… it is said in about 1790, singed his fashionable military coat tails by standing too close to the fire, thus setting a fashion trend called a “Spencer”: a military coat with “frogging” (braid & decoration) but no “tails”.
(photo: A man’s “Spencer” coat of 1800 – this one cut REALLY shorter than practical for a military man out in the cold, but very popular with the ladies.. or is this a woman?)