In Traditional Civilian Highland Dress, that is, the civilian Highland Dress as it was (in effect) codified in the early 20th century (and has remained remarkably stable since) the lower pockets on Argyll jackets have flaps while the upper pocket does not.
In the full Argyll style jacket the flaps on the lower pockets are scalloped and have three welts (suggesting bound buttonholes) and three nonfunctional buttons.
Interesting how often one sees such flaps on the upper pocket(s) of Argyll jackets, in the Victorian period. One wonders why this feature fell out of use in the 20th century.
In any case, here's a nice vintage photo I just acquired off Ebay. The gent is wearing a lovely check tweed jacket with the upper pockets having the elaborate flaps nowadays reserved for the lower pockets. Note the rakish angle of these flaps.
(The subject's left knee and hose turnover cuff appear odd. Have they been crudely retouched?)
Here are other examples.
This upper pocket is placed lower, not uncommon then. It would be nice to be able to see the pocket treatment on the other side of his jacket.
In this one the flap may be a dummy placed under an ordinary open pocket.
What are far more common are jackets with plain flapped pockets above and below.
This gent has no less than five flapped pockets on the front of his jacket (with the addition of a ticket pocket)
That just might be a ticket pocket too:
These men seem to make do with four pockets:
Bookmarks