While perhaps not as iconic as his Victorian tailcoat, the Joker’s overcoat was nevertheless an important, memorable, and practical garment; after all, it would probably keep one warm better than a tailcoat would!
The Joker’s overcoat was, unsurprisingly, double-breasted.
Fortunately for us, a screen-used Joker overcoat was auctioned through PropStore, and the listing featured some gorgeous HD photos of the overcoat.
As with his tailcoat and waistcoat, there were two buttons on each side, with the upper button spaced diagonally away from center.
However, unlike the buttons on his tailcoat and waistcoat, the overcoat buttons were large 4-hole buttons.
Curiously, although the buttons looked purple in the film, in the auction photos, they actually look a bit redder.
(It’s possible they’ve faded over time.)
Perhaps the most notable feature of the Joker’s overcoat was its contrasting collar; both in terms of fabric and color.
Here are some excellent photos of the contrasting collar from the aforementioned auction listing.
In the preceding two photos and the photo below, one can just barely see the collar’s fell-stitching along the gorge seam.
The collar and peak lapels on the Joker’s overcoat were stylistically consistent with those on his tailcoat and his (Jack Napier’s) suit early in the film.
As with his tailcoat, there was a buttonhole on the left lapel – again used to adorn his infamous flower during the film’s parade climax.
The Joker’s overcoat had an upper left breast pocket, which he used to display his handkerchief (like he did with his tailcoat).
As you can see in the auction photo below, the outer/side edges of the breast pocket welt were fastened down with topstitching.
Although imperceptible in the film, there was a fitting dart toward the side of each front.
Beneath the fitting darts were two lower “flap” pockets.
The pockets extended forward about an inch past the fitting darts, and the flaps were sewn into the pocket openings beneath the upper welts.
On the back of the coat (slightly above the lower pockets) was a strap that spanned the back of the coat, with a button on each end.
The buttons on the ends of the back strap appear to have been the same buttons as used on the front of the overcoat.
There also appears to have been a lower back vent a few inches beneath the back strap.
The Joker’s overcoat sleeves were, of course, two-piece set-in sleeves.
As with his tailcoat, the bottom of the Joker’s overcoat sleeves were vented.
Also as with the tailcoat, the sleeve vents were closed with four small buttons, though like the front overcoat buttons, they were 4-hole buttons.
These were 4-hole buttons, similar to those on the front of the overcoat but in a smaller size (more appropriate for sleeves).
Here is a lovely auction photo of the lower sleeve area, in which one can observe the sleeve vent, buttons, and their corresponding buttonholes.
The Joker’s overcoat appeared to be upper-calf length.
Although the Joker’s tailcoat was lined with a lighter, “cooler” purple, his overcoat was lined with a darker purple.
Here is an excellent photo of the overcoat interior, in which we can observe the lining, interior pocket, and label – presumably from the Savile Row tailor who made it!
And finally, I believe it worth noting that although the newly-reborn Jack Napier wore a dark purple overcoat during his confrontation with Carl Grissom, I believe it to have been a different overcoat than the one he wore during the film’s climax.
It may have been the same coat, but the sleeves and collar sure looked different to me.
He's wearing his black coat when he confronts Napier. I had to watch several times, but it's definitely black.
When he confronts Grissom*