A syurtuk is an elongated item of men's wardrobe, extending in length to about the knee. Most often it is fitted. Most of all, a frock coat looks like a men's jacket.
The very meaning of the word "frock coat" comes from the French surtout - "special."
This garment was in widespread use at the end of the 19th century, and was considered the main part of an elegant men's suit. A syurtuk is a part of the wardrobe, which, as a rule, was combined with a vest and high trousers (or with special elongated trousers with button closure for a more conservative style).
The syurtuk could be either single-breasted or double-breasted, usually with a turn-down collar. Distinctive element: buttons that reach only the waist.
Appearance story
The first acquaintance with a frock coat is the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century. This garment came to Russia from Europe, where it served as a cloak. Over time, frock coats firmly became fashionable and worn by representatives of various classes.
It is this robe that is considered the ancestor of other men's outerwear (dress coat, tuxedo, coat, etc.).
The length, shape of the sleeves and other details changed depending on the trends of fashion. Also, a frock coat could be part of the uniform for officials (the so-called "uniform frock coats").
Interesting details
A syurtuk is a piece of clothing that could be sewn from a wide variety of materials, usually depending on the cost and purpose. The most popular were:
- camlot (expensive material from camel or angora wool);
- chalon (light wool with a diagonal pattern);
- case (woolen or cotton fabric).
The color of the frock coat also mattered: if at the beginning of the 19th century such a wardrobe item could be bright, green or red, a shade, then later it became more conservative, dark gray, black, and deep blue colors came into fashion.
Decoration with decorative buttons (usually made of metal or mother of pearl) at the waist level is characteristic.