Style

How To Wear A Cape Like A Fashionista

By May | October 18, 2016

A cape, whether it’s worn as a coat or a blazer, gives a touch of elegance to any outfit you have on. Wondering what it is? This is a sleeveless outer garment, which drapes the wearer’s back, arms and sometimes the chest. This garment can be of full length (sweeping the floor), or as short as going just slightly below the shoulders. Sometimes it can appear like a poncho or cloak. Of course what comes to mind when we say cape is superman and other ‘superheroes’ flying in the air, but this fashion trend is having a big fashion moment right now, thanks to its versatility and the warmth it brings to the wearer. In the past, capes were worn to protect the wearer’s outfit from rain without covering the entire outfit up.

Capes are not just coats now, they are appearing on everything from evening gowns, dresses, tops, and jackets. Ugandan designers have embraced the trend, so you’ll find one or two in their collections. The interesting part is, capes look stylish on men just as they are on women. Don’t be afraid to indulge, sir!

Here some rules for nailing your cape look

Go for capes in neutral basic colours, especially for evening gowns. Elevate your look with elegance in a pair of heels.
Emphasize the shape of the cape by pairing it with slim fitted pants. However, for an inverted triangle body shape, you might want to balance it out with boot cut pants.
For a cropped cape, usually swinging above the hip, wear with short-length skirts.
If your cape has plenty of fabric and detail, balance the voluminous nature with a pencil skirt.
Wear you cape with tight fitted pants, the longer the cape, the better it will look with skinny pants.
Be careful if your cape is sweeping the floor, it can be dangerous if that extra fabric gets stuck on something. Madonna fell flat on the ground at the Brit awards last year, when she was yanked off stage by her cape which was tied too tightly.

Celebrities such as Desire Luzinda, Malaika Nyanzi, Juliana Kanyomozi and Lupita Nyongo have embraced this trend.