What is the difference between cloak and cape

Many cloaks are made from heavy fabrics like wool due to the insulating properties it possesses. During medieval times, the cloak would have been the go-to garment for people from all walks of life. Although it would have had the same basic design regardless of social class, the type of fabric would have set different types of people apart. The material used would differ depending on if it was for a wealthy person or someone of lower standing.

Royalty, for instance, would have used fine fabrics or velvet. Their cloaks would have been ornately decorated with embroidery and fancy embellishments. Humble folk would have stuck to wools. Their cloaks would have been plainer and more practical. Less likely to travel in carriages or by horse, the fabric in their cloak would have protected them from the elements and the dirt of the road.

To be a cloak, it has to encompass your body from neck to toe. Some cloaks end at the calf level, while others touch the ground. Most have a fully functional hood to keep out the rain and are sleeveless.

Although for front-fastening cloaks, there are sometimes small slits for the hands to come out. Cloaks have fallen to the wayside of fashion over time.

These days they are only worn by those into history bounding, historical re-enactment, and cosplay. The cosplay group gets their love of the cloak from TV, film, and fantasy fiction. All of which helps keep the cloak alive. They used cloaks as part of the Hogwarts school uniform.

Although technically, they were robes as they had sleeves. Hobbits from the shire wore cloaks on their long journey to Mordor. A dark and gloomy trail full of foreboding. A cloak is a perfect garment to snuggle into and keep the evil Sauron at bay.

In contrast to the cape, a cloak is both practical and functional. It gives the wearer the appearance of calmness and being in control.

Nothing is impossible when you wear a cloak. A cape is a piece of fashionable outerwear similar in style to a cloak.

Capes fasten at the neck, rest on the shoulders, and cascade down your back. Normally reaching only as far as your hips or mid-thigh area, a cape is a lighter, shorter version of a cloak. Although capes usually only cover the back of your body, they sometimes have enough fabric to reach the front. Apart from the string used as a tie at the neck, there are no fastenings on a cape.

The size and shape of a cape make it an ideal cover-up for your shoulders and upper arms. The cape adds interest and style to an off-the-shoulder ensemble, working in the same way as a shrug or bolero jacket. Keeping you warm and comfortable in the process. Capes have been around since medieval days and have always been a symbol of wealth and importance.

Ones made out of fur, for instance, would be added to expensive garments to add extra panache. Because of this, capes have always been associated with fashion and status rather than practicality. Even today, capes are synonymous with frivolity and fun. They have the swoosh factor and look great in action shots.

Both Superman and Batman are well-known cape wearers. Cloaks and capes are so similar the two terms have become interchangeable over the years. Although this may be the case now, back in history, the differences between a cloak vs cape would have been more obvious. Each one has pros and cons that make them better suited for some situations. Capes are fashion accessories used to uplift a garment and give it a hint of romance and glamor.

A cloak becomes a complete dress in itself over whatever a person is wearing. In judiciary and academics, people often wear cloaks to have a distinguished look. In olden times, a cloak almost served the purpose of an overcoat as it provided warmth and saved a person from rain and cold, chilly winds.

These cloaks may or may not have hoods and are usually fastened at the neck. Cloaks are also sleeveless, though in certain instances, there may be slits for hands to pass through. A cape is a clothe that is more worn for fashion purposes.

In general, a cape is a shorter version of a cloak, and though, there are many writers talking of the two dresses in the same breath, the longer dress is never referred to as a cape. In the past, specifically during Medieval and Renaissance period woollen cloaks with hoods were worn for commoners, the wealthy as well as, royalty. Commoners wore homespun woollen cloaks that usually reached their calves while the wealthy wore full-length fine cloaks.

Moreover, the cloaks of the wealthy have rich embellishments and embroidery, reflecting their wealth and status. Today, however, cloaks are rarely used in everyday fashion. They are popular among cosplayers and historical re-enactors. In fact, you can observe characters from historical movies and TV series wearing such cloaks. A cape is a sleeveless outer garment that drapes your back, arms, and chest, and usually connects at the neck, while a cloak is a sleeveless overgarment that hangs loosely from the shoulders and falls below the knees.

Moreover, capes are used by ladies to cover their formal evening wear and used by some military units, while cloaks are popular among cosplayers and historical re-enactors. The photo below is of actor Basil Rathbone playing Sherlock Holmes decades ago. He wears the cape, the plaid cap, and the pipe in his mouth as described by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

To be honest, its actually a kind of cape-coat called an Inverness Coat. In this studio photo, you see the cape clearly. However, the cape is attached to a coat that goes to his knees. An honest cape, nonetheless! Actor Basil Rathbone playing Sherlock Holmes. CLOAK — is long, often has a hood, sometimes has side pockets, is designed to be able to close all the way around the wearer, and was traditionally used for warmth.

In Medieval and Renaissance times, the wealthy and royals, wore cloaks made of a variety of fine fabrics such as silk and velvet to denote their wealth and status. CAPE — is often shorter, and while some capes will include enough fabric to wrap all the way around the body, most are narrower and will not close as completely as cloaks. In most cases, there is no hood and they often serve as more of an accessory.

In Medieval and Renaissance times, short fur or fine fabric capes were worn in court and by the wealthy to enhance their luxurious attire.

But there is a distinction between capes and cloaks even if that distinction is fuzzy , and people who love romantic historical eras — or are just trying to use the correct words for things — will use the appropriate terms.

Raven Fox Noir Black Cloak. My full length duster has a cape. It is removeable and held in place by straps that go under the shoulder but comes half way down the back. This is probably really nit-picky, but cloaks and capes can most definitely and often do involve more than a single piece of fabric.

In fact, looking at surviving garments from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as well as paintings from the same time show many cloaks and capes clearly are made of multiple panels in the body, some of the more fancy ones have collars and mantles that would also require additional panels and seams. And in the case of cloaks, a lot of hoods are made up of two panels with a seam down center back.

In some rare cases That being said, capes and cloaks that consist of one piece of fabric often with a lining are very common, particularly in the lower classes. Though the hood being a separate panel is just as common from what I can tell. Hi Erin, Thanks for posting this link to your research and writing. The cloak photos are beautiful and I look forward to reading the whole.