Midshipman's single-breasted tailcoat of superfine blue wool. It fastens with nine gilt brass buttons, embellished with blue twist embroidery of a graduated length. It also has a stand up collar patched with white twist embroidery with small gilt brass buttons at each end. The shoulders are gathered and the sleeves terminate in a stylized round cuff with three buttons above blue twist embroidery.

The chest and under the arms are lined with black silk twill, padded and quilted. The collar is also lined with black silk twill. The back panel of the coat is unlined and also features a notched yoke. The sleeves are lined with white cotton twill. The cuffs are lined with black sateen/silk and the tails are lined with white wool.

On the back of the coat there are two hip buttons on either side at the top of the back central vent. On either side are three point pocket flaps with blue twist embroidered button holes and three gilt brass buttons. The flaps are lined with black silk. The pocket bags are of white cotton twill. There are gilt brass buttons at the base of the pocket bag and at the base of the tail.

There were no changes to the tailcoat worn by midshipman between 1827-1891(with the exception of a change in the pattern of button in 1843) although the shape and length of tails would alter according to the civilian fashions of the day. The distinctive white turnbacks on the collar is a device worn by midshipmen since the second half of the 18th century.

This tailcoat was worn by Henry Theodore Bosanquet who joined the navy as a cadet in 1883 at the age of 13. In March 1886 he became a midshipman.