Frock Coats

F R O C K C O A T S

IN GENERAL...
Frock coats were semi-formal suit coats gemonly worn by the more well-to-do members of Victorian society and up until approximately the 1920's. They were considered less formal than a traditional cutaway tuxedo, but not as casual as sack coats and other informal daily or business attire. These coats, though mostly thought of as daywear, were a sort of all-occasion garment and it is likely that a Victorian gentleman may have been able to get away with sporting a frock coat in most situations without appearing under- or overdressed. Presently, frock coats have gee back into fashion in some social circles, and there appears to be much confusion currently as to what actually qualifies as a frock coat, as opposed to a morning coat (sometimes mistakenly referred to as a 'mourning coat'), swallowtail, or cutaway tuxedo coat.
There are often coats listed as frock coats that aren't frock coats at all, so this guide is meant to assist those interested in buying a genuine Victorian frock coat in knowing what to look for before placing a bid on something that isn't what they want.
APPEARANCE-WISE...
A frock coat is most often black,double breasted, and cut to fit close to the body down to the waist, where it falls away in a 'skirt', and ends in a straight, even cut the whole way round, normally just above the knee of the wearer. Single breasted frock coats are rarer, but do exist. Aside from how they close at the front, however, they are the same as their more gemon double-breasted cousins in every way. Frock coats, like morning coats and cutaways,also have a backvent, with a pleat on either side, and with two decorative buttons at the waist just above the start of the vent. The decorative buttons are always placed about 4 inches apart, regardless of the size of the coat. A gray, green, blue, or brown frock coat is often just a formerly black one with aged, faded dye, so don't be fooled into paying more forone of these,believing it to be special. They are always lined, andnormally have pockets located in the 'tails' created by the back vent. The lining is frequently either a black horsehair fabric or silk in the body of the coat, with ecru cotton or silk lining the sleeves, often with pinstripes of some darker colour. Double breasted frock coatsusually close to boththe rightand left side, and the buttons are invariably metal covered by fabric. Occasionally, older frock coats may have an unfinished bottom edge, which should not be considered a flaw but can be hemmed by a tailor if need be.
Antique frock coats do not classically have any pockets on the outside.There may be some in existence that do, but this reviewer has yet to encounter one. Many modern replicas have flap pockets located at the waist and another pocket at the chest, but these infactwere not as gemon on frock coats as on sack coats or morning coats.
In this article you will find a photo of a modern gentlemanwearing a traditional double breasted Victorian frock coat.Note the fit of the coat as opposed to that ofa modern-day replica--this is the way a frock coat should fitits wearer. It should have minimal shoulder padding, and the shoulders should slope downward from the collar. The upper part of the coat should fit close to the chest and be noticeablynarrower at the waist,and the 'skirt' part should fall away from the wearer from the waist down and should not fit tightly or taper in toward the body.
Remember: Any coat possessing of a bottom edge that isn't the same length all the way round the coat is NOT afrock coat. If it is slanted upwards toward the waist at thefront, it is a morning coat and if it is sharply cut away at the front waistit is, of course, a cutaway.
NON-CIVILIAN FROCK COATS...
Another type of frock coat that should be discussedin this guide due to its prevalencehere at auction is thefraternal, military, or clergy sort of frock coat. This is afrock coat that closes at the front with a single row of several buttons, whichpossesses a stand-up collar, and oftenhas religious, fraternal, or military symbols embroidered thereon. The back vent on these coats frequently has another set of decorative buttons placed further down the 'tails' as an added detail. Many of these frock coats are genuine antiques which are well worth purchasing and verydesirable for those who prefer this style to that of the civilian ones previously discussed. Biddersshould be aware, however, that these coats were produced in large numbers,particularly for fraternities, until geparatively recently, unlike the strictly Victorian/Edwardian-made civilian sort. As such, they are more widely available and occasionally are not as old as one might first suspect--dating from ca. 1940's or even later in some cases, so it is wise to pay close attention to what details may provide clues to the actual age of the garment aside from simply relying on the general appearance. If age is not a concern, of course, it is then solely up to the individual seeking one of these frock coats to determine the price he or she is willing to pay, and it is notimpossible for such a coat in mint or near-mint condition to fetch as much as a geparably well-preserved civilian frock coat.
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