The Semi-Double Breasted Morning Coat

[Sator]

One of the more interesting coats often appearing in late 19th century fashion plates is what is often referred to as the semi-double breasted morning coat. The form is basically that of a double breasted frock coat except with a cutaway skirt. Here are some interesting examples of the style:







It is something of a pity that variants like this have fallen by the wayside as a groom dressed in a coat like this would look quite striking and elegant.

Of course, some of the details are old fashioned, such as the peak lapels in the first illustration with downward turning peak lapels.

[Guille]

Those coats don't look bad at all. They look odd, especially because the really high button stance give the coats a more "antique clothes" look than that of formalwear. I remember having seen a spanish film in which those kind of coats were worn, and at least one DB was amongst them. I'll do some research.

[HappyStroller]

What a coincidence. I have just finished reading The Englishman's Suit by Hardy Amies whose shop was (is?) at 14 Savile Row. Interestingly enough, his 1994 book has a similar style to Manton's The Suit published in 2006.

He described double-breasted revers on a single-breasted coat as a sartorial crime. Oh dear, there goes my 5 latest SBs into the dustbin, Manton.

One cannot help noticing most of the coats have notch lapels, even though the first 3 models portray semi-double but not single-breasted breasted jackets and the last two model commit that peak lapel sartorial crime. Strange, aren't Strollera and Morning Tailcoats supposed to have double-breasted revers even though they are SBs?

[Guille]

Ok I've done my research and it happens to be one of the best book adaptations ever made in spain, La Regenta (by Leopoldo Alas "Clarín"). In the film some of the main characters (the men surrounding la Regenta`s life) are depicted wearing semi-double breasted morning coats.

There is something quite peculiar about these coats and that is their length. They seem to end at the height were the trouser's "waist part" finishes, dividing into the two leg sleeves. That is way high up for an average morning coat. So I'm thinking maybe a modern version of the jacket would do better a bit shorter than these examples, or maybe just to their same length, but functioning as simple odd jackets. In fact they look more like the sack suit's first coats, which were also cutaway at the bottom originally. The problem of course would be to find a function for such a jacket. Well it certainly looks more appropriate for country than for town. But for what occasions, that is a bit harder to think of.

[dopey]

Note that Hardie Amies was wrong.

But if you want to upset people with citations to authority, have a look at what the Duke of Windsor wrote about one button suits. It is in Windsor Revisited in the discussion on the evolution of lounge suits starting with four buttons. Someone with access to their copy can provide the exact text.

[Sator]

Note that Hardie Amies was wrong.

Yes, very wrong. It is clear that he was merely elevating a pet peeve to the status of an Eternal Truth. Dinner jackets are single breasted lounge coats and peak lapels are perfectly correct.

[dopey]

. . . But if you want to upset people with citations to authority, have a look at what the Duke of Windsor wrote about one button suits. It is in Windsor Revisited in the discussion on the evolution of lounge suits starting with four buttons. Someone with access to their copy can provide the exact text.

Not dissuaded by the apparent lack of interest, I bring you the Duke:

At first the lounge jacket buttoned high on the neck, but gradually the number of buttons diminished from four to three, to two, and even -- though not in the best circles -- to one.

[HappyStroller]

Thank you, Sator and Dopey, for rescuing my peak lapel lounge suits from the fire with your timely feedback before I managed to reach Shanghai to raid my wardrobe. A typhoon also helped delayed the flight.

To be fair to Amies, I think his remarks refered only to the lounge jacket.