Capes

[Ruanaidh]

And what is the difference between the Scottish and the Irish version??

[Kilted KT]

And what is the difference between the Scottish and the Irish version??

one wears a green vest, and the other traded it for some single malt!

[Moosehead]

The only difference I can think of re. Hollywoood or real, would be that older cloaks/capes are circular, while newer ones are basically a sleeveless coat with a cape attached. Is that what you meant ByDand?

[ByDand]

Moosehead, The hollywood style (and this is according to Stewart Christie & Company, Regimental Tailors) has a cape that extends all the way around the Inverness. The original hunting coat Inverness does not extend the cape the entire way around the coat. The cape starts at the back of the shoulders and extends to the front. At least that is how the very "proper" gentleman at their tailor shop explained it to me. Not sure, just the word I got. Either way, I'd still be interested.

[Moosehead]

Gotcha. I have that pattern as well.

[Pleater]

Way back in my hippy days I made an 'ordinary' cape - they were quite the fashion then, with hand slits in the middle of the fronts and found it was most impractical, so I refashioned it to have armholes and put on a shorter fuller cape just secured to the main part at the neck.

I made the short cape of the same material but put in an interlining and lining to keep the rain out.

However, I soon had to sew the short cape down at the back of the shoulders as it was inclined to fly up and over my head in the swirling winds generated by the high rise flats (appartments) I had to walk through to get to the Polytechnic.

Sheesh - that dates it.

The design is very practical otherwise, and if making a similar item now I would probably create it with a double lined back and separate open sleeves so it was more coat than cloak like.

[ronstew]

I am thinking about a waterproof layer sewn to the underside of the cape part. Uh oh, there goes the profit on a $300 cape.

[Macman]

I'd be very interested, Moosehead, probably in the 21 oz. weight.

[Moosehead]

OK. So, colours people would prefer are black and charcoal. Weight, mostly 21oz, but some would prefer the lighter wool, or even polycotton for warmer climes.

What about length? As mentioned, normally they'd be about mid-calf. Is that what is preferable, or are there some who would prefer a little shorter? Going to be custom anyway, so I can always offer both lengths. Same goes with the cape. It can be the two-piece, or the single piece.

As for a waterproof lining: we're talking wool here. First, pretty dry on its own. Second, you'd probably sweat like a pig. I was thinking along the lines of cotton broadcloth, or one of the standard lining materials like acetate.

[starbkjrus]

Ok, black or charcoal for me and mid-calf is good. (Believe it or not Virginia winters get COLD and we go to Canada often.) Acetate lining works too. Waterproofing also means not breathing well - so I have to say no to that. My favorite winter coat is a calf length, black cashmere Chesterfield (for those of you in commonwealth countries - no I don't wear a livingroom sofa in the winter ). I wear this coat with everything from jeans to a suit or kilt so I'm looking for a cape in a similar venue.

Hope all this is helping you with the product.