Nothing adds drama and a touch of glamour like a cape, which is one of our favorite, timeless outerwear pieces for fall. Capes have had an everlasting impression on designers and women, making them a strong fashionable statement that has remained through years, and still has that effect today. Shorter capes and cloaks were very prominent and in vogue during 1850’s, what we know as the Victorian Era. They have remained a fashion favorite through the 1900’s, with heavy presence from the 1930’s-1950’s. They were the perfect go-to piece for the stylish woman about town, and varied in lengths and in cuts- usually worn with dresses or gowns for either the day or the evening.
In the 1950’s the cape emerged as an updated fashion statement from previous designs. Paris designers favored simplified lines, and fabrics mainly used were tweed, check, and mohair, which best projected line and details to a perfection. Designers have experimented and taken on different approaches with the cape for many years and the classic design still remains a firm fall favorite.
This season, capes are a dominate force of fashion, which help combat the autumn chill. The cape’s presence beholds a powerful attitude which merges elegance, and dramatic, theatrical quality. This outerwear piece is all about easy, effortless dressing- perfect for any women of all ages who are looking for something with style and functionality. This season you will see capes that vary from short and sweet to sweeping and mysterious. Designers such as Saint Laurent, Isabel Marant, Chloe, Ralph Lauren, and Emilio Pucci all have sent models wrapped in a selection of covetable capes down their fall/winter 2014 runways. These designs give a sleek finish to a look, and are a comfortable choice for the cool season.
I am wearing a traditional, tailored, double-breasted camel capelet, along with a cream turtle neck, black trousers, and luggage colored snakeskin loafers. I have pieced these together for a sophisticated look that is completely versatile and ready for any time of the day. If you are looking for a style investment to update your wardrobe this fall, a cape would be our answer to break out the routine of your usual outerwear choices! They provide comfort, and cut an impressive silhouette, making them the ultimate, “throw on and go” piece for this season.
