my new frock coats and cape

• Feb 14, 2009

• #1

B

Baron Kern

New in Town

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West Hartford CT

Some recent estate finds and ebay victories of mine.

1 frock coat, dated 1911 as per the label inside the coat.

1 Frock Coat, not sure of the date, less formal than the one above, velvet collar. I think maybe late 1800s or early 1900.

and lastly, my cape, not sure of the date, but im pretty sure its a naval officer's cape....i think, it does say brooks brothers on the tag though.

Im starting to collect vintage men's clothing from the victorian/edwardian era. My collection includes these and a few more frock coats, I just love frock coats ^.-.^

So, what do you guys think?

 

• Feb 14, 2009

• #2

donCarlos

Practically Family

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566

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Prague, CZ

I love it!
However, collecting clothes you are never going to wear is a distant idea for me. And you´re not gonna wear these historical pieces, are you?

 

• Feb 14, 2009

• #3

B

Baron Kern

New in Town

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28

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West Hartford CT

Thanks for the compliment!

Some of my more....tattered frock coats I wear. I can see myself wearing the cape from time to time. Like im going to wear a frock coat and my cape when i go to take my grandmother out for valentine's day today. But some of my better pieces no Im just safely storing them. Though to be honest I do try on each article i get once I get it back to my house and inspect it and write a tag up with all the rips and information and everything. Hehe though some I dont think ill ever quite fit into.

But Im currently trying to teach myself how to sew. Just got a nice old Singer 15-91. I hope to make reproductions of pieces from my collection....once i figure out how.

 

• Feb 14, 2009

• #4

scotrace

Head Bartender

Staff member

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Small Town Ohio, USA

That is a Naval Officer's boat cloak. You'll find them discussed here. FDR wore one at the Yalta conference. Since they have been made for the better part of a century, dating is difficult without some kind of military tag. Our member "peacoat" may well have better information than I.

 

• Feb 14, 2009

• #5

B

Baron Kern

New in Town

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West Hartford CT

thanks for the info scotrace

 

• Feb 14, 2009

• #6

BinkieBaumont

Rude Once Too Often

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Whenever I think of "The cape" I think of John Pertwee, the 3rd Dr Who, and quite the best dressed "Dandy"

 

• Feb 16, 2009

• #7

the_imperialist

One of the Regulars

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New Zealand

Excellent coats sir, I was watching them myself, glad to see another lounger got them :eusa_clap

Just a pointer, the first coat you have would be a morning coat with a three button stance, whilst the second would -from what I can observe- be an overcoat. A frock coat has square fronts at the bottom of the skirt and a waist seam.

I do hope you enjoy them. May I suggest a twirl-able moustasche and a top hat to go with the cape?

 

• Feb 17, 2009

• #8

BinkieBaumont

Rude Once Too Often

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Adam Adamant is another chapie who can carry off a cape

It was a TV show in the old country in the 1960's about an edwardian chap who somehow got frozen in an iceberg and defrosted in the 1960's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a pre curser to kate & Leoplold?

The original BBC show ia available on DVD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSkGjiHaH8E

 

• Feb 17, 2009

• #9

R

Rachael

A-List Customer

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ah yes, he could always pull off any look.

http://www.adam-ant.net/

 

• Feb 17, 2009

• #10

BinkieBaumont

Rude Once Too Often

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Sunny, Monnied Shores of the Swan River Colony, Au

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Adamant_Lives!

Oh i'm Gonna have to get this on DVD now I know the theme is sung by the Fabulous "Kathy Kirby" wearing a frock coat cravat and cape

 

• Feb 17, 2009

• #11

Edward

Bartender

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London, UK

A traditional frock coat (as opposed to one of the monstrisities sported by soccer players at weddings in recent years) can be a very nice garment indeed. I've considered adding one to my formal daywear wardrobe, though I feel (especially if one carries extra weight round the middle, as I unfortunatley do) that tails can be much more flattering. Frock coats are also best avoided by those of a more dimunutive stature, as they can have the effect of cutting one off at the knees.

The cloak is vey nice, and would looks espacially sharp with white tie. Myself, I am considering one of these for that purpose:

http://www.thedarkangel.co.uk/catalogue3.php?pic=1&p=73

The Dark Angel is an English company which specialises in goth-style clothing, with influences drawn from Regency and victorian periods. Lovely quality stuff, and that Kensington Coat would look fantastic with traditional white tie IMO.

 

• Feb 17, 2009

• #12

donCarlos

Practically Family

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Prague, CZ

BinkieBaumont said:

Adam Adamant is another chapie who can carry off a cape

Click to expand...

What to say... Thank you for many hours wasted on watching this series! That´s like with How I Met Your Mother, The Avengers, and many more, all over again... God, I´m addictive.

 

• Feb 19, 2009

• #13

Highlander

A-List Customer

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473

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Missouri

I gotta say, there is something special about capes. I don't own one, I do have a great coat with a cape, but I don't own a cape for cape's sake, but my friend says she'll make me one. I just gotta find the right pattern...

However, wearing it is a different matter. I'll have to figure that one out.

 

• Oct 24, 2009

• #14

Evan Everhart

A-List Customer

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457

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Hollywood, California

Baron Kern said:

Some recent estate finds and ebay victories of mine.

1 frock coat, dated 1911 as per the label inside the coat.

1 Frock Coat, not sure of the date, less formal than the one above, velvet collar. I think maybe late 1800s or early 1900.

and lastly, my cape, not sure of the date, but im pretty sure its a naval officer's cape....i think, it does say brooks brothers on the tag though.

Im starting to collect vintage men's clothing from the victorian/edwardian era. My collection includes these and a few more frock coats, I just love frock coats ^.-.^

So, what do you guys think?

Click to expand...

The second coat, the one with the velvet collar which is double-breasted is actually not a frock-coat but rather the over-coat which one is supposed to wear with a frock coat. Such over-frock-coats were made to in every way mirror the frock-coat worn beneath, but they had exterior pockets and often times also had velvet collars which as can be observed by the cut of the coat in the image, at the time period when that coat was made, frock coats were generally not being made with velvet collars while over-coats certainly were. What you have there is a very rare and beautiful garment though sir!

 

• Oct 25, 2009

• #15

L

Lokar

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Nowhere

I believe they were referred to as top-frocks and/or overfrocks. The wiki claims the difference between the two is that a top-frock is a lighter material, so for warmer temperatures, while an overfrock is heavier.

 

• Oct 26, 2009

• #16

O

Otium

New in Town

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Just Outside the Beltway, MD

Great finds

Baron Kern, awesome boat cloak. I keep my eyes on ebay but sadly at 6'2" there aren't many old cloaks floating around for a fellow my height. You can still buy them from Marlow White and the Marine Shop Quantico but they want quite a bit for something I could only really wear a few times a year.