The Inverness coat is a type of formal overcoat

Overcoat

An overcoat is a type of long coat intended to be worn as the outermost garment. Overcoats usually extend below the knee, but are sometimes mistakenly referred to as topcoats, which are short coats that end at or above the knees. Topcoats and overcoats together are known as outercoats...

, with long open sleeves, in day or night variations. The Inverness coat was fashionable in the Victorian

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

 and Edwardian periods. The black evening version is the most formal overcoat from the era, and was worn with white tie

White tie

White tie is the most formal evening dress code in Western fashion. It is worn to ceremonial occasions such as state dinners in some countries, as well as to very formal balls and evening weddings...

, while the day version was often in tweed or other less formal fabrics. There is no full cape at the back, with the long "wings" on either side being large draping sleeves.

A similar men's overcoat, the Inverness cape

Inverness Cape

Even though a wide variety of coats, overcoats, and rain gear are worn with Highland Dress to deal with inclement weather, the Inverness cape has come to be almost universally adopted for rainy weather by pipe bands the world over, and many other kilt wearers also find it to be the preferable...

, was also fashionable for countryside wear during this era, and is still worn as rain gear by Scottish bagpipers.