The Footman — Morning coat

The Morning Coat Ensemble

One button fastens the front.

Queen's Butler — Definition

About The Morning Coat Ensemble

The morning coat ensemble is a butler's daytime formal dress. A black morning coat (fastened by a single button), grey waistcoat, striped trousers, wing-collar shirt, tie, white gloves and black leather shoes. In The Footman, the Manor provides the full ensemble and a butler assists you in dressing.

The ensemble supports standing, walking and the bearing of serviceThe form of service

Purpose

Why wear the morning coat ensemble?

The morning coat ensemble is not the coat alone but the complete formal dress of waistcoat, shirt, tie, trousers, white gloves and shoes. In The Footman you put on each piece in turn, and the butler checks the collar, shoulders, front button, cuffs, tails and shoes before moving on to bearing.

The point of wearing the ensemble is not merely to look the part for a photograph. Walking without disturbing the tails that fall behind, handling silver quietly in white gloves, bowing while keeping the centre line of waistcoat and tie: the attire itself prompts an awareness of movement.

Those wearing it for the first time tend to stiffen their shoulders and arms. The butler looks not only at the front but at the back, settling the fit so that breathing is unhindered and you can move on to bearing. Before the mirror, what we check together is less the attire itself than whether the person wearing it is standing at ease.

See the full guide to attire

In the Wardrobe, a butler settles the collar and white gloves of a male apprentice in his fifties while a young female apprentice waits holding a top hat

In the Wardrobe, apprentices in their twenties, forties and sixties choose morning coats while a butler hangs up a jacket

Full set

Which part of the bearing does each piece support?

Morning coat	A black coat fastened at the front by a single button. The butler settles the collar, shoulders, sleeves and the tails that fall behind.
Waistcoat	Worn beneath the coat, it sets the line of the front. Once on, its position against shirt and tie is checked.
Shirt	Shows the collar and cuffs neatly and draws the white line that joins tie and coat.
Tie	Fixes the centre of the collar. The butler checks from the front that it is neither crooked nor loose.
Trousers	Join the fall of the coat's tails to the movement of the feet. The fit is checked standing and walking.
White gloves	Cover the fingertips that handle silver and show the movement of the hands clearly. The fit of left and right is settled last.

Details

Where do you look first in wearing it well?

In the Dining Room, five apprentices of all ages in morning coats practise the bow after the butler

One button

The single button at the front

A morning coat is fastened at the front by one button. Once fastened, do not pull at the fronts; check with the butler that the line falls naturally from chest to tails.

Collar and tie

The centre of collar and tie

Collar and tie sit close to the face, and the slightest misalignment affects the whole impression. Rather than judging by the mirror alone, the butler checks the fit from the front and the side.

White gloves

The fingertips of the white gloves

The white gloves go on last and are settled to the fingertips and wrist. When holding silver, do not grip hard; be conscious of the fingers that support the piece and those that steady it.

The back of a morning coat reflected in the mirror

Back line

The view from behind, shoulders to tails

The shoulders, back and tails you cannot easily see yourself are checked by the butler. Before and after a bow and after walking, he checks for disorder and quietly puts it right when needed.

Dressing order

In what order is the morning coat put on?

In the Dining Room, a female apprentice in her sixties pours tea from a silver pot with the butler's hand steadying hers

Settle the shirt

Put on the white shirt and settle the collar and cuffs. Please check that it is not tight when you move your neck or arms.

Trousers and shoes

Put on the trousers and check the length and waist when standing. Make sure you are steady on your feet so as not to tread on the attire.

Tie the tie

Set the tie to the centre of the collar. The butler checks its position from the front so there is no unnatural gap at the collar.

Add the waistcoat

Put the waistcoat on over shirt and tie. Check that the front line is straight and that it does not restrict movement at the waist.

Into the coat

Put one arm through at a time and settle the shoulders. Fasten the single button at the front, and the butler checks from the collar to the tails behind.

Check points

What is checked when standing, and when moving?

In the Dining Room, a mother and son as apprentices lay out silver and porcelain in the order the butler points to

Scene	Where to look on the attire	What the butler checks
Standing before the mirror	Collar, tie, front button, waistcoat	That the lines and centre are aligned left and right, and that the shoulders are not too tense.
Walking through the Manor	Tails, trousers, shoes	That you can walk without disturbing the tails and without hurrying your feet.
Bowing	Collar, back, tails	That the line of the back holds, and that the attire is not badly disordered on straightening up.
Handling silver	White gloves, cuffs	That the fingertips do not grip hard, and that the cuffs are not brought too close to the piece.
The commemorative photograph	The whole figure and the hands	Setting where you stand so that the line of the formal dress and the bearing you have learned come through in a single frame.
Marking each movement	Feet, fingertips, gaze	To show the attire at its best, avoid constantly touching small details and make the start and finish of each movement clear. Bring the feet together after walking, return the fingertips after setting a piece down, and return your gaze to the other person after a bow.

There is no need to make your movements too small out of concern for the attire. Following the butler's prompts, settle first the feet, then the back, and last the hands, and you will move at ease.

Deportment

How should posture be settled once dressed?

Posture once dressed is not a matter of keeping the chest thrust out, but of stacking the body without strain from feet to head, ready to move on to the next action. We check with the butler in this order: steady the feet in the shoes, keep the knees soft, lower the shoulders, and do not raise the chin too far.

Touching the front button or collar repeatedly yourself can actually disturb the line of the front. If something troubles you, please tell the butler. He does not reach unbidden towards your front, but speaks first and then settles what is needed.

With every movement, standing, walking, bowing, handling silver, the look of the ensemble changes. In the experience we do not make a perfect form once and leave it there; we show you, as part of a butler's bearing, how to quietly restore it after moving. Rather than carrying a constant worry about the attire, turn your attention to the person and the piece before you.

See what deportment covers

An apprentice butler in a morning coat settling into the posture of a bow

QWhat does the ensemble include?

The Manor provides the coat, waistcoat, shirt, tie, trousers, white gloves and shoes. The butler guides you through the order of dressing and checks the fit of the whole. Once dressed, you move on to standing and walking in the attire.

QHow many buttons are fastened at the front?

A morning coat is fastened at the front by a single button. The butler checks its position and settles the fronts and the line of the tails. If something troubles you after moving, please ask the butler rather than pulling at it yourself.

QCan women wear the same ensemble?

Yes. For women we hold sizes for a height of roughly 150 to 160 cm. Outside that range, please consult us with your height, build, usual clothing size and shoe size. Both male and female butlers are in residence, and the butler in charge will attend to you with care.

QWhen are the white gloves put on?

After the ensemble and shoes are settled, before moving on to bearing. Check the fit to the fingertips, and when holding silver, support it quietly rather than gripping. If you feel a twist or slack, settle it before picking up a piece.

QIs it all right if I cannot dress myself?

Yes. The butler tells you the order and checks the collar, shoulders, front button, cuffs and tails. There is no hurry; follow each prompt one at a time. Anything you are unsure of, you may ask the butler there and then.

QWhen should I tell you my sizes?

Before booking, please tell us your height, build, usual clothing size and shoe size. Sizes and kinds of attire are limited. For two or more people, please send each person's details separately.