tailcoat

A tailcoat is a very formal coat with a short front and a long back that falls into two "tails." Today, it is mostly linked with white tie events, formal performances, and other special ceremonies, though long ago it was part of everyday dress for wealthy men. It suggests tradition, elegance, and an older style of formal life. You might picture a conductor leading an orchestra, a magician on stage, or someone at a grand state event. The word can also describe this style of clothing in art, film, or writing: "He wore a black tailcoat in the portrait."

The tailcoat, also called a dress coat in formalwear, is a very formal men's coat worn on the grandest social occasions. Imagine a dark coat that is cut short in the front but extends behind into two long "tails"—that is where the name comes from. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, coats with tails were part of fashionable daily dress for upper-class men, but over time this style moved into a more ceremonial role. In modern use, the evening tailcoat became the centerpiece of the "white tie" dress code, the highest level of formal evening wear.

A true evening tailcoat is cut differently from a standard suit jacket. It is usually black or midnight blue, often with silk-faced peaked lapels, and the front is made to be worn open rather than fastened shut. It is traditionally paired with high-waisted matching trousers, a white stiff-fronted shirt, a white waistcoat, and a white bow tie.

While you will not see many people wearing tailcoats in everyday modern life, they still appear in a few special settings. You may see them at classical concerts, opera performances, state dinners, or other highly formal events. They also appear often in period dramas and historical films, where they quickly suggest refined manners and social rank. The word "tails" is often used as a shorter way to refer to this garment, as in, "The invitation specifies tails," meaning full evening dress is required. When you hear "tailcoat," think not just of clothing, but of a piece of history and a lasting image of formal elegance.