Why don't people wear cloaks any more?

[BitchyFestiveFace]

Just musing, really...for hundreds / thousands of years people wore cloaks when it was cold. Practical and simple. But nobody does any more unless they are either some sort of edgy high-fashion type or a historical reenactment enthusiast

I quite fancy a cloak wonder why they fell so firmly and forever out of fashion?

I used to have one, and slightly regret getting rid of it in a big clearout. But they really aren't practical, all the heat goes straight out and they catch on things.

Also people travel much more in their cars now, as opposed to walking to places in the past, so heavy winter coats or cloaks aren't necessary any more.

because they look stupid?

My 14 year old daughter asked for one for Christmas

But he was wafting round the living room draped in a blanket at the time, and I think the idea of a cloak was appealing to his inner dramatist sensibilities.
Either that or he wants to look like Gandalf... not a good look on a muddy Rigby pitch

True. I have never had a car (am learning at the mo) so I suppose I just don't think about that aspect of life much.

Hanging about at freezing bus-stops, I often wish I had something big and long and woolly to just wrap around myself

That was supposed to say son, but I don't think I'll be getting my daughter one soon, either

Aren't pasminas sort of like.cloaks?
I think.an actual cloak would just waft all the heat out unless you held it around very tightly. Then you couldn't get your hands out to pay the bus fare.

at Miss Jones and my Ds wrapped in cloaks... bloody auto correct gets me again...

pagans do - but i think it is a great idea to launch a cloak comeback..... i would love to stand and swoosh and swirl......

I wear cloaks at larp events and trust me, coats are more practical. Although there is nothing like storming off in a huff with a full length cloak dramatically flapping out behind you, a coat just isn't the same :o

Don't they call it a cape nowadays?? Here is one.

I think nurses uniforms have a cloak? It's all a bit post war and jolly hockey sticks isn't it? I'm sure they were the uniform for Mallory Towers. Certainly Madeline, in two straight lines.

Capes catch on things, or weren't you paying attention in The Impossibles?
No Cloaks!

If you must I think you can now drape your coat a lá Kanye and Kimmy to look as if your be-cloaked. Major heave.

I want a cloak! But I also wish all men still dressed like this, so perhaps my tastes tend towards the esoteric!

No, I may be wrong. Capes have sleeves. And cloaks don't. I think.

I think it's because they don't really cover the arms and keep them warm if you are doing something like holding horse's rains. Which is why cloaks with sleeves, or coats became our outerwear of choice. Driving, pushing a buggy, riding a bike etc, they just wouldn't be practical for keeping you all warm, you'd need something else for your arms, and if you had a cloak and a coat, you'd be too hot.

A lot of things went out of fashion because the new fashions were more practical so people never felt the need to hold on to the old thing.

I saw a cape look alike yesterday in Superdry of all places, it was actually quite nice (shock, horror, i was only browsing to look at their coats for DH), sort of a modern day take on the long billowing cape over the horse!. www.superdry.fr/femme/nouveautes/details/41474/cape-eskimo

We used to wear cloaks at school in the winter - great for sitting on in the woods.
I do regret selling mine on, they can be quite cosy once you wrap them round you - not so warm when walking around though

I'm seeing lots of cheap looking capes around my way! like this

I've always wanted a cloak. A full length black velvet one with a red lining and a hood like on the scottish widows ad. Let's start a revival. Anyone with me??

I'd like a cloak but I'd look like a short fat albus dumbledore, beard and all

workshy I said to DH that if we go to a grand ball again I am making myself a scottish widows style velvet cloak to wear over my ball dress. I was thinking midnight blue, and of course it has to have a hood.

Meanwhile, I made myself this in dark brown last winter in the hope that I would look dashing and stylish. In reality I looked like a crazy pregnant lady and then a crazy post-partum lady, complete with big russian-style hat. My family humoured me.
Pros: can breastfeed baby easily on the bus under it, can kid oneself that one looks like romantic heroine
Cons: arm position is suitable only for carrying small clutch bag or (usefully enough) pushing a pram. Forget wrestling a toddler or carrying anything useful. arms may get cold, especially if you are into the 3/4 sleeve fashion.

I think a distinction needs to be made between a cape and a cloak.

I would indeed relish the comeback of long cloaks, but I am not warming to the reinvention of the 70's cape

I think they were more useful in the days when most people used to walk much more- if you are walking along briskly a and getting warm, you don't mind it flapping back to give you some ventilation. When you stop and stand still you can pull it around you.