Fashion expert Sarah Mower says buy a cape (and ignore the Scottish Widow jokes)

Typically, one simply has to rise above man's lack of ability to grasp the finer nuances of trend. This struck me but once more on the best way to the Trend Awards final week.

I had dug out a classic black velvet cloak with a hood that I'd saved for the proper event.

My husband had been suspiciously quiet on the drive there. As he dropped me off, he got here out with it: 'So I've been questioning. Can I ask you about my pension?'

Typically, one simply has to rise above man's lack of ability to grasp the finer nuances of trend. This struck me but once more on the best way to the Trend Awards final week. Pictured, Dita Von Teese

Ha ha, very humorous.

Sure, a black full-length cloak will, certainly, sign Scottish Widows advert to a person who sees the twists and turns of trend as providing the irresistible alternative to mock.

However as current feminine firm will admire, they should be ignored with as a lot dignity as a lady can muster. For that is the information, husbands: a protracted cape is exactly the proper factor to reach in at this yr's Christmas get together.

Do you have to ever must woman-splain it, that is the reasoning. First, there's the sensible half. This yr's eveningwear has change into so sophisticated by voluminously trendy sleeves and puffed Victorian shoulderlines, that they're troublesome to cram a coat over.

Apiece of outerwear which rests simply on high as an alternative of crushing all the things is an ideal answer.

Now on to the 'Simply because. . .' argument. (This will likely be tougher for him to become familiar with, however do persevere).

Cloaks and their shorter sisters are trendy simply because they're. It tracks again to the craving for a little bit of romance; a touch of nostalgia for the Sixties and Seventies; one thing a bit queenly, even.

In the event you've been an addict of Sport Of Thrones, Victoria and The Crown, then you definitely'll know that the sight of all these wonderful highly effective queens sweeping round on our TV screens evening after evening has had its impact.

CLOAKS: THE RULES 

• Beware checks and ginghams — it is going to look such as you're sporting a picnic blanket.

• An excessive amount of metalwear on a cape dangers taking you into district nurse territory.

• If unsure, go for black. Simply rise above the Scottish Widow jokes!

• Go for the heaviest cloth you possibly can afford to make sure the cape hangs properly.

Normalisation of the cape has crept up on us. What as soon as appeared like pure costume drama abruptly begins to appear completely do-able.

There are a number of elegant capes accessible on the Excessive Avenue. In the event you can afford it, there's an excellent, black, evening-suitable one by Maje (£315, uk.maje.com), and for those who really feel like branching into day choices, Somerset by Alice Temperley (£220, johnlewis.com) and River Island (suede, £195, riverisland.com) ones are good and tailor-made, with out tipping over into district nurse territory. Put on them with roll‑neck sweaters, tailor-made trousers and high-heeled boots.

Designers, too, have been taken by the cape (in spite of everything, they watch HBO and Netflix as effectively). There have been formal, tailor-made capes at Roksanda and Chloe. Rick Owens confirmed some stunning full-length silk velvet ones. They actually bought me going till I realised it was both that, or shopping for a brand new laptop computer for my daughter. Which is why I used to be happy to recollect I had as soon as purchased that outdated velvet cloak from my favorite classic store in Totnes, Devon.

I dug it out, despatched it to the dry-cleaner, after which there I used to be, being mocked on the best way to that awards ceremony on the Royal Albert Corridor.

As soon as in, it was all OK. I solely needed to get to the highest of the pink carpet (not a pleasant expertise for a civilian, I can let you know) the place I bumped into two of my good mates, who have been each equally caped.

One in all them was sporting a divine black velvet Yves Saint Laurent model.

I seemed it up afterwards. On an ecommerce web site, it was precisely described as 'majestic'. It jogged my memory of one thing. A few seconds extra on Google, and there was the proof: it's a reproduction of the black Ede & Ravenscroft cape belonging to the Queen.

I wouldn't be in any respect shocked if we see Her Majesty out and about it in once more this Christmas-tide. That must shut my husband up!

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