Morning Coat

[Niederlander]

Hello!
    Does anyone know when the Morning Coat began to be worn?  From the research I've done so far, it seems maybe the early 1880's.  I need to know if it would have been around earlier.  Thanks!

[St. George]

It's an old style - dating back to pre-Civil War days - and earlier, in slightly different configuration.

It reached a sort of 'refinement' in the Victorian Era.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Niederlander]

Thanks!
     Does anyone else use old tuxedo parts for clothes?  Some of them are pretty close to the old styles. 

[Kayleen]

You can certainly make the adjustments to a tuxedo just as many of us have done to vests. I have access to a very fine Goodwill Store and find things there for pennies on the dollar.
Good luck.
Kayleen

[Dr. Bob]

The difference between the 19th Century formal tail coat and the current ones is that the bottom of the front of the coat was straight across, while modern ones angle down to a point.  The vest was square across and had no points as the modern ones do.  The morning or cut away coat may vary with the number of buttons on the front.

I spend a huge amount of time in the thrift and vintage stores and have found some square bottom vests and a tail coat that is nearly square cut.  Modern tux shirts with the point up collar will work fine.  White tie & vest for the most formal occasions and black vest & tie for less formal ones.

The morning coat would normally be worn with a dark vest and formal striped pants.  Good luck in your search!

['Monterrey' Jack Brass]

Niederlander,

Here is what documentation I have, a bit sparse but informative:

Pg 69 American Victorian Costume in Early Photographs by P. Dalrymple, 1991: " 'Of men's fashions, one Isaac Walker said [in 1885] four styles were here to stay: the sack coat, the frock coat, the four button cutaway and the dress coat'. The comfortable sack coat was appropriate 'except where extreme dignity is required' but 'the nattiest garment that has come into vogue in recent years' was the four button cutaway.' "

YMH&OS,

Brass

['Monterrey' Jack Brass]

Niederlander,

I found one more thing that might be of interest that references morning coats though the information overall is concerning sack suits. However, it implies morning coats were in existance early as 1878:

This information is from the Historical Society of Wisconsin: As early as 1878 Tailor & Cutter had predicted this future. They wrote: "We are rapidly degenerating into a slipshod state of things. After a time Frock coats and even Morning coats will be entirely a thing of the past and if things continue on in this way [these coats] will only be seen at museums where they will serve to amuse a wondering and awestricken group of sight-seers."

YMH&OS,

Brass

[Niederlander]

I keep learning more all the time.  Thanks!

[Dr. Bob]

Niederlander,

I would recommend the Gentleman's Page as a well researched source for information about clothing.

     www.lahacal.org/gentleman

It covers the different levels of dress and their place in society quite well.


I'm sure that you will enjoy it!

[Fox Creek Kid]

"Never scratch your head, pick your teeth, clean your nails, or worse of all, pick your nose in company; all these things are disgusting. Spit as little as possible and never upon the floor.

It gets better. 

In assisting at a fire in a boarding house, the true gentleman will always save the young ladies first--making no distinction in favor of personal attractions, or social eminence, or pecuniary prominence--but taking them as they come, and firing them out with as much celerity as shall be consistent with decorum. There are exceptions, of course, to all rules; the exceptions to this one are:

Partiality, in the matter of rescue, to be shown to:

1. Fiancees.
2. Persons toward whom the operator feels a tender sentiment, but has not yet declared himself.
3. Sisters
4. Stepsisters
5. Nieces
6. First Cousins
7. Cripples
8. Second Cousins
9. Invalids
10. Young lady relations by marriage
11. Third cousins, and young lady friends of the family
12. The unclassified

Other material in the boarding house is to be rescued in the following order:

13. Babies
14. Children under 10 years of age.
15. Young widows
16. Young married females
17. Elderly married ditto.
18. Elderly widows.
19. Clergymen.
20. Boarders in general.
21. Female domestics.
22. Male ditto.
23. Landlady.
24. Landlord.
25. Firemen.
26. Furniture.
27. Mothers in law.

[Dr. Bob]

I must assume that wives were NOT in there for some good reason!

[Niederlander]

Well, I finally bought a morning coat.  According to the rules of polite society in the Nineteenth Century, it would never have been worn after say, six in the evening.  I would guess such rules were a little more relaxed on the frontier, where people's wardrobes were a little less extensive.  It should look good for a town marshall impression.

[Hill Beachy]

Hello!
    Does anyone know when the Morning Coat began to be worn? 

About 7 a.m. !!!   


(Sorry, couldn't help it...)