technoxenoholic:

starlightomatic:

quillandsaber:

bardmutual:

why have we stopped wearing cloaks and capes. this is ridiculous. the human race is a failure

So this one I can explain!

puts on reenactor hat

Simply put, cloaks and capes are, all in all, a massive pain to wear in cold weather. Shocking, I know, but if you think about it, you have this massive amount of heavy fabric that you wrap around you like a blanket. The minute you need to use your hands and arms to, say, pick up something, you have to expose yourself to the cold by opening up your cape/cloak; even capes/cloaks with hand slits only solve the problem with very small items. Coats, by contrast, keep your body and arms warm and allow you to move as you please without having to expose most of yourself to cold. They are also far more fabric-efficient, being substantially less expensive to produce, and they’re a lot easier to put comfortable integral pockets into.

(Side note: for as much of a big deal as we put on women’s clothes having/not having good pockets, I am mystified at why people don’t take this into consideration for outerwear.)

The only case in which a cape or cloak has an advantage over a coat is in rain, and that only includes 100% fulled wool capes/cloaks due to how 100% fulled wool reacts when wet; most moisture rolls right off, but wool can be saturated in its weight in water, even cold water, and still keep you warm. Capes and cloaks made of silk, blends, etc. have zero functional redeeming factors whatsoever, and are only suited to making you look pretty in indoor settings.

You’re completely right, and yet.

i can wear a warm coat UNDER my fabulous, waterproofing-sprayed cloak, thank you. we have the power now