has a waist seam:



The overcoat is thus quite clearly a frock overcoat, which would be more appropriate than a paddock coat with full dress anyway.

Here is a pattern for a frock overcoat (from the Gentleman's Magazine of Fashion, November 1850):




Of all types of overcoats the frock overcoat is the most formal as outlined in the magazine Fashion from England dated 1902. However, by the time this chart was in print, the Chesterfield had rapidly gained acceptability for wear with full dress both during the day and for the evening:



2. The Paletot



Notice the presence of side bodies visible from the back. Double breasted paletots did also exist. Single breasted paletots were made with a fly front. The presence of the seam which descended from the arm-hole to the top of the flapped pocket at the hip is another characteristic. The paletot had dual side vents in contrast to the single centre vent of the Chesterfield.

The following pattern comes from Edward Minister (1853):



3. The Paddock Coat (Double Breasted Version Shown)



Here is a pattern for a paddock coat dated 1893:



The paddock coat and paletot were distinguished by purists from the fact that a paletot had side bodies which allowed greater waist suppression. However, the two terms were generally used interchangeably:



4. The Chesterfield Coat (Oversack in American English)

Both the single breasted fly-front version and the double breasted version are shown:



The single breasted coat on the right is unusual in what appear to be satin faced lapels rather than the usual velvet collar as in the examples to the left and in the centre.

5. The Ulster Overcoat






6.The Inverness Cape









The Inverness cape differs from the Ulster coat in that the latter has sleeves. The Inverness was often made in solid dark colours and worn with full dress.

7. The Opera Coat



8. The Cleric Coat

Originally a livery coat for coachmen it later became a fashion item in the late 18th century.

George Augustus Sala wrote lamenting its demise in 1859:

This venerable garment had a cape, which, in wet or snowy weather, when travelling outside the 'Highlander' coach, you turned over your head. Your father wore it before you , and you hoped to leave it to your eldest son. Solemn repairs - careful renovations of buttons and braidings were done to it, from time to time. A new great coat was an event - a thing to be remembered as happening once or so in a lifetime

This one dates from 1812:



This elegant example dates from the 1820-30s (it is said to have belonged to a woman but the way the buttons close suggest it may have more likely belonged to a man):



9. The Fur Lined Great Coat

This went by various inconsistent names eg pilot coat, pellise. Definitions for these term are too contradictory for them to be useful.

[Bertie Wooster]

Bravo Sator, quite marvelous images as ever ! Not much I wouldn't be happy to wear today either.

[Isaac Mickle]

Wow - thank you, Sator, for this post.

[nicksull]

And fascinating. Thanks

[a tailor]

note how they were all horizontal or below horizontal.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Very nice thread and analysis! Thank you, Sator.

[Sator]

I am flattered by the positive response from the professional tailors on the forum. Thank you gentlemen.

[Holdfast]

Lovely illustrations; thank you for sharing.

I've long had a little daydream of commissioning a frock overcoat, under the illusion that it's still very wearable with a good lounge suit today. One day I'll get one as a special treat.

The great coat/cleric coat is simply fabulous but I don't think I could ever justify the cost. However, bringing this crashing down to the High Street, M&S currently has a nice, wide-lapel, double-breasted belted raincoat with a "half-cape" back (I don't know the right terminology, sorry).

It's very reminiscent of the great coat and the ulster cape and all for for just £90. I was sorely tempted to pick one up.

[venus]

What a great post! Thanks Sator!
btw Where is the 1812 cleric coat pic?

[Limniscate]

Why do I have to live in Texas?

[MENGMAS]

Hmm. This discussion of overcoats makes me ponder why we don't see that much diversity in style today. I am specifically referring to a double breasted, belted wool overcoat, similiar in appearance to a trenchcoat. I don't think many have been made since ethe forties or fifties.

Why is that? Does anyone know of where one could get one without having it tailor made?

[Scoundrel]

From the AAACE (also note the distinction between overcoat/topcoat):

Balmacann – short collar, full cut, raglan sleeves single-breasted and often with a fly-front (a flap conceals the buttons). originally made of rough woolen cloth. Named for the hunting grounds near Inverness, Scotland.

