Riding coat avaIn the 1700s, most noblewomen could ride a horse, but just imagine how hard it was to do it wearing a corset, a floor-length skirt, and other articles of clothes typical for that period. If women used bustles and crinolines, they wouldn’t be able to do horse riding at all. But even those simpler outfits were by far not the most convenient garments. So, in the mid-17th century, a specific ensemble appeared in women’s wardrobe called a “riding habit”. It was popular until the late 19th century, evolving and changing due to the latest fashion trends. And one of the main garments of a riding habit was a riding coat – very elegant and attractive outerwear.

Women’s set of clothing for horseback riding changed and altered throughout the years. But at any given time, there were strict rules as to which items it should consist of. A riding ensemble was sort of a uniform, not just fashionable attire. In the 18th century, it typically consisted of a riding coat, a matching long skirt, a chemisette or shirt, and a number of obligatory accessories (like gloves, a headdress, etc). Of course, a woman wore her underpinnings underneath this ensemble, including a chemise, a corset, drawers, stockings. The shoes, by the way, weren’t high riding boots but festive shoes.

 

British riding coats
British riding coats from around 1760-1775. From The Met Museum

 

So, a riding coat was probably the most eloquent garment in the riding ensemble. The late-18th-century riding coats were tight-fitting, made from dark wool (as it was warm and durable), and had little trimmings. This garment tightly hugged the upper body and had a small flaring skirt from the waist to about mid-thigh. The design of a female riding coat was made in a rather masculine style, imitating masculine tailoring.

A riding coat had a row of buttons in the front, from the neck to the waist. Those could be fabric or metal buttons. Often, there were two pockets at the sides, also buttoned down.

 

British riding coat
British riding coat from around 1760. From The Met Museum

 

The designs of a lady’s riding coat were different – single-breasted or double-breasted, with narrow or wider sleeves, with decorative folded cuffs, with wide or narrow collar or collarless altogether, with more or fewer embellishments, etc.

The color of this outer garment was usually dark – black, brown, gray, blue, dark green, etc. But beige or other light colors were used sometimes as well.

Although the tailoring style of a riding coat was rather masculine, it looked wonderful on a woman’s body, adding a regal and strictly elegant vibe.

 

British riding coat
British riding coat that dates between 1750-59 from the V&A Museum

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