Is a vintage cape hideous?

[capewrat]

I'm really tempted to get a vintage cape. I think they are great! But will I look like an eccentric bag lady? I'm 55, 5'8 and a size 14. This is the sort of thing...

The style of “vintage” (90s) that seems to be in fashion currently is just my preferred style, so I still wear it. A lot of my 90s stuff had a 60s influence eg short A line skirts, and objectively they suit me better than a pencil midi skirt. What is “wrong” with wearing something years old from the depths of your wardrobe as your post seems to imply this is negative? Sorry if I’m reading it wrongly, I know you do say crack on.

I recognise I am slightly abnormal as I keep all my clothes (apart from pregnancy and post pregnancy!) and footwear to the point I have to separate them into seasons and have to pay for storage (and repairs and dry cleaning) for them! But I don’t see this as a fault. My size is the same (unlike clothing labels!) and my DCs get to share them. We did have a heated discussion over Christmas when DD1 went out wearing my black velvet hip length coat bought in 1996 and it was in demand from both me and another DD! Big fake fur coats are also fashionable at the minute it seems, and I love them so have lots. I do also have a velvet cape (to get back on track) which is long and black with a silky red lining, which I’m currently considering getting changed to bright pink. Like PPs, only downfall is that it does blow open and is definitely not something that keeps you warm if you’re walking. I could add extra fastenings to keep it closed but it would ruin the look. I think a cape should be luxury fabric and “good for moving between a car and a theatre” sort of item.

YY to elbow length gloves (Dents used to do fabulous ones). I would absolutely love opera glasses to be “a thing” again, and those elaborate powdered hair/wigs! I realise this may be a step too far. Capes seem very reasonable to me and I would definitely get one @capewratbut consider what use you would get out of it as to the style you buy. Shorter ones definitely mean cold legs unless you have thick tights or trousers.

And “eccentric” isn’t an insult! Bag lady is, grant you that We should all be eccentric, but then I guess no one would be…

Also, what we find “eccentric” is often deemed to be “weird” and definitely meant as an insult. Fuck them. Sympathies for people who have suffered indignities like Batman being sung to them My DH was wearing a bandana once when he was followed by a group of kids shouting about The Pirates of the Caribbean. My family are quite fond of conversations like “where are you going?” “Just to the doctor” “oh right, I thought you were off to the 1930s”. Ingrates. Withdrawal of velvet coat privileges are often threatened.

Capes (plain red ones specifically) we're part of my school uniform. I'm not a fan.

This thread has me reminiscing about my cosy knee length nurse’s cape in the early 1970’s. Worn around the hospital grounds between wards. It was black knee length with a red lined hood. I wish I’d kept it . I could wear it round the house when I’m trying to spare the central heating instead of my fleecy onesie 😀

I love a cape. Not enough people wear capes imho

Depending on the cape, they are:

Super cute
Impossibly stylish
Wildly practical
Country chic
Devilishly powerful

And none of these things is wrong. I love a cape.

Just needs a deerstalker and pipe.

I had one back in the 1960s as a kid, just like that one but in green. Not my style but definitely go for it if you love it.

I love it!

This thread prompted me to go off down a little bit of a cape-related rabbit hole and I found this website which offers some lovely capes, and also will turn your baby wrap into a cape if you have one lying around. Which excited me quite a lot as I do have a couple and at least one of them is long enough to become a poncho, if not a hooded cloak…

https://www.oakwren.com/store/c33/All_Clothing.html

I have a fabulous Sandro cashmere cape & i rarely wear it! Dh & i are going on a NY city break & i am now inspired to bring it & i'll wear it with jeans & cashmere turtle neck by day & over dresses at night

I adore capes!! @capewrat you should 100% go for it!

That's New Year - not New York! Though i would deffo wear it in NYC too

We had longish, olive green hooded capes at school. They were warm and easy to wear although they were of their time and the girls from the secondary mod stalked us.

@GooseberryGreen yes exactly! What was "granny chic" a few years ago is just plain "granny" now. Potentially.

I have a lovely autumnal Harris Tweed one @MogsChristmasBoiledEgg !! Green, tweedy, couple of chestnut brown leather straps to fit in place. It’s too autumn. I feel like I am cosplaying autumn when I wear it, plus, it only suits about three days in September cos that’s all the weather suitability. Drafty, and weirdly hard to outfit. I think I was inspired by pregnant Kate Moss, but she looked amazing in every. Thing.

I dislike it, but then I'm not wearing it. You should always dress for you, not for others so if you like it, great!

If you have to ask..........Lol !

I have a lovely blue one with a black belt. I love its swishiness but I do look a bit like Nerys Hughes in it.

Do you live in a small village in Wales in the 1950s?

I thought you meant something like an opera cape. I think it would look better with a deep purple or slate gray lining. I think the scarlet is a bit too dramatic!

https://www.pearllowe.co.uk/products/opera-cape?variant=55724357157244

Makes me think of Margaret Rutherford in the Miss Marple films. I love her and those films, so major positive vibes. Apparently, she wore her own clothes.

I have a cape, much longer and wear with jeans and some high heeled western mid calf length boots. Lots of compliments!!
Go for it!!

If you own a coat already then you are wasting your money might as well flush it down the toilet or set fire to it

Love it! Go for it

I inherited two identical vintage capes when my Nana died. They are sort of a wispy/furry harris tweed type fabric, one in purple tones and one in teal tones.

I was going to get them made into memory bears but didn't get round to it - good job as well as I decided to wear one out for the evening a while back.

So, it's a yes from me.

I had one like this as a young nurse forty odd years ago.
Was only thinking about it recently as I recalled that we used to go around the wards carol singing and we turned the red lining to the outside.

OP’s cape photo put me in mind of Basil Brush.