Overcoat
History of the overcoat
In many countries, coats and gowns reaching below the knee have been worn for centuries, often for formal uses, establishing either social status or as part of a professional or military uniform. In the 17th century, the overcoat became widely stylised and available to the different classes.
In the West, the general profile of overcoats has remained largely unchanged for a long time. During the Regency, the fashion was to have very form-fitting clothes, with sidebodies, waist seams, and a flared skirt. Examples of this included the frock overcoat and paletot. This gradually shifted to the looser styles more common now, typified by the Chesterfield coat, which became popular by the end of the Victorian period. Until then, most coats were double breasted, but Chesterfields and accompanying styles like the guard’s coat were worn in single and double breasted varieties.
More recently, there is a decline in the wearing of full-length overcoats, and double breasted ones are much less common.
Military use of the overcoat
Napoleon, mounted, campaigning in France in 1814, wearing a grey overcoat, by Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier.
Overcoats in various forms have been used by militaries since at least the late 18th century, and were especially associated with winter campaigns, such as Napoleon’s Russian campaign. The full length overcoat was once again popularised by the use during World War I of the trench coat.
Stereotypically, overcoats used by the army tended to be single-breasted, while navies often used double-breasted overcoats. Overcoats continued to be used as battle dress until the mid 1940s and 1950s, when they were deemed impractical. However, in colder countries, such as the USSR, they continue to be issued and used. When more efficient clothing and synthetic fibres became readily available, the overcoat began to be phased out of even there.
Examples of overcoats
Double-breasted coat, 1876
We note here some of the most common historical overcoats, in roughly chronological order.
The Greatcoat, a voluminous overcoat with multiple shoulder capes, prominently featured by European militaries, most notably the former Soviet Union
The Redingote (via French from English riding coat), a long fitted coat for men or women
The Frock overcoat, a very formal daytime overcoat commonly worn with a frock coat, featuring a waist seam and heavy waist suppression
The Ulster coat, a working daytime overcoat initially with a cape top covering sleeves, but then without; it evolved to the polo coat after losing its cape
The Inverness coat, a formal evening or working day overcoat, with winged sleeves
The Paletot coat, a coat shaped with sidebodies, as a slightly less formal alternative to the frock overcoat
The Paddock coat, with even less shaping
The Chesterfield coat, a long overcoat with very little waist suppression; being the equivalent of the ‘sack suit’ for clothes, it came to be the most important overcoat of the next half-century
The Covert coat, a classically brown/fawn, straight cut, single breasted country coat that became accepted for wear in the city with a suit as well as with tweed. It has a signature four lines of stitching at the cuffs and hem. The collar is sometimes made of velvet.
See also
Coat (clothing)
Overcoat (disambiguation)
v d e
Clothing
Materials
Cotton Fur Leather Linen Nylon Polyester Rayon Silk Spandex Wool
Tops
Blouse Crop top Dress shirt Halterneck Henley shirt Hoodie Jersey Guernsey (clothing) Polo shirt Shirt Sleeveless shirt Sweater T-shirt Tube top Turtleneck
Trousers or pants
Bell-bottoms Bermuda shorts Bondage pants Boxer shorts Capri pants Cargo pants Culottes Cycling shorts Dress pants Jeans Jodhpurs Overall Parachute pants Phat pants Shorts Sweatpants Windpants
Skirts
A-line skirt Ballerina skirt Fustanella Hobble skirt Jean skirt Job skirt Leather skirt Kilt Men’s skirts Microskirt Miniskirt Pencil skirt Poodle skirt Prairie skirt Rah-rah skirt Sarong Skort Slip Train Wrap
Dresses
Ball gown Cocktail dress Evening gown Gown Jumper dress Little black dress Petticoat Sari Sundress Tea gown Wedding dress
Suits and uniforms
Academic dress Afrocentric suit Black tie Buddhist monastic robe Clerical clothing Court dress Gymslip Jumpsuit Lab coat Mao suit Morning dress Pantsuit Red Sea rig Scrubs Stroller Tangzhuang Tuxedo White tie
Outerwear
Abaya Academic gown Anorak Apron Blazer Cloak Coat Duffle coat Frock coat Jacket Greatcoat Hoodie Opera coat Overcoat Pea coat Poncho Raincoat Redingote Robe Shawl Shrug Ski suit Sleeved blanket Top coat Trench coat Vest Waistcoat Windbreaker
Underwear
Boxer briefs Boxer shorts Brassiere Briefs Compression shorts Corselet Corset Knickers Lingerie Long underwear Men’s undergarments Panties Teddy Trunks Undershirt
Accessories
Belly chain Belt Bow tie Chaps Coin purse Earring Gaiters Gloves Handbag Leg warmer Leggings Necklace Necktie Scarf Stocking Sunglasses Suspenders Tights
Footwear
Athletic shoe Boot Dress shoe Flip-flops Hosiery Pump Sandal Shoe Slipper Sock
Headwear
Balaclava Cap Fascinator Gaung Paung Hat Headband Helmet Hijab Hood Kerchief Mantilla Niqb Sombrero Turban Ushanka Veil
Nightwear
Babydoll Blanket sleeper Negligee Nightcap Nightgown Nightshirt Peignoir Pajamas
Swimwear
Bikini Swim diaper Wetsuit
Clothing parts
Back closure Buckle Button Buttonhole Collar Cuff Elastic Fly Hemline Hook-and-eye Lapel Neckline Pocket Shoulder pad Shoulder strap Sleeve Snap Strap Velcro Waistline Zipper
National costume
Abaya Aboyne dress o b ba o di o t thn Baro’t saya Barong Tagalog Bunad jbningurinn Cheongsam Dashiki Deel Dhoti Dirndl Djellaba Gkti Gho & Kira Han Chinese clothing Hanbok Jellabiya Jilbb Kebaya Kente cloth Kilt Kimono Lederhosen Sampot Sarafan Sari Sarong Scottish dress
Historical garments
Banyan Bedgown Bodice Braccae Breeches Breeching Brunswick Chemise Chiton Chlamys Doublet Exomis Farthingale Frock Himation Hose Houppelande Jerkin Justacorps Palla Peplos Polonaise Smock-frock Stola Toga Tunic
History and surveys
Africa Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Ancient world Anglo-Saxon Byzantine Clothing terminology Dress code Early Medieval Europe Formal wear Han Chinese clothing History of clothing and textiles History of Western fashion series (1100s-2000s) Sumptuary law Timeline of clothing and textiles technology Undergarments Vietnam Women wearing pants
See also
Adaptive clothing Adult diaper Bathrobe Costume Fashion Ironing Laundry Locking clothing Reversible garment
Categories: Coats | History of clothing (Western fashion)Hidden categories: Articles lacking sources from December 2009 | All articles lacking sources
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