18cNewEnglandLife
Clothing & Accoutrements
The coat or frock coat, as it is often
referred, would have been worn by all classes. The cut, fit,
quality of the fabric, and details such as buttons and trimmings
told the story of the status of its wearer. The fabrics most
often used for an everyday coat in New England were woolens and
linens known by various names. See the Fabric Glossary for definitions. The frock coat worn over a waistcoat
could be of the same fabric, or from what seems to be more common
in the run-away ads, of a different fabric and color all
together. The linings were often of complementary color, some
being of bold and bright colors.
| Construction: To make a frock coat whether for
the farmer or the merchant will take not only an understanding of
tailoring techniques but of the patterns available to us. When
someone publishes a pattern it is generally taken from an extant
garment and then sized from the original. Even if you are the
size of the original wearer you may not be comfortable in his
coat. Garments of the mid to late 18th. Century had a snugger fit
than we are used to. Keeping this in mind, it is wise to make a
muslin mock up of the pattern first, and mark all alterations on
it. Then make the lining, and try it on to be sure that
you’ve attained a good fit. Many will find the armholes will
be snug. If you still find this the case in the lining you can
piece in what you need. This is common on extant garments even on
the coat fabric. |
 |
By Henry Cooke
The Dress Coat, as its name implies, was a
formal garment. It was frequently cut so as not to button over in
front, but rather to fasten down the front with hooks and eyes,
or have two or three functional buttonholes near the neck
opening. The front of the coat was heavily interfaced with French
linen canvas, and sometimes was padded over the shoulder hollow
near the collarbone. The neck finishing is often collarless, or
it might have a short (1" – 1 ½") standing
collar. The fit of the dress coat is close fitting in the chest,
shoulders and sleeves. The back should be snug over the shoulder
blades to force the shoulders back into the proper position
described in etiquette books of the era. The coat should sweep
from the chest in a smooth line without wrinkles. Pockets and
cuffs may or may not be functional. In New England, these coats
were usually made of fine wool broadcloth, but could also be made
of velvet or stiff silk taffeta or faille.
The Frock Coat was a less formal coat suited
for riding, walking, or informal wear at home. For outdoor or
sporting use it was often worn with a double-breasted waistcoat.
The Frock Coat generally had a front lap over with functional
buttonholes from the neck to the waist. Pockets were functional,
and pocket flaps could be made with or with buttons and
buttonholes. The cuffs were frequently non-functional, and could
be without buttonholes and buttons. The neck was finished with a
collar that could be either peaked or round at the center back.
Because of its informal nature, the frock coat was less
constructed, with fewer layers of canvas and stiffening in the
front. Although it was more loosely fitted than the dress coat,
it was still fitted close to the body, especially in the arms and
chest, with a looser fit in the shoulders and back to permit
freedom of movement (within the limits of social decency). The
Frock Coat could be made of fine linen , but was generally made
of good wool broadcloth or camlet.
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