British Warm – double-breasted, peaked-lapel, knee-length, with shoulder epaulets and brown leather buttons, the original color was “British pink”, a gray taupe. The coat made its first appearance on the Indian frontier when the British troops faced a long cold winter during the Tirah Campaign. Officers wore a longer, belted version with a deep collar. After WW I the version worn by the troops was adapted for civilian use.

Burberry or Trench – see under raincoats.

Chesterfield – named after the sixth Earl of Chesterfield, a fashionable Victorian aristocrat. The coat was introduced in 1840, and has short lapels, the upper part of the collar is traditionally black or brown velvet, usually single-breasted, with a fly front (came into popularity in 1850) and set-in sleeves. The style is based on the Frock coat but not cut in at the waist. The velvet collar dates back to the French Revolution when gentlemen in other countries wanted to show their sympathy with the executed bourgeoisie. The Chesterfield is the best choice to wear with formalwear.

Covert: Middle English, from Old French, from past participle of covrir, to cover. A single-breasted coat made of covert cloth, a medium twill and reaching as far as the knee. Its typical features are a fly front and four simple parallel decorative seams above the cuffs and along the bottom hem.

Greatcoat -- A heavy, voluminous overcoat popular during the 1800’s originally with a fur lining and styled similar to an Ulster.

Havelock – When you choose a cape instead of a coat for a white tie event. It’s a sleeveless, hip-length of black woolen fabric, named after Sir Henry Havelock (1795 – 1857).

A Havelock is also the flap covering attached to the back of a cap to protect the neck from sun or bad weather, also named after Sir Henry Havelock in 1861. Think French Foreign Legion films like the 1939 Beau Geste with Gary Cooper, or Laurel and Hardy in “Sons of the Desert”, 1933.

Havelock was a British soldier, born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear in North East England. He joined the army a month after Waterloo and went to India in 1823. He distinguished himself in the Afghan and Sikh wars and in 1856 commanded a division in Persia.

Inverness Cape: A long, loose overcoat with a detachable shoulder cape having a round collar. Named after Inverness, a burgh of northern Scotland on the Moray Firth at the terminus of the Caledonian Canal.

Overcoat –designed to wear over a suit jacket in very cold weather, so it is heavier than a topcoat

Polo – British coat, introduced to the US by Brooks Brothers in 1910. It’s cut below the knee, peaked collar, with patched, flap pockets at the hips and a half-belt in the back. Usually double breasted with set in sleeves in vicuna, or camel hair. Polo players would wear this style coat between and after matches.

Topcoat – lightweight coat designed to wear over a suit jacket

Wrap – a loose robe like silhouette, no buttons but with a long belt (casual)

Ulster -- A full cut, long, rugged overcoat made of heavy, tweed fabric with a belt and a detachable hood. Introduced in the 1860’s by a Belfast company. Ulster is the northernmost of the historic provinces of Ireland and ancient kingdom of Northern Ireland. Six of its nine counties make up Northern Ireland, annexed by the English Crown during the reign of James I, the rest are in the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is often referred to as Ulster.

[MTM_Master?]

Very helpful and informative. If you don't mind me asking, were all the illustrations found from a single web page or book?

[PJC in NoVa]

Hmm. This discussion of overcoats makes me ponder why we don't see that much diversity in style today. I am specifically referring to a double breasted, belted wool overcoat, similiar in appearance to a trenchcoat. I don't think many have been made since ethe forties or fifties.

Why is that? Does anyone know of where one could get one without having it tailor made?

I own one. Bought it at the old Raleigh's chain in DC when it was going out of business almost 20 years ago. It's by Hart, Schaffner & Marx in a supple British tan wool gabardine. Raglan shoulders (no epaulets), DB front, belt, slash pockets. Bemberg lining (no woolen liner). Makes an excellent light topcoat.

It's still in decent shape but is starting to show its age, and I've been searching for a replacement. Wish I had better news for you, but I've concluded that I'm probably going to have to take it to a tailor and have it copied.

[comrade]

I also own one purchased in Chicago over twenty-five years ago
from a now-gone high end shop on Oak Street. Mine is grey melton,
perfect for Chicago, and is from Invertere. Invertere Coatwrights
went out of business two or three years back. O'Connells in
Buffalo, NY still has some of their greatcoats.

http://shop.oconnellsclothing.com/