I

t’s technically Fall here in Southern California but from the 100 degree-plus temperatures we’ve been having, one wouldn’t think so…and naturally with Fall our thoughts turn to outerwear. Towards this end, today’s post is a selection of more practical style of outerwear that were available in the 1880s so enjoy!

---

O

uterwear, and especially practical outerwear, is something that’s typically overlooked in fashion and the late 1880s were no exception. This all got started with this interesting picture dated from 1881:

And from there, we found some interesting examples starting with this 1880s coat from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

And here’s another example that’s dated from circa 1883:

This coat is almost very similar to the one worn by the woman in the center front of the picture. And just for fun, here’s a more elaborate design by John Redfern:

This coat design is a women’s version of the Inverness coat/cloak with tailored lines designed to work with the bustled dress style characteristic of the late 1880s. The above is only a small sample but it does give an idea of the sort of outerwear that was found in the 1880s.

---