Skip to main content

Frock Coats for All Occasions


It would be a dream come true for me if frock coats once again permeated fashion. To be honest I've always found standard popular men's fashion to be quite boring (depressed, in fact, at the scant selection I found at most stores when trying to find something nice for my man) and always lauded what I gather many find to be outrageous - anything beyond a department store shirt and tight pants. Kudos to enthusiasts who have made stylized hoodies and such with more to them than a color. And kudos to the more adventurous; it is such a pleasure to just walk around and see a dynamic ensemble. Maybe that's why I love fairs...

One of my many ambitions is to bring the fuller frock coats back into a modern world, and hopefully in many different ways: from bridal to period to daily grind. I've seen (and own) renditions of period frocks made by modern popular labels, and it's here and there. But largely the pieces have just enough over-the-top about them that it precludes daily and often business casual from its levels of appropriateness. Perhaps I will find a way.



The function of the frock coat allows free movement of the arm, insulation, and airflow. Seems a bit contradictory to have sleeves with bulging sleeves and have free arm movement. The key is in the C curve of the wide sleeve and the bell cuff. If you have to reach out and straighten your arm, it draws the cuff away from your hand, but when doing most casual tasks with bent arms, the sleeves float and don't put bulk on the inside of your elbow. The large cuff has some practical purposes - it allows the sleeve to be shortened or lengthened by just changing the buttons, it allows a wet coat to be removed more easily, and of course it is an embellished display of wealth and status.

And that breathable but insulating factor? Insulation is essentially a pocket of air between outside and inside that buffers the inside temperature from that of the outside. Thick fleecy layers accomplish this, but so does just having air between the body and the outer layer of a garment. The sleeves and the "skirt" of the frock allow air in so the garment is breathable, unlike a fleece, but it also - when standing - traps the warm air rising away from the cooler outside. Any kilt wearers out there know what happens on a cold day once you finally sit down... or give your pleats a little twirl...

Thus, in my personal estimation, and not too unlike a kilt, the frock coats of the 17-18th centuries are quite the perfect garment.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pirate Coats and Costumes

Starting making pirate costumes was an accident. I had streamlined my social media to include mostly arts, crafts, and culture groups, allowing me to see and share what was beautiful about what people were doing with their lives. Six or eight years ago, most of what people were beginning to see on social media at the time were people venting about spats and memes and questionable articles that didn't exactly foster much camaraderie. Many of my friends participated in internal posting movements to bring the sharing of art and comedy back into our daily exposure stream, and I did my part by sharing what my groups were posting that made my day better and not worse. One of those groups allowed persons looking for help or suggestions about costuming, and I answered the call of someone looking to help their friend make their first pirate costume - their first costume of any kind ever. I offered to help. I had not previously gotten into the Baroque or later eras of period garb, but I ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where to Start DIY Costume

Planning is the first and most integral step to doing a unique first costume. And surprisingly enough, one of the most important aspects of planning is keeping the process dynamic, for a couple of reasons. Having a generalized plan to start with shouldn't contain too many details until you get further into your planning process. Part of the planning process involves both having an idea of how you'll accomplish each part of the costume creation, but also being open to changing the material and execution depending on changing circumstances. As a result, proper planning includes initial and refined research, contingencies, trial and error, and the possibility of "nailing it". I personally like to get hands on pretty quick once I have something executable in mind... this is not always the best course of action, and often times I find myself in need of what I've heard referred to as "tactical patience". This "patience" resulting from inaction on...
Post a Comment
Read more

Patterns and Cutting

Once you have a plan, a budget, a concept of execution, and supplies you will need, it's now time to start  either your test garment or dive right into your actual garment. In previous posts I've alluded to starting a new style - or a first time attempt in the realm of the unfamiliar - with a test garment, using inexpensive fabric. This allows you to see how the pattern shapes and fits, make adjustments, or just make notes so that the final product won't wear the scars of trial and error. Whether endeavoring a new design or augmenting a published pattern, it is always necessary to augment a printed pattern to accommodate your personal dimensions. Use the sizing and dimensions table on the pattern to determine width and length for not just the whole garment, but different sections of individual pieces. Chest, waist, and hips can all be adjusted to match an increase or decrease in your own measurements compared to the standard sizes given. Length can be adjusted based on the ...
Post a Comment
Read more