Jump to content

A Frock Coat question


Jib

Recommended Posts

Great coat or frock coat, the name isn't important as we all know what they look like. My question is "Did they have functional pockets or just adornment to make it looks as if they had exterior pockets?" Also, "Did they have small interior pockets or is that a modern convention"?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have seen period examples of frock coats with inside pockets that have been part of the national parks service archives at valley forge. when i lived in the area for 20 some years one of my best friends was the clothing curator and archivist for the park service. she showed me many of the pieces in the collection and she was actually the one who sewed my first kit in 1976 :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love to research this kind of question...from what I could find, some pockets were functional and some just decoration. "Frock" coats were actually worn more in the early 1800's and formal. I did find a interesting site that shows some good pics of the coats I think you were talking about...

http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/Justaucorps.htm

Twisted Maggie Smythe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have seen period examples of frock coats with inside pockets that have been part of the national parks service archives at valley forge. when i lived in the area for 20 some years one of my best friends was the clothing curator and archivist for the park service. she showed me many of the pieces in the collection and she was actually the one who sewed my first kit in 1976 ;)

Aye but were these pieces from the GAoP? By Rev War there were interior pockets, chiefly in the skirts..and some waistcoat pockets were false... but so far I haven't come across interiors ... for GAoP...


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I often wondered if some of the outer pockets on a coat were indeed false!

Frock Coat

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) -

–noun

a man's close-fitting, knee-length coat, single-breasted or double-breasted and with a vent in the back.

[Origin: 1735–45]

Justacorps

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) -

just·au·corps /ˈʒustəˌkɔr, -ˌkoʊr; Fr. ʒüstoʊˈkɔr/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[zhoo-stuh-kawr, -kohr; Fr. zhyst-oh-kawr] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun, plural -corps /-ˌkɔr, -ˌkoʊr; Fr. -ˈkɔr/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[-kawr, -kohr; Fr. -kawr] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation.

a fitted, knee-length coat, characterized by wide turned-back cuffs and stiff flared skirts, worn esp. by men in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Also called justicoat.

[Origin: 1650–60; < F juste au corps fitting to the body]

Either way we are talking about a long coat with skirts to the knees and NOTE the origin dates of the words..


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great coat or frock coat, the name isn't important

Not quite true as a frock coat would be more of the coat where the Great Coat did serve the purpose of an overcoat.


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Sterling has a point there.

From the one image I had, the pockets were way different than the images of the late 18t c coats. Even the waistcoats. Or even the breeches.

~Lady B

Tempt Fate! an' toss 't all t' Hell!"

"I'm completely innocent of whatever crime I've committed."

The one, the only,... the infamous!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
&ev=PageView&cd%5Bitem_id%5D=13208&cd%5Bitem_name%5D=A+Frock+Coat+question&cd%5Bitem_type%5D=topic&cd%5Bcategory_name%5D=Captain Twill"/>