Naval History and Heritage Command

Title: Evening-Dress Coat, LT Bruce D. Skidmore
Accession #: NHHC 2004-32-1
Circa: 1942
Size: 
Medium: Fabric, Metal
Location: Headquarters Artifact Collection, Naval History and Heritage Command

One inter-war years’ era US Navy Evening-Dress Coat with Ensign gold-work on the sleeves. It is made in the style of a tailcoat with a knee-length coat with the front of the skirt cutaway. It is made of blue cloth with a double row of eagle gilt buttons down the front. The Evening-Dress Coat was a formal uniform worn with bow tie and waistcoat. It could be worn at state occasions, ceremonies, solemnities, and was the Navy equivalent of white-tie dress. In the most formal settings, it was worn with epaulets and the cocked hat. The uniform dates to 1873 when a dress coat for social wear was first introduced into Navy regulations. The formal blue tailcoat is still authorized today as part of the Formal Dress uniform when the occasion dictates it. This coat belonged to LT Bruce Skidmore who served on the USS Houston (CA-30).