Why don't we wear capes/cloaks anymore?
I understand that modern outer layers are more functional. A leather jacket, for example, can be dressed up or down so as to be worn in a variety of situations. It is also better at keeping you warm.
However, I think capes/cloaks are more aesthetically pleasing garments. It also feels good to have the fabric flowing around you as you walk. But what do you think?
You are viewing a single comment
100% of the cloaks and capes I've seen IRL have been as part of either someone's weird cosplay or some neckbeard/weeb shit. I think that, a bit like the fedora, they're just sorta ruined now due to the people who wear them.
They've just morphed. A poncho is basically a cloak that doesn't open. A long dress coat is basically a cloak with formal buttons.
Also sleeves, which are the main difference anyway
I think this is why the cloak died. Sleeves are just so useful.
They can kind of get in the way though. Cloaks could give your arms more freedom of movement if you really need it. I could see a resurgence in military and/or trade uses.
Why "weird"?
I wear a Fedora sometimes - AC can get cold and my hair isn't as thick as it used to be... it just seems easier than converting to Judaism to be able to wear a Yamaka:-P.
Surely you know there are other options than just "fedora" or "yarmulke."
Cowboy hat? :-P
But I am open to suggestions if you have any...
In addition to the usual ubiquitous collection of random baseball caps, I also have a top hat.
I figure if I'm going to be lumped in with somebody, I'd rather it be the steampunkers than the neckbeards.
Here's a few that I think are probably more fashionable than a fedora:
Baseball cap, pork pie hat, knit hat (e.g. skull cap, watch cap, beanie), docker cap, scally cap, newsboy hat, ivy cap, ascot, bucket hat.
That's a great list.
And almost every one of those is likely to work better for OP, work with more outfits, etc, and have less of a stigma than a fedora.
Just a quick note that in the USA, unless there is a sports logo on it, cap = MAGA hat, sorry, dems the rules.
But Breaking Bad hat, now that is a damn fine argument that you made there!? :-P
Just out of curiosity because I see signs for it all the time, we went to Boot City yesterday.
The first thing you see when you go through the door as the overpowering smell of leather hits you is a massive row of cowboy hats that just keeps going and going.
It was not a pleasant experience overall. This was amusing, however:
I was hearing Jeff Foxworthy in my head. "If your living room furniture is made of cow horns..."
Holy cow! Oh uh... no, I mean, I guess literally!? :-P
Holey cow. It's the only way they could get the rivets through the leather and horn.
You know what I'm talking about!!
Flat cap
I pity Americans who don't just wear a touque (or as you might call it, a beanie). Honestly it's the perfect hat for cold weather. Here in Canada, basically everyone wears one for the half of the year where it's cold enough to warrant a hat. Some people are fancy and wear an Ushanka hat or a Nordic hat in the winter, but 99% just wear a touque.
I've lived all over America and people wear beanies
Indeed I wear a beanie the whole winter, whenever I can get away with it.:-D But in 100 degree weather, it wouldn't work quite as well...:-P.
Yeah I'd imagine if it's so hot that water is boiling you probably can't wear a hat comfortably
Hehehe, Oh Canada... :-) Don't you know that you are using the
correct"wrong" temperature system - the only sensible one is based on how many pinkies were on the toe of the king's son's aunt's cousin's horse 200 years ago. I am sure you will agree with me that nothing else makes close to that degree of common sense - on THAT much at least we are SURE to agree! 🙃Oh god you sound like you wear a fedora.
Do you mean a toboggan?
What? A toboggan is a sled. We're talking about hats.
It’s a knit hat.
Just looked it up. Apparently that's what southerners call a touque. Y'all're weird.
But since you're a lemmy user you probably fall into that bracket anyway
Wear a beret.
If necessary, affect a French accent.
Or throw people off by affecting a Texas Twang or Southern Drawl.
Wear a beret, speak in a low monotone voice, go bald, grow a big walrus-like moustache.
Find a red haired side kick/partner and go blow stuff up for 15 years!!
The Hyneman in its natural environment
Howdy ya'all, faire bon accueil, I hope you are living in high cotton today! :-P
Can't really pull off a fedora (or similar) without a suit that matches, otherwise, yeah, you just look like a neckbeard or maybe a Michael Jackson cosplayer. If you aren't dressing in formal attire, consider a baseball cap, beanie, hood, cabbie hat, or even a stetson if it's up your alley.
No googling or anything, huh? Just throwing “yamaka” out there and hoping it was right?
Try it - you might be surprised? :-P
That's... An acceptable spelling.
It's ackshully called a trilby
Alternately, maybe cool people should start wearing them and then they could get rid of the stigma.
The issue is it has to fit the overall outfit. A fedora can still look really good if you have a well tailored suit to match it, while most of the things that look good with a cloak are, frankly, uncomfortable to wear everyday compared to modern clothing. This is why it's essentially only done for cosplay and larping nowadays, looking like that is fun every now and then but not so fun that you'd want to go about daily life dressed that way.