Not an Inverness cape, so ...what is it?

[Wompet]

I meant to ask this when these pictures were first posted in the Vintage thread:



The outerwear that Sir Compton Mackenzie is wearing in the top photo, and George Gordon is wearing above, left - it looks like a reversed Inverness cape. Instead of a body-length coat and short cape, it's a short coat and body-length cape.

First question: is there a proper name for this, and if so what is it?
Second question: has anyone here an actual garment like these?

[Riverkilt]

Dang, looks like waistcoat, jacket, then a regular coat without the arms in the sleeves in both pics...but you can't see if there are any arms....if there aren't any sleeves then maybe its something like those French police capes...

The guy in the left background in the bottom pic doesn't seem to have any sleeves showing...so maybe just a cape like them French police capes.

But then why put bottons on the front of the thing if there are no sleeves or armholes?? How could you even button it up without help from a friend. Weird garment. Guessing our historical experts have an answer...please....??

Ron

[Jock Scot]

Don't forget that these coats were probably "bespoke" ,so the tailor would have made them to the customers requirements. Like kilts, Inverness capes come in many styles, so worry not. My grandfather had an Inverness with sleeves(properly called an "Ulster"?) that I used to wear too, but sadly my wife "retired " it some years ago.

[Wompet]

Thanks Jock. I should have considered the possibility that these were tailored coats, but the question remains (at least for me) - why reverse the lengths of the layers? Looking at various styles of capes and overcoats, the long body/short cape seems to be a standard design.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I meant to ask this when these pictures were first posted in the Vintage thread:



The outerwear that Sir Compton Mackenzie is wearing in the top photo, and George Gordon is wearing above, left - it looks like a reversed Inverness cape. Instead of a body-length coat and short cape, it's a short coat and body-length cape.

First question: is there a proper name for this, and if so what is it?
Second question: has anyone here an actual garment like these?

These are shooting/stalking capes (similar to a poncho) and, according to my pal in Vienna, they are designed to provide maximum protection for the gun (shotgun to Norte Americanos) or rifle when moving about in the field. Apparently the same kind of kit is still regularly worn by German hunters. On many of these shooting capes the cape itself is readily detachable, leaving the wearer in a sleeveless "body warmer". This can be clearly seen in the photo of Compton Mackenzie.

I suspect Gore-Tex and other miracle fibers may have rendered the shooting cape redundant these days, but back in the 30s-50s when these photos were likely to have been taken, probably every self-respecting laird or shot had one of these as part of his sporting wardrobe.

My man in Vienna also pointed out the difference between an Ulster and an Inverness. Technically an Ulster is a cloak with one or more cape-lets on the shoulders. An Inverness is an overcoat (with or without sleeves) and a single cape-let on the shoulders reaching to the wrist or slightly longer.

As Jock Scot mentioned, by-and-large these would have been tailor-made for the individual so expect to see a fair amount of variation from the "standard definition". (Just comparing Gordon's "cape" to Mackenzie's, we see variation on closing, on lining [Gordon's is, Mackenzie's isn't] and numerous other details.)

And for the eagle-eyed, how many spotted the tassels on Mackenzie's sporran are on the side of the bag, not in front of it?

[Wompet]

Thank you MacMillan - that explains the longer outside layer.

[pdcorlis]

Let's see - a kilt, a stick, a pipe, and a shooting cape - Sir Compton is looking sharp! At long last I know what t ask for for Christmas!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Let's see - a kilt, a stick, a pipe, and a shooting cape - Sir Compton is looking sharp! At long last I know what t ask for for Christmas!

Don't forget the Dickson Round Action 12 bore!

[pdcorlis]

Wouldn't that be something!

[Carolina Kiltman]

But then why put bottons on the front of the thing if there are no sleeves or armholes?? How could you even button it up without help from a friend. Weird garment.
Ron

I had a boat cape, and my wife bought a cape about 40 years ago, and has used it as a pattern to make probably a dozen or so since then. A cape does have slots for the hands and arms to reach outside to do such mundane things as opening doors and buttoning up the cape. The advantage is that the arms can be pulled entirely inside and that keeps everything warm.