We often give you tips on how to wear or the ways you can wear a particular scarf or wrap. Today, however, will be a little different because instead of showing you how to wear something, we’re going to do the opposite — show you how not to wear something.
For this particular run, we’re going to focus on the cape — and how you should never wear it in a certain manner. But first, let’s talk about the cape in detail.
What is the difference between a cape and a coat?
A cape is outerwear. It’s an alternative to the coat. It’s much like a wrap but thicker or heavier and perhaps more structured. Like a scarf or a kimono, wearing a cape is one quick way to turn your look from ordinary to awesome.
While they are both types of outerwear, a coat (R) is a long, full-length garment that is worn over other clothing to provide warmth and protection from the elements, while a cape is a loose, sleeveless garment that is worn over the shoulders and fastens at the neck
Unlike the coat, a cape is a swingy piece and follows the silhouette of a trapeze. What is even more unique about the cape is how it is constructed.
Unlike the typical coat, which comes with its own set of sleeves, a cape only features slits where your arms can go through (well, at least most capes do). Capes are generally mid-length — they end at the hip or just below the crotch.
Iggy Azalea wears a black snakeskin leather sheath dress with a leopard print cape and black ankle boots (Credit: Judy Eddy / DJDM / WENN)
Capes are great, and we love a girl who can wear her cape well. But like any other piece of clothing, you also need to understand that there are things you should never wear with this stylish topper. Here’s a great example of how you should never wear your cape, courtesy of Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea.
The first thing you should remember is that capes are mid-length (some, even longer), so never wear your cape with a knee-length, tea-length, or even ankle-length skirt. Doing so will make you look frumpy and short.
Iggy Azalea attends an event at Tao nightclub in The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, on April 5, 2014 (Credit: Judy Eddy / DJDM / WENN)
If, for some reason, you dare defy the rules of balance and proportion by rocking a midi with your long cape (like Iggy here), please do not do more damage by capping off the outfit with just your ankle boots. Doing so will only make you look even shorter. Try pairing the boots with matching tights (black-on-black).
As you can see in the pictures above, while Iggy’s animal-print cape shows a lot of promise (it’s a statement piece), the way she styled it with a below-the-knee dress and some ankle boots was completely wrong and unflattering. Just imagine how different (and fabulous) she would have looked had the dress been short (thigh-level); even better had she worn black tights with those boots.
In general, jeans, leggings, shorts, and mini skirts are the cape’s best friends. If you want to rock a cape with a long skirt, ensure the skirt’s hemline hits the floor, and go with a shorter cape as much as possible.
Here are a few capes from Zappos you can snag this spring. These are light in weight, so they’re great for layering. Wear them during those cold spring nights or simply whenever you fancy:
Lauren Ralph Lauren Classic Trench Cape, $150
Lisa Taranto Dani Cape, $163