I could have used this pic a couple of months ago when I was arguing against a Lemmy who insisted that capes were a Greek/Roman invention and wearing them disappeared after the fall of the Roman Empire.
I tried to argue that capes were standard issue in the Civil War but couldn't get through.
Capes are authorized CURRENTLY to be worn by army officers in dress uniform. Obviously nobody does it because they're not rad enough, but they totally could. I bought myself a costume cape for funsies but haven't had the balls to wear it in public yet. My heelys grab enough attention.
Cloaks are not practical compared to a heavy coat: it doesn't keep you as warm because there are no zippers or buttons to fasten it all the way, and you can't use your arms or hand at all with a heavy cloak on because it doesn't have sleeves, and it doesn't have any pockets.
If you want to wear it for the sake of fashion, go for it, but prepared to be frustrated.
My cape-type-thing is thigh length & has little elbow height slits with flaps on them so i can reach out, up to my elbows. Also pockets.
It's awkward when i forgot I'm wearing it and try to sling something over my shoulder, but other than that rare occurrence it is excellent, daily fall wear for me.
I wear a cape sometimes. I had to trim it because it would drag on the ground and pick up leaves, and it sheds on my other clothes because of the fabric I made it from (so I only wear it with a specific outfit,) but other than that it poses no significant inconvenience. I'm not expecting a coat, I'm expecting an accessory.
I just think about all the automatic doors, escalators, and other mechanical things that are ubiquitous with the modern world and worry a cloak would get snagged all the time. I mean FFS, I get my pants pockets caught on doorknobs all the time, and those aren't even flapping behind me.
Yeah while the idea of a wool cloak is still cool, whenever I start breaking down the possible use-cases, I realize it tends to just be a functionally inferior and much less convenient version of modern options by nearly every metric.
For example, for staying dry, even a basic plastic poncho is superior but a wool cloak will never beat the standard outershell gear lined with stuff like goretex. Likewise, its thermal utility is mostly determined by its ability to trap layers of air, and a wool cloak can’t match the functionality and versatility of modern insulation methods. Even in the area of durability, while heavy weaves can be incredibly rugged, it tends to be at the expense of weight, and after owning a few featherlight jackets and tents made with self-healing textiles, I can’t imagine a wool cloak would ultimately be able to compete in the long term.
I’d still embrace the fashion if it made a comeback, but with full acceptance of the fact that it represents form over function.
Sewing machines killed capes. Sewing jackets/coats requires a lot of very difficult stitch work. This made jackets extremely expensive, while making capes was simpler and more affordable. With the advent of the sewing machine, that stitch work became easier and cheaper to do, so capes went out of fashion and more jackets became affordable to everyone.
Cars killed the cloak. Cloaks remained popular for a long time after the invention of the sewing machine in the early 1800s, but fell out of fashion with the popularization of the automobile in the early-mid 1900s.
No joke, the fact cis men dress in such boring ways is at least 50% of why I don’t date them much. Which also means it’s the easiest improvement to make !
This is not meant as personal attack on anyone, but if I can go out every day while visibly trans, ya’ll can wear something other than blue jeans and a band tee-shirt. At least for dates 😅
Lol you get downvoted but it's soooo fucking true.
As a resident bisexual man, my guys you need to put in some effort in because, to put it bluntly, half of all y'all seem like you're trying to run for "least fuckable creature of the week".
Google some shit. Figure it out. There's nowhere near as much choice for us as there is for women, but there is enough that you don't have to wear ill-fitting jeans and a loose printed t-shirt every day.
This is part of a shift based in the enlightenment era, called the Great Male Renunciation. It's really a shame imho. We need to reclaim feeling pretty. With thigh-high socks, and unix thinkpads.