The London Lounge

My wife is currently watching the 2005 BBC adaptation of Bleak House that we recorded on DVD when the programme was first aired. One of the main characters is often to be seen wearing what is in effect a SB waist seamed, paneled back jacket in green tweed the skirt of which is approx fingertip length - possibly a little shorter.

I have seen a variety of this type of jacket portrayed in various period productions both in square and mild cutaway form, often in tweed but much shorter than a knee length frock coat, indeed some appear to be of a similar length to a modern sports jacket.

I will attempt to obtain a screen grab to illustrate but in the meantime my question is what is this style of jacket called? Short waist seamed, paneled back coat? Costume designers whimsy?

I struggle to picture it but I think you are describing something which is basically a double breasted lounge coat made up as a body coat.

The following type of coat was often referred to as a "morning coat" in Victorian times:





The latter kind were specifically called university coats.

Thanks for the input Sator, I was hoping you would respond! A morning coat is somewhat too formal, as is the university - think rustic. Unfortunately my screen capture is compressing images into a box rather than rectangle but even so these taken here from the film 'The Shooting Party' which is set just prior to WWI may illustrate the kind of thing I have in mind..

The jacket on the left has a waist seam and paneled back - shown here beside a Norfolk





Rear detail..


Front


Another




Something similar?

Coats like that used to be quite common before dying away some time in the early 20th century. It is basically just a lounge coat made up as a body coat. They went by various names and every tailor seemed to come up with his own name. Here are some examples: