Frock coat made of worsted, silk and silk velvet, Great Britain, 1828-1830

Frock coat made of brown worsted and silk. With a wide curving dark brown silk velvet collar and shaped matching cuffs. The coat is just below knee length. It has a waist seam and slightly flared skirt with a lapped vent at the centre back flanked by two pockets set within a pleat fastening with self covered buttons and headed by a brown tassel. The shoulders are padded and the sleeves wide, gathered at the shoulder and tapering slightly to the wrist. Four pairs of brown tapes with frogs are stitched down the front lapping across to fasten, but the real securing is done by two black metal hooks and eyes. There are vertical slip pockets at the front, fastening with two worked brown silk buttons. The coat is lined with brown silk, the back is interlaced, the fronts are faced back, and with the brown silk of the collar.

Given by Mr John Morant

By the early 19th century the formal coat was completely cut away in front, offering little protection or warmth. A new style of coat - the frock-coat - was introduced between 1815 and 1820. It had skirts to the knees and buttoned in front. It was influenced by the style of the greatcoat (overcoat), but more fitted in shape. Worn first as informal daywear, the frock-coat soon became the formal day-coat of the 19th century. This example in brown silk and worsted has a shawl collar of velvet in the style of the late 1820s. The weight of the skirts of the new frock-coat made it difficult to cut the fronts in one piece, so a waist seam was introduced in the 1820s.

T.136-1967