Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
A morning coat or cutaway is a man's coat worn as the principal item in morning dress. First appearing as an alternative to the frock coat, it has become increasingly rarely worn as everyday dress, but remains standard for weddings, funerals, race meetings and formal daytime occasions. The coat is single-breasted, fastens with one button at the waist, and from there its fronts curve away into long tails at the back, the cutaway shape that gives it its other name. This page explains the coat's cut and history.
A morning coat or
cutaway is a man's
coat
worn as the principal item in
morning dress. First appearing as an alternative to the
frock coat, it has become increasingly
rarely worn since the 19th century, and today is normally only seen at weddings,
very formal funerals and, in England, race meetings such as Royal Ascot
and the Derby. Also, the United States Solicitor General typically wears
it when arguing before the United States Supreme Court.
A morning coat is a single-breasted coat, the front parts usually meeting at one button in the middle, and curving away into a pair of tails behind. The lapels are usually peaked, not notched, and there are two buttons in the back of the waist. The coat can be grey, as part of a morning suit, or black, in which case it is usually worn with striped trousers.
See also Formal wear, Coat (clothing).
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The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/morning_coat). 8/5/05 |
The morning coat's shape is a riding coat made formal. A frock coat's skirt wrapped the thighs, which was awkward on horseback, so riding coats had their fronts cut away from the waist button; the phrase cutaway records the alteration literally. Through the 19th century the morning coat, named for the morning hours when gentlemen rode or paid calls, settled into its pattern: black or Oxford grey wool, one button, peaked lapels, a waist seam from which the tails fall to behind the knee, and no pockets disturbing the line. With it came the rest of morning dress: cashmere-stripe trousers, a buff, grey or black waistcoat, a turned-down or wing collar, and gloves and a top hat outdoors.
As the lounge suit took over daily business dress, morning dress retreated to ceremony, which is where it remains: British weddings and funerals, Royal Ascot's Royal Enclosure where it is required, formal race meetings, and state and civic occasions in several countries. Because it is worn rarely, it is the garment men most often hire, and hire departments keep the full kit together for that reason. Its rules are precise precisely because they are ceremonial: the coat's one button is fastened, the tails are not, and correctness is part of the occasion's point.
A morning coat, or cutaway, is a man's single-breasted coat with fronts that curve away from a single waist button into tails at the back. It is the principal garment of men's morning dress.
Morning dress pairs the morning coat with striped or checked formal trousers, a waistcoat, a shirt with a tie or cravat, and a top hat for the most formal occasions such as Royal Ascot.
The morning coat first appeared as an alternative to the frock coat in the 19th century. Its cutaway front developed from riding dress, where the fronts were cut away so the coat did not interfere with the saddle.