Frock coats are knee-length coats historically worn by men, with two main styles: Victorian/Edwardian and Old West/Tombstone. They were initially worn as a casual version of the popular coat of the early 19th century and became acceptable as formal wear. They were traditionally double-breasted and made of wool in muted colors, but modern versions can be made of crushed velvet or polyester.
Long coats are knee-length coats historically worn by men. There are two main styles of frock coats: Victorian or Edwardian era, and Old West, also known as Tombstone. Although stylistically similar, the Victorian or Edwardian frock coat is more commonly associated with the term, as it arose earlier in history. Basic style appointments include being knee length, having buttons running almost the entire length, and being flared at the bottom.
Thought to have been initially worn by the military, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, is said to have popularized dress coats. Originally, the frock coat was worn as the more casual version of the popular coat of the early 19th century. At the time, dress coats were also knee-length coats, although they had the tail tails cropped at the back, while coats did not.
For men, a frock coat is traditionally a double-breasted double-breasted coat that accentuates the waist. However, single-breasted coats were also sold and are believed to be even more casual. All frock lengths reached to the knee, gave in or took a few inches, and buttoned up to the waist. Like many modern styles of formal coats, the coats also included two buttons at the back, used simply for decoration. Below the waist, the coat usually took on an inverted conical shape, as the skirt gradually flared out over the legs.
As the form of the more fitted flared frock coat persisted for decades into the mid-19th century, it became acceptable as formal wear. Along with the frock coat, the men wore white shirts and often wore top hats. In addition, the lapel on the frock coat was a signature of the look: it was usually sewn onto the cloak rather than sewn on, as it made the curve of the lapel more natural. Also, pockets were not added to the coat until decades after it was first introduced.
In the Victorian and Edwardian periods, coats were usually made of wool in a muted color: black, charcoal, or navy blue. In modern times, frock coats are often sold in a dramatic crushed velvet material. People who buy frock coats for formal wear rather than costumes often order them in a lighter weight polyester material.
With Old West bedding coats, people often think of Wyatt Earp and Tombstone, Arizona. Actual films and photographs of the infamous gun fight at the OK Corral generally depict Earp and his gang wearing coats, or “gun dresses,” of varying lengths and styles. In addition to Earp, other people are often depicted as traditionally dressed in frock coats, including Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, and the Teddy Boys, young men from the UK who popularized Edwardian-influenced clothing after World War II. Teddy Boys wore frock coats, or “drapes” as they were referred to, to enhance their personal wardrobes, rather than as a formality.
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