Frock coats?

[HappyStroller]

Perusing the Brooks Brothers Fall 2007 Vol. 1 catalog just received a few days ago, I noticed on page 30 someone was wearing what was described as a Steep Twill Coat.

Those who do not have the catalog can refer to this webpage:-

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatSect ... =t&sortBy=

On the webpage, don't the Single Breasted Trench Coat and the Steep Twill Coat look like Frock Coats? Are they Frock Coats?

[Guille]

For me they look as a single breasted trench coat and a steep twill coat. I think the only thing they share with the frock coat is that they are all coats. The trench coat has more or less the length of a proper frock coat, but is buttoned to the legs whereas a frock coat was buttoned to the waist. It is also single breasted whiles most (not all) frock coats were double breasted. It is made of some sort water-resistant cotton, whereas the frock coat was made of a much heavier fabric mixture of silk/wool I think nearly always. And finally the frock coat was supposed to be the top part of a dress, not the outerwear as is the trench coat. Regarding the steep twill coat, the fabric is wool and is still very different to that of a frock coat. The difference in length with normal frock coats is quite big, and it is also designed as an outerwear. Another big difference between these two coats and a frock coat is that they lack the waist seam needed to minimize the drape (fullness) of a body coat so that it has the hourglass figure which was the ideal in the 19th century. Read more about this on the subtitle 'Length' in the frock coat article on wikipedia.