Since it's been raining nonstop all day today and yesterday (and tomorrow, I hear), I'm thinking about my favorite crappy-spring-weather outerwear: the cape. Capes, of course, excite our imagination: vampires, superheroes, ring wraiths, royalty and commoners alike from ages past, holy and unholy religious figures. The list goes on.
I tried to cover the cape in a variety of substyles in the polyvore set above. You've got your classic/fancy on the left. This is work-friendly and the leather ads a bit of an edge. The next is a romantic goth/gypsy look, which the cape was pretty much made for. this is a square cape so it kind of looks like a poncho, with the points. Next is a more nu-goth/modern look. and next is more a younger/junior look. Technically a capelet, but we can group those in with the capes. I wanted to show how awesome capelets look with big, flowy sleeves. All my polyvore dolls get a hat because it's cold out.
I can see how people don't like to wear capes because it's a pain to wear one with a purse. Well, I just wear my purse (or tote bag) underneath my cape. My hands disappear into the cape, fish around blindly for my wallet or whatever and then pop out of the slits. Like magic!
I've got one cape that isn't a DIY. Here are two shots of it from previous posts.
Capes are also ridiculously easy to DIY. There are a few tutorials online on how to turn a shirt or skirt into a cape, but I just throw my lace skirt (it has an elastic waist) over myself. I had the idea in high school when I didn't have money and had to DIY everything. If you want to hide the cowl neck, just wear a scarf on top or a turtleneck under. (Excuse the grainy photos...high ISO since my apartment is as dark as a cave today due to the rain.)
Thoughts on capes? Do you own one? DIYed one? Hate them?
