The Closet Thinker: caped crusaders - Telegraph
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The Closet Thinker: caped crusaders
Justine Picardie on capes - the armless option for this season
BY Justine Picardie |07 October 2010
Missoni cape: The Closet Thinker Photo: Mio Matsumoto
Single-breasted wool cape, ��195, by Massimo Dutti (020 7851 1280) Photo: FULL STOP
Double-breasted wool, ��398, by Aubin & Wills (aubinandwills.com) Photo: FULL STOP
Knitted wool, ��960, by Missoni (020 7823 1910) Photo: FULL STOP
You tin not very tell which fashions ambition make it from the fancy of the catwalk and on to the street - the illogic of the process might be a healthy reminder that clients are immune to a style-industry conspiracy, or possibly constitutes certify to the inverse. Why, for example,
The One For Versace_4932, did British shoppers take to wet-look leggings with such enthusiasm? Heaven only knows, but the latest prediction on the sartorial barometer is for an explosion of capes.
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To be genuine, I'd always regarded the cape as hovering elsewhere among absurd and sinister. Just think of those quaint advertisements for Scottish Widows, where a woman in a black cape is looking preferably amused with herself, despite her recent bereavement.
Or think the mingled messages of Red Riding Hood, where a cape is as likely to be worn by a big bad wolf as a darling little girl. Then there is the baffling question of why so numerous superheroes necessitate capes as an necessity portion of their uniform; do they have something to hide?
Yet for all my innate suspicion, I was nevertheless mightily impressed by the sight of Carine Roitfeld in a cape last December by the Chanel fashion show in Shanghai. The redactor of French Vogue is appreciated as one idiosyncratic Wonder Woman at legions of sharp Roitfeld-spotters (including me), and generally ashore the right side in the fight opposition offenses of fashion.
Since then she has continued to wear her capes with reassurance, in a information that could be translated as,
Elle MacPherson Makes Me Love this Gucci Bag Even, obtain cape,
White A-line Strapless Beaded Embroidery Organza, wear cape, fly…
As it happens, I haven't additionally bought a cape, though I've got my eye on some. The much-publicised designer editions are chic, yet staggeringly priceless - the cost tags extra amazing than the contrive in a Marvel humorous (an Erdem wool cape for ��3,780; a dark feather an by Balmain for ��4,400).
Fortunately, a short blue fleece peninsula is obtainable from Reiss because ��179, which would see as nice over a couple of trousers as tailored trousers; and because those in quest of winged shoulders, final time I retarded, asos.com had a little feathered cape depressed to ��12.
One question remains: while is a cape a cloak? There are those who mention that it is a stuff of length (the latter creature longer than the former) although a floor-sweeping liturgical vestment ought be referred to as a cope.
But however the ins and outs of the matter, you can dine as many as you favor, and a cape will always appropriate. Finally, a fashion industry cover-up to celebrate.