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

[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?