Capes

There is one problem with coats that capes fix and nothing else really comes close to solving. You want something that covers you without adding bulk. You want something that looks intentional, not just cozy. You want layers that work over an elevated outfit without compressing everything underneath. A cape done right gives you all of those things with ease that a tailored coat rarely can. They’ve always been favorites in our office. Sure, partly because they photograph so well. But mainly because they actually perform in real life in ways that astonish those around you who have never had the joy of owning one. They layer over billowing sleeves when nothing else will stay put. They look as good over a silk slip as they do over a chunky sweater. They can read dressy or weekend really just depending on fabric and hem length, allowing them a versatility most jackets and coats just don’t have. That collection is why we built this entire edit around capes that are worth investing in, not just wearing once. The kind of piece that you reach for when you’re invited to an autumn wedding and then find yourself throwing over your work outfit three weeks later, and later again when it’s a chilly Saturday and you want to look put together without the hassle of dressing up. We’ve been particular about fabric since that is the difference between a cape that works and one that won’t stay on right after first wearing. Wool and cashmere blends that will keep their shape all season. Lighter weight woven options for in between months that feel thoughtful, not hacked together. No cape that will slump at the shoulders or lose it’s beautiful drape after two wears. Like most things on this site, proportion is especially important with capes. Layered over everything else in your wardrobe it needs to hit the correct length or run the risk of looking shapeless in a way that can be really hard to style around. So we paid extra special attention to that, and to how it moves when you do, and to whether the collar or neckline actually suits your body or just fills in the silhouette on a rack. There are some classics in here that you’ll be wearing for years to come. Some are bolder, and will elevate almost anything they touch. But what they all have in common is that they all look like something you chose to wear. Because that’s what great outerwear should do.