▁previous ▁de cade . ▁ ▁Sh ir ts ▁of ▁lin en ▁or ▁cot ton ▁featured ▁high ▁up standing ▁or ▁turn over ▁coll ars , ▁and ▁neck ties ▁grew ▁wider ▁and ▁were ▁tied ▁in ▁a ▁bow ▁or ▁loop ed ▁into ▁a ▁loose ▁kn ot ▁and ▁fast ened ▁with ▁a ▁stick pin . ▁He avy ▁p added ▁and ▁fitted ▁fro ck ▁co ats ▁( in ▁French ▁red ing otes ), ▁now ▁usually ▁single - bre asted ▁and ▁kne e ▁length , ▁were ▁worn ▁for ▁business ▁occasions , ▁over ▁wa ist co ats ▁or ▁v ests ▁with ▁lap els ▁and ▁not ched ▁coll ars . ▁Wa ist co ats ▁were ▁generally ▁cut ▁straight ▁across ▁the ▁front ▁and ▁had ▁lap els . ▁ ▁The ▁lo os ely ▁fitted , ▁mid - th igh ▁length ▁s ack ▁coat ▁continued ▁to ▁slowly ▁dis place ▁the ▁fro ck ▁coat ▁for ▁less - form al ▁business ▁occasions . ▁ ▁The ▁slightly ▁cut away ▁morning ▁coat ▁was ▁worn ▁for ▁formal ▁day ▁occasions . ▁The ▁most ▁formal ▁evening ▁dress ▁remained ▁a ▁dark ▁tail ▁coat ▁and ▁tr ous ers , ▁with ▁a ▁white ▁c rav at ; ▁this ▁cost ume ▁was ▁well ▁on ▁its ▁way ▁to ▁cry st all izing ▁into ▁the ▁modern ▁" white ▁tie ▁and ▁t ails ". ▁While ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁de cade ▁the ▁wa ist ▁was ▁long , ▁after ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁the ▁wa ist ▁became ▁shorter , ▁with ▁po ckets ▁in ▁the ▁ple ats . ▁ ▁Full - length ▁tr ous ers ▁were ▁worn