Victorian Capes For Men

The Victorian cape for men began as a longer garment, often decorated with folds at the top. The Victorian cape often hung low at heel level. Victorian capes were often made out of wool and cotton. Capes were often a symbol status worn by men who were considered high up in society. The type of cape men wore determined what station they were in. Capes with multiple folds were usually reserved for coachmen who needed extra protection when steering a carriage around foggy London. Capes at this time period were mostly worn by men of England along with places that were by rivers or seaside ports where the weather was moist and often rainy. Throughout the 1800s, the Victorian cape became detachable at the collar, often worn as an extra layer of protection against the rain or snow. The Victorian cape was mostly popular in London where extra layered garments provided protection against a moist, foggy atmosphere coming from the Thames River. The wealthy mostly wore capes, businessmen, noblemen and doctors.

By the late 1800s, men mostly wore overcoats or longcoats to keep warm, but some men wore the classic cape for a sense of style. Capes were usually reserved for the evening or a day with bad weather such as fog, rain or snow. Men would often wear capes to balls or operas where doormen would check their capes and hats at the door. When a man entered someone’s house, it was customary to either hang his cape on a coat rack or have a butler place his garments and hats in a safe location until it was time to leave.