A cloak is a loose outer garment. It covers the whole body and is worn on top of other clothing. Cloaks are often associated with medieval folk, but they actually have a long history that can be traced back to early garments worn by man since the Stone Age!
Cloaks were functional garments that have been used for warmth since early history, but they also added to status! The cost or quality of a cloak would show off how much money a person had to spend on clothing which is why cloaks for both men and women came in different styles with different fabrics depending on the class.
Cloaks became status symbols during Medieval times because they could determine someone’s place in society. In addition to using it as an identifier and a way to show off wealth, men and women also used cloaks as part of their armor during combat! By adding metal plates to the inside, for example, it could be transformed into a bulletproof vest.
It is believed that there are still some cloaks in museums today that date back as far as or even older than those mentioned above! You can see many types of historical garments at museums such as The Cloisters Museum and Gardens.
But you might not find cloaks specifically because they became less popular after the late middle ages – instead, other styles like doublets and dresses became fashionable. That said, there are examples and instances where people use them today:
Burlesque dancers often don caped capes to give their performance an extra flair.
Mountain climbers wear a type of cloak called a poncho that is intended to help with bad weather and snow. These types of cloaks are often made from silk, nylon, or other water-resistant fabrics such as cotton/polyester blends.
For thousands of years, cloaks have been a component of human apparel. The simple cut of the garment allows it to be made out of any material or skin with little effort. Many civilizations have included cloaks in their textile history, as they provide maximum protection to the wearer. Cloaks are no longer popular in today’s fashion scene, but they are occasionally worn.
