Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
A cape is an article of clothing, and the word can describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a garment that covers the back of the body and fastens at the front of the neck, hanging from the shoulders without sleeves. Capes range from short shoulder capes to full-length forms, and have served as weather protection, uniform dress and ceremony for centuries. This page explains cape construction, the practical difference between cape, cloak and poncho, and the cape's continuing place in formal and fashion outerwear.
A cape is an article of clothing, and can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening about the neck of the wearer. They were common in medieval Europe, and have periodic returns to fashion, for example in nineteenth century Europe. They remain in regular use as rainwear in various military units and police forces, for example in France and the United Kingdom. Perhaps for this reason, capes became associated with fascism in Italy during the 1920s. A gas cape was a voluminous military garment designed to give rain protection to someone wearing the bulky gas masks used in twentieth century wars.
Superheroes, vampires, and the like are often depicted wearing capes, and they are therefore sometimes adopted by those with superheroic or vampiric pretensions. Capes also turn up as a plot point in the animated film The Incredibles. In said movie, certain varieties of capes have transformative powers, allowing the wearer to posses superhero-like abilities such as flight. More notably in the The Incredibles, is a scene in which the main character lists off characters who died in comical ways as a result of their wearing a cape.
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cape). 5/13/05 |
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The cape's advantage is freedom: with no sleeves, it goes over anything — a suit, a uniform, an evening dress — without disturbing what is underneath, and the arms work freely outside it. That made capes standard for soldiers, nurses, clergy and police in various eras, and keeps the short cape in formal wear, where it covers the shoulders over a gown without hiding the dress. In fashion the cape returns regularly, including as the cape coat and capelet, where a cape-like layer is built into the garment's shoulders.
Fabric decides the job: heavy wool for a winter cape that genuinely warms, water-resistant cloth for a rain cape, and silk or velvet where the cape is pure ceremony. A well-cut cape hangs from the shoulders in an even sweep and fastens securely at the throat so it stays centered as the wearer moves.
A cape is a sleeveless outer garment that hangs from the shoulders, fastens at the neck or throat, and covers the back, leaving the arms free to move outside it. Lengths run from a short shoulder cape to full length.
A cloak is generally a long, loose full garment, often with a hood, that wraps the whole body for warmth and weather protection. A cape is typically shorter, more shaped, and worn as much for appearance and ceremony as for coverage; in practice the words are often used loosely for the same garments.
A poncho is a single blanket-like piece with a hole for the head, pulled on over the head and hanging evenly front and back. A cape opens and fastens at the front at the neck, hangs mainly over the back, and is usually a cut-and-sewn garment rather than one flat piece.