This coat was first seen in James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster Titanic. It was worn by Kate Winslet as Rose Dewitt Bukater. It was used again in 2002 in Tuck Everlasting on Alexis Bledel as Winnie Foster. The coat was originally designed by Deborah L. Scott for Titanic. Her creations went on to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design. Several versions of what has gone on to be called the “Sinking Coat” were made due to shooting in water tanks and therefore needing several copies that could remain dry for continuity purposes. The coat, interestingly enough, is about a size 8 or 10, while the rest of Kate Winslet’s costumes for the film were a size 4. This was to make Kate’s character look bogged down and vulnerable during the sinking scenes.

One of the coats was placed on exhibition for a short time, and then the J. Peterman company seems to have purchased a large number of costumes from the film in order to create a line of reproductions. Several of the authentic garments were then sold to private collectors. 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios) has the remainder of the costumes from the film, including one of several of the Sinking Coats that were originally made. This is the copy that appears to have been used in 2002 for Tuck Everlasting.