A frock coat is a men's coat introduced in the early nineteenth century characterized by knee-length skirts all around, in contrast to tail coats and cutaways. Some styles of frock coat have a seam at the waist.

Frock coats usually button only to the waist, and may be decorated with a pair of buttons a the back waist.

The term derives from frock, an ancient word for a loose outer garment, which is also the source of modern frock for a priest's robe or a woman's dress.

Military wear

The cut of a frock coat with a waist seam flatters a man's figure, as opposed to a sack coat, and such frock coats remain part of some twentieth century military uniforms. They can either be single-breasted as in army uniforms, or double-breasted as in navy uniforms.

Formal and western wear

In America, frock coats (usually with matching trousers) are occasionally worn as formal wear, especially for weddings. Frock coats are also worn as a formal coat with western wear.

See also Coat, Frock.