Cloak

[Milu]

The tabarro is a cloak common in northern Italy until about the 1940s, worn in the country by peasant farmers and shepherds. I was always fascinated by them since seeing a photo of my father as a student in the 1930s wearing one. The were also (perhaps still are) outerwear with some military uniforms. They are still seen being worn occaisionally by some extroverts and are still made.

 

[Caity Lynn]

I LOVE cloaks. If I weren't so self conscious, I'd wear one instead of a coat. :eusa_doh: They;re absolutely fantabulouse. I have worn one to wal-mart right after a play lol, oh, the stares...

 

[LordBest]

I want one of those cloaks.

 

[feltfan]

I have always wanted the Spanish equivalent.
Visited Capas Seseña
a while back, but failed to pull the $500 trigger.

More information here.

If anyone knows more, or about other sources, do post.

 

[carouselvic]

I'm so old, when I went to grade school, we had a cloak room.

 

[Fletch]

I'm interested in the "coding" of this garment (as I am in the codes of all clothes).

First things that come to my mind are all adjectives: hot-tempered, prim, aristocratic, mustachioed, blood-sucking.

 

[avedwards]

I have one cloak, antique, black wool with a red lining. At the time I bought it just because I wanted to have something interesting and because it reminded me of Christopher Lee's Dracula. To date I have only worn it twice in public, both times for Halloween where cloaks are less abnormal. However, once the weather gets colder I will actively wear it as outerwear hopefully. I must admit though, while I feel normal in a fedora and trench coat I do feel very self-concious in a cloak. These pictures are proof that a top hat is not needed (as I don't have the guts or the money for one).

 

[Milu]

This site has a lot of information on the history and such.

www.tabarro.it

This is a google translation from Italian to English
http://translate.google.com/transla...tabarro.it&sl=it&tl=en&history_state0=&swap=1

 

[JLStorm]

I have just one thing to add to this thread. I have no desire for a cloak. I dont wear top hats or fedoras. I am more of a jeans and boots kind of guy. BUT if dressy and style were my thing...with all of the stupid, sloppy, trendy, and ridiculous styles lately, I would certainly not feel ashamed or self conscious about wearing a cloak, a top hat, or much of anything else that makes a gentleman (or lady) look well dressed.

Well, maybe I would feel a little weird about wearing something that would make a lady looked well dressed....but you know what I mean!

 

[Tiller]

I've think the Cloak in the mind of the "masses" is a part of the "Dracula" dress. That said I don't mind the looks of them, although I've never given much thought to wearing one. I wonder how they work in the cold compared to a regular overcoat.

 

[dnjan]

I wore one a few years to a black tie encouraged "season party" (the host being non-religious it couldn't be called a Christmas party) and wine tasting.
Wore it over a tux along with a black cane and top hat. Took public transportation, and the bus driver was incredibly polite.

Since I do not have a proper overcoat to put over a tux for winter, I will probably wear it again when dressed for semiformal and it is cold out.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"Adam Adament"

Cloaks always bring Dashing Adam Adamant to mind

 

[dhermann1]

Cloak vs cape

I have a wool cape made by Casco Bay, and a very useful black polyester/nylon Inverness Cape from Scotland (aka Sherlock Holmes cape). But I'd really like somebody to explain the difference between a cape and a cloak. My feeling is that a cloak covers more, but that's just a guess. I wonder if every cloak comes with a dagger?
There is an opera by Puccini called Il Tabarro.

 

[Chasseur]

I have seen a few Austrian/German hunters wearing a similar cloak often out of loden.

This one is more an Inverness style:

 

[Bingles]

I had a cloak that belonged to an old priest friend of mine. I looked just like these, except it had a velvet collar instead of wool (it looks like wool in the pictures). I just LOVED it. It was extremely warm, and just so much fun to wear. I ended up selling it though, since.. let's be honest.. where the heck would I wear it??? I do know some priests who still wear the cloak at their parish when wearing a cassock in the winter time... but other than that, they are obsolete in today's society.

The only thing I don't like about these italian capes is the length. I prefer one mid calf.

If the day ever comes when capes/cloaks make a comeback, I'll be the first to get one!!!

 

[MB5]

I have a fleece lined cotton duck cloak I made during a brief stint in the SCA. I still wear it out occasionally in the snow.

 

[Charlie]

Chez le tailleur, le plus chic, J'ai fais faire, Ce complet bleu, Qu'était du dernier cri...

Just to notice you some mistakes in the quoting (?):

Chez le tailleur, le plus chic, J'ai fais faire ce complet bleu, qui était du dernier cri...

 

[Charlie Noodles]

I don't mind those inverness caped coats. Did anyone get a chance to see the one J. Peterman did?

 

[Caity Lynn]

Womens capes/cloaks/things made a brief comeback this October (2008) But they weren't quite my style. I dislike the armholes.[huh]

 

[Dr Doran]

I like what I see.

I can imagine wearing one.

I would feel strange about wearing a black one.

Maybe a brown one like the Austrian outdoorsman.