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Menswear designer and creative director of formalwear specialist Favourbrook Oliver Spencer explains why the royals' decision to wear morning suits to Prince Philip's funeral is correct

By Oliver Spencer

17 April 2021

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/fashion/article/prince-philip-funeral-morning-dress

Morning dress has remained largely unchanged since the late 19th century, which tells you there’s not a great deal of room to manoeuvre when it comes to the rules. The suit’s history can be traced back to the frock coat worn by the gentry on horseback. George V was the last British king to wear a frock coat on a regular basis and it was his son Edward VIII who, in 1936, instigated a sartorial change, abolishing the frock coat as court attire and requiring instead that courtiers wore more sophisticated morning coats.

Morning dress is actually quite uncommon at most funerals (where a black suit and black tie is the norm) but royal funerals are not most funerals. Indeed, looking back at recent royal funerals, one would expect the gentlemen to be wearing morning dress, accompanied with black waistcoats and black ties, although it’s said that Prince Philip’s request was for “no fuss” – read into that what you will.

Typically, the morning coat is cut from a black wool or cashmere cloth with a peak lapel and worn with cashmere stripe trousers. They’re not actually made from cashmere – that’s just the name of the pattern for some strange reason. At Favourbrook, we cut our morning coats in a variety of different cloths to suit the environment in which they are to be worn. Barathea wool, for example, is a very soft yarn with a hopsack twill weave, giving a surface that is lightly pebbled and offers a beautiful textural finish.

While black is the most common and preferred colour for the morning coat (and certainly the correct option for a funeral), it is by no means the only one. Indeed, charcoal and navy styles have increased in popularity over the years, with Prince Charles very much fond of wearing the former to Royal Ascot. Unlike the black coat, which is typically worn with contrasting charcoal striped trousers, charcoal and navy morning coats are best worn with matching trousers. In terms of fit, the coat should be cut close to the contours of the torso (more so than a suit jacket, for example), cinching at the waist and creating a discernible swoop out over the seat.

With regards to the length of the tail, traditionally speaking it should finish just below the fold of the knee, or an inch or two either side. Don’t be tempted to go any shorter than this. Being more “contemporary” defeats the point of formalwear.

As far as trousers go, black and white houndstooth check makes for a smart alternative to the more traditional cashmere stripe. We say black and white, but the houndstooth is subtle enough to make the trousers generally appear a pale grey colour. Herringbone fabric is rarely seen in formalwear these days, but when you can find a pair of morning trousers cut from it they are worthy of your consideration.

The cut of the trousers largely comes down to your personal preference. Flat-fronted, single pleats, double pleats, English or Italian pleats, tapered, roomy, it all depends on your taste and your body shape. Pleated styles (of which Prince Philip himself was a fan) will naturally have a little more room around the hips, whereas flat-front styles will maintain a svelte silhouette. Regarding leg length, the typical rules apply – there should be a slight break at the mid point of the shin, with the trousers gently resting on the laces of your perfectly polished Oxfords.

One rule that cannot be bent, broken or forgotten concerns the rise of the trousers (the height of the waist). Under no circumstances must you be able to see any piece of shirt or tie between the bottom of the waistcoat and the top of the trousers. That waistcoat must overlap, so if you are happy with your trouser selection, ensure you consider where your waistcoat must finish when purchasing one. High-waisted trouser styles go some way to eradicating this faux pas, but do not always provide the more ample of waist with much comfort.

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