GET CAPE, WEAR CAPE, FLY

April 23, 2015

Capes may have suffered a bad rep earlier this year in light of a recent Madonna incident, but since I've got my hands on this oversized, cashmere-cotton throw-on, it has fast become my go-to, mid-season superhero.

I’ve always been a bit lousy when it comes to transitional dressing, generally due to my winter-phobic ways of either trying to jump into summer wear too quickly, or make it stretch out long after everyone else has resigned themselves to another seven months of tights and coats.

But the cape has thrown a new light on the summer-winter crossover period, perfect for indecisive souls like me. It solves the problem of coat versus no-coat. Especially at this time of year, when the day often starts in meagre single-digit temperatures and can progress to blistering 20s come lunchtime. It works with long, short or no sleeves, so chucking a light jumper in my handbag can easily rectify times when I’ve been overly optimistic about the weather. And unlike other mid-season over-garments, I have no qualms about wearing it inside (it’s a little uncomfortable to spend hours desk-bound in a heavy-duty biker jacket). Plus, it’s a massive yes to the bucket-sized hood, which is (I imagine) big enough to carry Duster around in.

Creator of the cape Anna Slevin – who works her magic across the pond in Chicago – has been quite a find. Her unique twist on basics makes them distinctive while still hugely versatile; think plenty of luxe materials, clean lines and easy-to-wear pieces. This certainly won’t be the last of her slickly-styled duds that finds its way into my wardrobe.