Evening suit

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This style of jacket, originally called the dress coat, was adopted in the late 18th century and was popular for every day and formal dress. It was relegated strictly to evening wear by the middle of the century and has adapted for formal occasions since then. This particular ensemble indicates the professional tailoring expected in the late 19th century.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art