Skip to content
cape
EntityQ1034198· pop 24· linked from 649 articles

A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used throughout history for many different reasons.

~5 min read

Encyclopedic overview

10 sections
Contents
  • Semantic distinction
  • History
  • In formal wear
  • The caped overcoat variant
  • As protection
  • In fiction
  • In religious contexts
  • Gallery
  • See also
  • Notes

A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used throughout history for many different reasons.

==Semantic distinction== In fashion, the word "cape" usually refers to a shorter garment and "cloak" to a full-length version of the different types of garment, though the two terms are sometimes used synonymously for full-length coverings. A shoulder cape is thus sometimes called a "capelet". The fashion cape does not cover the front to any appreciable degree. In raingear, a cape is usually a long and roomy protective garment worn to keep one dry in the rain.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “cape” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.