Tailcoat

The tailcoat shares its historical origins in clothes cut for convenient horse-riding in the Early Modern era.

In equestrianism, a variant called a shadbelly is still worn in certain disciplines in its eighteenth-century role as daytime formalwear.

It was made of black velvet and traditionally worn at court, levées, and evening state parties by those who did not wear uniforms.

It was single breasted with a stand-up collar, with plain gauntlet cuffs, and two three-pointed flap pockets on the waist seam.

[2] Elite light infantry units like the 95th Rifles were issued short green coats to provide camouflage and ease of movement.

The Royal Navy had an elaborate hierarchy of tailcoats for the officers, allowing further buttons and gilding according to rank and seniority.

In the Regency period, the dress coat with gilt buttons was always worn with non-matching trousers, pantaloons or breeches.

Since the Victorian era, the modern dress coat for evening wear has been worn with matching trousers of the same cloth with two stripes of braiding down the side.

A dress coat is waist length in the front and sides, and has two long tails reaching to the knees in back.

The lapels are usually pointed (American English peak), not step (notch), since the coat is now only worn as formalwear.

The coat can be grey or black as part of morning dress, and is usually worn with striped, or very occasionally checked, trousers.

Gradually it became acceptable as an alternative to the frock coat for formal day wear or full dress.

At one time all attorneys appearing before the court wore morning coats but they now wear standard business attire.