Little Red Cloak

A jolly piece of outerwear for those who love attention to detail. The shell is made of a smooth, scarlet wool, the lining a patterned cotton. It is half-length, falling near the hips on most. It is adorned with hand braided cord, extravagant trim, and closes with fine buttons and tassels. All of the finishing work is done by hand, so there is hardly a stitch to be seen on the entire garment. It is a bright, warm outer layer.

The body is our usual 3/4 circle, which lays closed more comfortably than most 1/2 circles. The pleated hood is voluminous, but not extravagant. Paired with the wide neckline, the hood may have a slightly more snug fit on smaller people, and more drape on larger people, but should be a functional size for most anyone. The 100% wool outer adds an impressive amount of warmth for its light weight, and is a vibrant red that closely resembles the dyes that were greatly treasured for much of history. The 100% cotton lining offers a bright contrast and an extra soft interior. The cloak may be closed with the decorative tassels wrapped around the buttons, or the extra cotton laces, if you wish to leave the tassels long.

The wool is somewhat water resistant- it will roll off the surface for a time, but by nature retains most of it's insulation power even when soaked through. If wet mud is not rubbed into the surface, most dirt can be swept off the wool with a soft, dry, brush, and the cotton lining is hearty enough for proper scrubbing, if necessary. While not intended for heavy weather, the piece is meant to be practical and long lasting.

Tassels were extremely popular status symbols in the medieval period, so although this garment was not fashioned after any particular historic examples, it would certainly be a jolly addition to a casual, luxurious medieval ensemble. Given that cloaks with built-in hoods were somewhat uncommon until later, this could be a wonderful addition to a more authentic kit from a later date, fantasy garb, or a modern wardrobe.