Whenever I want to stay dry in the rain I usually just put on a long rain coat, knee length, something like a dryzabone, and a good brimmed hat, and then stay inside my house until the rain stops.
Ok so here's the thing. I'm at art school, so the things people wear can be a little different from "normal" things to wear. So sometimes I wear a Medieval cape. Then, one day when I was walking down the hallway, the Cape bloating behind me, I saw it: another person wearing a frickin Cape aswell. And now theres like 3 other people walking through the Hallways and it just looks gorgeous when we're passing each other.
I've always wanted to do this at my art school, unfortunately I have an insecurity with my appearance and I don't exactly believe that wearing a cape would improve anything XD.
A cloak is currently number 1 on my to-buy list. I intend to wear it regularly. I'm old enough not to give a damn if people think I'm a nutter; I'll be a warm, dry, nutter. I can live with that. Also figure it'll add a season or two to my sleeping equipment for camping out.
+Nathan Baxter i tried wearing one for a week. people did not seem to react much differently towards me. my friends were teasing a bit but after the first night, they all wanted to borrow it xD Now we are the 4-nutter-ears!... or something.. lol no im kiding i stoped wearing it, i did not find it practical in comparison to a jacket.. it was more anoying trying to figure out where to stuff a cape every time i went inside :P
JC Does Stuff!! The snuggie is worn to cover your front while reclining. Not at all like a cloak. The snuggie is not made for standing or walking. Good luck trying to draw your sword while you're wearing a snuggie.
It is the biggest shame ever that cloaks went out of fashion because I absolutely agree. When I was still doing LARP and reenactment, my trusty half circle cloak was my most practical and favourite piece of kit I had. I absolutely hate modern rain coats because they're all designed for fashion rather than practical use.
I made a long wool cloak out of two army blankets I have made the exact same observations. It is a shame that western culture has discarded this magnificent article of clothing... Here's to the nutters!
DaneStolthed We don't particularly need them. There are many objects of clothing better able to stay warm in, and we can avoid rain rather well without carrying defenses with us.
+Firefox is red, Explorer is blue. Google+ sucks and Chrome does too. Get a good set with zip-up legs and leave the legs unzipped to the knee both top and bottom zips and it'll take you seconds to put on even in big boots. I keep mine rolled up so I can get the top on first then the pants, then I put any bag covers on their bags. I would very much like to try a cloak in place of my modern rain gear to see how it compares.
That was an extremely high fidelity thunder roll there. The fact that I had to take my headphones off and look out of the window has made me quite pleased that I bought this headset.
The 3 piece suit is wonderful. It allows for great heat management and helps keep posture during a long days static work. Get a proper suit and you’ll understand
Beside being a really great peice of clothing cloaks can be used as a shield if you wrap you arm with it or as a net to catch like a dog or something or bundled into and blanket for your kids if they fall asleep. Bring em back!
Cloaks seem appropriate in both medieval and futuristic settings, but aren't socially accepted currently. Yep, we live in awkward times, we'll just have to wait for them to become fashionable again :D
Cloaks: Also known as "What Weather?!" I honestly have no idea why they went out of fashion, my viking cloak is brilliant as protection against the English summers
If you lived in the Rural southern US, you can get away with a cloak. People still wear them when hunting, cause its warm, and does a damn good job at breaking up your silhouette.
Here in Louisiana, we only have cold weather about 3 or 4 months outta the year. But I could see a loose linen or canvas cloak being good to keep the sun off of yourself.
Actually, you just MAY be overlooking your accidental discovery of a cloak's ability to cover your retreat by unseating a compatriot to be captured as you successfully exit...:)
+CorollaNut68 Speaking as a veteran of two combat tours; you have NO friends -- anyone who stands between you and safety is your enemy; no matter what uniform they are wearing.
wool is like magic for textiles anyway. it's been shaped by evolution to keep sheep warm in all weather, and it does the same for us. warm in the cold, breathable in the heat, keeps you warm even if it's wet, and dries efficiently. just the best.
+Rob Mckennie Scratchy, though. I love woollen clothing and often wear a traditional New Zealand Swanndri that's like a shepherd's smock; it seals a lot of weather out, but it doesn't dry that quickly and is very itchy against the skin. Everyone should own a "Swanny"- thoroughly recommended.
