Tailcoat suit
Object/Artifact
Saco Museum
Description
Tailcoat suit composed of a black jacket and matching pants and a white silk vest. The double-breasted jacket has six buttons down the front, the sleeves with false cuffs and a two-button closure. The tails of the coat are 23 inches long with a center-back pleat. The pants are of the same black wool fabric and have a five-button fly. The vest is of white pattern woven silk, with two pockets, three self-fabric covered buttons, and an adjustable back.
Entry/Object ID
1974.2.22
Dimensions
Dimension Notes
jacket 18" shoulder, 28" sleeves, 12" D of sleeves, 41" back (collar to bottom of tails) vest pants 34" waist, 42" long
Interpretative Labels
Label Type
Cultural/Historical Context
Label
A tailcoat like this, worn with a pair of matching trousers, a white vest, and either a black or white tie, had become the official dress for formal evening occasions by the early 20th century. Unlike morning coats, which are single-breasted, evening tailcoats are double-breasted and do not actually close at the front; they are always worn open, in order to expose the white vest underneath. According to the label inside the coat, it is a product of “Lord Rochester Styling,” a trademark of Michaels-Stern and Company. Based in Rochester, New York, Michaels-Stern was a manufacturer of men's tailored suits and apparel that marketed their products through local clothing stores around the country; this coat was sold by the Fred Rowe Company of Saco, “the store that satisfies.”