Timeline of Evening Dress Jackets

[JohnE]

Here's a similar doublet but with nonfunctional buttons down both front edges.

The button only at the top is an interesting bit of early fashion. I wonder how that came in to being. Does anyone have some historical info on ths style?

[Guthrumironhead]

The button only at the top is an interesting bit of early fashion. I wonder how that came in to being. Does anyone have some historical info on ths style?

It almost mimics late 18th century military dress, taking artistic license into account of course.

[JohnE]

It almost mimics late 18th century military dress, taking artistic license into account of course.

I can see that. A person has to wonder why though.

[Allan Thomson]

I can see that. A person has to wonder why though.

Because military fashions and civilian fashions interlink. The cut away coat style was worn by civilians too - just in a more civilian style...

[Allan Thomson]

It almost mimics late 18th century military dress, taking artistic license into account of course.

Mid late as by the late the coatee style had come in amongst British troops.

Also the style depicted closed using hooks and eyes rather than buttons. Although I understand the lapels could be buttuned across at the mid point if required.

[OC Richard]

It almost mimics late 18th century military dress...

Yes similar in the upper part of the opening came together and the lower part hung open, but different in construction and profile.

The 18th coat had lapels which were buttoned back. Earlier on the two sides hung down more or less straight down, but as the century progressed it became fashionable for the lower portion to hang open. The front edges of the jacket formed curves )( coming closest together around the heart.

A late 18th century military coat with lapels so strongly curved that it almost certainly couldn't be buttoned up.



This degenerated into uniform tunics like this, with false lapels of impossible shape



A late 18th century civilian coat, with functional buttons, though due to the cut it probably couldn't be buttoned all the way down, but was designed to hang open




The mid-19th century jacket was buttoned together near the top, hanging open in fairly straight lines /\

What's interesting about Highland jackets is that you see various types being worn side-by-side at the same period, ones with steeply angled fronts only possible to button at the top and ones more or less straight-sided with functional buttons, which could be buttoned shut all the way down.

Here's ones you can button all the way up







And here are angled-open fronts

[pbutts]

Richard-

Are you familiar with the Internet Archive — http://www.archive.org ?
i would think they would be interested in your collection of photos and catalogs. It would be great to have them all in one place?