Why oh why would we wear a coat and not even bother to put it all the way on? Silly fashion people, coats are for warmth! But are they always? Let’s take a look.
Draping a coat over your shoulders can say a lot — some think it looks pretentious, others find it chic, or you’re just too lazy to put your arms through the arm holes…
Like why bother to drape when you can just wear a cape?
Of course there’s room in all of our wardrobes for both draping and caping. I love a good cape (even a cape dress) but doing the whole jacket draped over shoulders thing is probably more versatile, as I’m sure we have many more coats in our closets than capes. And speaking of versatility, when you drape your coat, it just gives off a different vibe. See for yourself…
It just seems a little prettier, perhaps more feminine, and a hint of effortlessness. To be quite honest, I don’t drape my coat as often as I do in personal style photos, as it’s typically quite cold in these and I want you to be able to see what’s underneath the outerwear. The main reason I drape a coat outside of these photos is if I’m wearing something boxy / bulky (which isn’t necessarily a rare occasion for me) and it’s too difficult to actually put on a coat. If you’re wearing something that easily wrinkles, has a structured silhouette or even a statement sleeve, and it’s still cold enough where you need some sort of outerwear, THIS is where the draped coat comes in handy (or a cape, if you’re into it).
For example, this lip sweatshirt is quite boxy, and although I can put this coat on over it (as it’s one of my wider silhouettes for outerwear) it’s much easier just to drape it.
Now there are some general rules for draping. As far as length goes, I’d stick with hip-length or longer for your outerwear. Shorter jackets look awkwardly wide once draped over the shoulders (unless you already have an extra wide silhouette) so the longer, the better. It’s also best to stick to a boxy or structured coat, and not anything fitted / streamlined, as it won’t sit properly on your shoulders. Got it? Good.
Now’s the best time for draping as it’s not crazy cold out. So if you still want to show off your outfit but stay a little warm, then DRAPE THAT COAT, GIRL. Or if you’re down…cape it.
I know we just discussed lighter outerwear BUT here’s a few more coats (perfect for draping!) as well as some cool capes that will leave you looking more awesome than you already are this spring.
Images via Pinterest, Vogue & CCF
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