little red riding hood, style icon?

My lasting image of The Duchess, starring one Miss. Knightley, was a picture - postcard image of said actress in a satin - embossed cape. Indeed, after seeing the garment in question, I spent the rest of the movie envisioning such a majestic item and the sort of life- scenarios it would expect - flinging on floor - sweeping cape, the hood shielding my face from the elements, the enormous expanse of material flapping and billowing as I mount a snowy - white horse - OK, so my imagination ran away with me, but pretending to be Arwen from the Lord of the Rings is often a fun way to while away a few hours and it is not a coincidence that she too was fervent cape wearer. Bringing myself back down to earth or in this case demounting myself from that wily beast - my imagination -, I started thinking and incidentally, capes, capes and more capes seems to sum up those thoughts. Although the grand cloak rather then cape was the initial inspiration, 60's style cape coats are probably more appropriate for everyday lifestyle. For a nighttime affair, Kate Moss's lace cape or 20's flapper cape make a nice change from a blazer.

How fantastic is that Balmain cape? A short cape with a hood would have been considered a mythical item but this image proves otherwise. Grace Kelly works the more Little Red Riding Hood style of cape whereas Audrey Hepburn does 'nun chic'. That Pucci cloak is a nauseating piece of work but undoubtedly fun to fling on. Marianne Faithful's cape is exactly what I have in mind, dramatic but utterly wearable too.

OK, firstly, yes that is Cory Kennedy in the corner and no, I'm not a fan of her either but I just happened to stumble upon this image of her wearing..yes..a cape. It appears, that now the cape is actually quite a favourite with hipsters, Mary Kate did after all only don one about a week ago and those captured by Facehunter love them. I wish I could have got my hands on the black lace cape that Kate Moss did for her Topshop range last winter and as we are in the spirit of wishing things, who wouldn't love the glitzy/medieval -'Robin Hood goes to Vegas'-cape Lily Cole wore for that Vogue shoot?