Where did ride coattails come from?
Where did ride coattails come from?
The idiom first appeared around 1600 in a different form, on one’s own coattail. This meant to do something at one’s own expense. The current idiom in use, ride someone’s coattails did not come into use until the mid-1900s, and is generally considered an American term.
Why do people ride coattails?
ride on (one’s) coattails To benefit from someone else’s success; to use someone else’s success as a means to achieve one’s own. Everyone knows you’ve been riding on the governor’s coattails for the last two years, but once her term ends you’ll be on your own.
What does the word coattails mean?
Definition of coattail 1 : the rear flap of a man’s coat. 2 coattails plural : the skirts of a dress coat, cutaway, or frock coat. 3 coattails plural : the influence or pulling power of a popular movement or person (such as a political candidate) congressmen riding into office on the president’s coattails.
Why do tuxedos have tails?
In its initial form, suits were basically long form coats, and then after a while, the front was cut off, leaving only the back, which was later referred to as “the tails.” Over time, the tails evolved to take some more stylish shapes (especially with the rounding off of the corners) and some even began to look like …
What is a suit with tails called?
A tailcoat suit is formal suit perfect for white tie events including weddings. Tailcoats, suit with tails or tailcoat tuxedo, call it the way you want and wear it as a groom or to the opera. Whenever white tie attire is required, wear your tailcoat.
Why is a morning suit so called?
The name originated from the practice of gentlemen in the nineteenth century riding a horse in the morning with a cutaway front, single breasted morning coat.
What is a clawhammer coat?
A dress coat, sometimes called a swallow-tail or claw-hammer coat, is the coat that has, since the 1850s, come to be worn only in the evening by men as part of the white tie dress code, also known as evening full dress, for formal evening occasions.
Why are they called morning suits?