+AlexSDU Pure Merino wool from New Zealand, woven on quite a tight weave to keep the weather out. It keeps you warm, even when damp, but also breathes very well. I wear my Swanndri in the Autumn through to Spring and then chuck it in the back of my Jeep to use as a picknick blanket in the Summer - versatile bit of kit! Swanndri also do a "Ranger" shirt and I have one of these.
Stone Marten What do you mean a "traditional" swanndri? Admittedly they've been around a long time, but the only things about New Zealand that I'd call 'traditional' are elements of Maori culture
+Rob Mckennie New Zealand is the European colonisers' name for the islands, who also brought the sheep with them, so it is a traditional "New Zealand" garment. You cannot deny that the Swanni is cut like a traditional European shepherd's smock. As you sound like a SJW type, you would probably disapprove if I wore a Maori clothing as cultural appropriation!
As long as the coat and the cloak are made from the same material i don't see an upside to cloaks, like sleeves are useful, pockets are useful, buttons are useful. But if you like them and hate sleeves, knock yourself out.
They became stylised in the 19th century as a part of high fashion of the time, where they remained that way past the 1880s before transforming into the overcoats we know so well.
Why no cloak?...Because you now live in a warm house..a warm work environment..and warm transportation (a car...not on foot or horse)....?......Now people wear coats to get from their front door to their BMW door.
I dont know, youtube keeps recommends me this awesome channel. I dont really know what is this channel about. I have watched your video about boarding schools over 5 times in about 8 months and I am not planning to stop. You, Mister, are a gem here.
Ive just ordered the material - boiled wool for me - to make my own cloak. I'll be honest, I really don't give a crap about people thinking I'm a nutter, they think that enough already
I you make a simple one like the one Lindybeige has (as opposed to any of the google image results for "cloak"), but made it with a less garish pattern, such as plain brown or black, people might not really think anything of it. I think I'll make one too. If I'm wrong, I don't really care, the hoodie I wear all the time is covered in paint anyway so I already look like a homeless person.
You got me thinking how and where to get one. Also, man, you are funny one! I can't remember how I stumbled onto your channel, but I like your sense of humor and way you present it. Also, the points you provide aren't half as bad as load of video makers do. Sharp, bit goofy and on target. So, thumbs up and keep up a good work.
I've always been bothered by how cold your back gets at a bonfire. But now I get it: when it was cold, people were sitting around the fire in cloaks. Mind blown 🤯
Make an "Indian" fire. White man: Make humungous fire stand way back, freeze his @zz off. Indian: Make small fire, sit close, stay warm. Oh and if you have just a small fire, and a wool cloak you will be snug as a bug in a rug.
I love your videos and the random tangents you go on; your videos encompass so many topics that watching several of them feels like having an actual conversation
It wasn't just merely that cloaks were practical and warm, I think the historical salience of cloaks has a lot to do with the fact that they were as textiles extremely simple to manufacture, requiring almost no tailoring and thus were relatively cheap. One has to remember, in an age before sewing machines, industrial textile factories, and (sigh) the sweatshops of the global capitalist village, tailored garments were extremely expensive and largely unavailable to all but the rich. That great invention of some unsung genius tailor of the past, the pocket, was unknown until modernity. It's amazing to think that people living in the middle ages and before that time had to transact all their day-to-day business without the help of pockets sewn into their clothing. The ironic thing is that for all their poverty of fabric, the medievals had a far more (in my opinion) amenable fashion sense than we moderns do. They dressed themselves in a riot of color and flair, whilst we in our very glut of textile riches, choose to clothe ourselves in drab, shapeless, sacks of cloth. Apparently because that's what's "cool".
It does seem very strange that clothes have become duller and more uniform as artificial dyes and sewing machinery has come around. All I can attribute it to is that possibly people are more aware of social pressures to conform. I think George Orwell noticed this trend, though I forget the quote.
Lab Rat Actually, I was somewhat paraphrasing C.S. Lewis' Merlin who says something similar to the whole 'drab sacks of cloth'. Merlin also criticizes the paradox between having comparatively wonderful modern cutlery and utensils and sparkling clear drinking water yet subsisting on a diet of processed garbage.
Well... Considering that most people would sew their own garments, and so until recently most of everyone had clothes, yes, "tailor sewn" as it were, I doubt that particular bit mattered much. I mean, until industrial clothing production became a thing, no garments at all was not sewn a particular person. Of course, the very, very poor probably bought other people's used clothes, but the majority would sew their own clothes (or, well, have their wife/mother/some other woman do it) if they couldn't pay to have it sewn.
