Capes have been a recurring staple item during fashion week events all over the globe throughout 2017, and they’re coming in hot this fall. I’m aware that I’m biased, but I won’t hold back when I say that this is the best trend to hit runways and stores in recent years. In all honesty, I’m particularly excited about this because it means that capes will be much more readily available to us in stores. High-fashion runway trends take a few months to diffuse down to stores like H&M and Forever 21, so that means we’ll be seeing an abundance of capes in our favorite mall stores this season.
Capes seen on the runway at Paris Fashion Week.
Capes are truly the best form of outerwear, through the lenses of both style and practicality. You’d be lying if you said wearing a cape couldn’t make you feel incredibly elegant, perhaps like a Disney princess, even. I’m predicting a huge confidence boost to come from wearing an article of clothing so flowy and chic. Unlike most outerwear – looking at you ugly, puffy coats – capes keep you warm while adding to the composition of your outfit, not taking away from it.
Outfit looking a little too casual? Bam. Put a cape over that bad boy, and you’re feeling warm and looking luxurious. Another perk is that they don’t restrict your movement, like many thick coats do. Instead of looking like the Michelin man when you walk around, you can look like a princess surveying the land she rules with poise and grace. Part of the fun in wearing a cape is also the ability to adopt whatever image you might hope for. A long, dark cape will make you feel like an all-powerful witch, while a short one might bless you with the vibes of a wealthy woman living in the early 1900s.
Don’t let your cape-wearing experience be limited to the products sold in mainstream stores. Sure, they’re cute and warm, but don’t let yourself get boxed in by the idea of obeying trends. If you want to wear a literal cape, not just the fashionable wool button-down ones on the runway, make a trip to the costume store and go for it. I promise you the experience will be nothing short of rewarding. I wore a black velvet cape (from Walmart…that cost ten dollars..) to my shift at a Halloween store, and I found myself wearing it all day. That cape possesses as much confidence-boosting power as a ten-dollar piece of fabric possibly can. Since that experience, I’ve decided that it’s ridiculous that capes aren’t a part of mainstream fashion like they used to be. My greatest hope is that we all make an effort to bring capes back, so we can flaunt our elegance and leave every room with a dramatic flourish.