Orange Joe no, a snuggie is not a cloak and you know it. A snuggie is made to cover your front while reclining. Good luck trying to draw your sword with a snuggie in the way.
I adore your content: what few videos I've seen of yours are very informational yet all is presented in small, comprehensible and simple bits. Kudos to you good sir, keep it up!
I have come to appreciate the "bottom line up front" style of you tube videos. saves me loads of time. it's like "hey this shit is really cool and this is why, stick around if you want all the juicy details." saves me loads of time because I can decide then if I want to actually hang around. some times I hang around for 20 fucking minutes, waiting for some kind of revelation, and the shit turns out to be not really that cool.
So, this video, after many years of consideration and saving, has convinced me to purchase a nice period accurate cloak to the 10th century. And I have to say, cloaks are good. However, as a student, I've noticed a severe limitation: Cloaks are make backpacks very cumbersome. I bought a satchel to remedy this, but even then, cloaks are best used without baggage.
I have myself a cloak made from 12ft of think wool cloth, its folded over in half to match my height and then shortened just a bit more for the hood. I'm 5'10 and the cloak is 5'7 and works tremendously well in heavy rain (I live in the pacific Northwest) So I can verify; they are amazing, and the looks are priceless too but there are a few people that do say when its raining and i'm cozy and dry, "genius".
Solid information here. Let's remember that cloaks were awesome and practical And let's appreciate the influence on lamguage- cloak and dagger, cloaking your plans or vessel.
I live in sweden.. I've long thought about using cloaks - and you've now convinced me. I now officially want a cloak to protect me against the horrific winter cold.
My mother's ancestors, Native People of Eastern Canada, used the Hudson's Bay point blankets essentially like cloaks. In Canada's cold winters,and long,cold wet springs, these blankets worked quite well. It should be noted, however, that these Blankets were heavier than today's blankets.That said, however, I have a modern day Hudson's Bay Blanket, the heaviest type,around 50 years or so old. t I used it for fall hunting trips in the bush, and I found it grand! Nowadays , it can be used in the coldest and draftiest bedroom in the old farmhouses around here, and never be cold. Even though the room is upstairs, and unheated. Water will freeze, but you won't! Just the ticket for wrapping around you and your sweety at the campfire.
antred11 I have a Soviet Air Corp jacket that is made of wool that I wear when it rains and in winter, you get used to it after the first few uses. It's easiest to just wear it for 3-5 days in a row.
You can still wear a cloak modernly without being regarded as weird, it just has to be actually fancy like, not just a folded blanket thing. Like, an actual shaped hood and solders.
This is such an informative channel... this guy is so passionate about what he is covering, the way I feel when watching him speak, it reminds me of Steve Irwin.
I don't understand why cloaks went "out of fashion". Because, provided they're of a fine material, I could absolutely see them as a stylish addition to one's wardrobe. I believe you could even create one with interior zip-up pockets. Overall, I think wool is underappreciated in modern clothing, synthetic materials being preferred. I recently added some wool items back into my winter wardrobe and I'm appreciating them quite a lot.
Modern wool fabric is wonderful compared to what my grandparents had. Nowadays you can even make nice undergarments from wool with terrific insulation. The wool clothing my grandparents had/have is unbearable to the point I can't even wear them without scratching my skin off. The synthetics are cheaper to mass produce and therefore cheaper in general though
Shawn Wesley - I have two wool greatcoats, one Russian one British, from WWII and they are *_fantastically_* warm... t’only problem is the Russian coat weighs about 7kg...
I've worn a cloak, in public, for several years.I'm sure numerous people thought I was a nutter, but most people wanted to know where I got it. Unfortunately, for them, I made mine. I would like to mention, I live in Missouri, USA, not an area historically known for open-minded individuals.
Wiccan Wanderer How did you make it? Did you use instructions from a book or a webpage? If so, could you please tell me where I can access the information?
I have one that I wear too. I basically got two yards of fabric cut it so I had a two and a half by one and a quarter foot rectangle in the center top, folded it in half rounded the top corner of the rectangle where the fold is. Sewed all along the top and rounded corner of the rectangles, and cut a diagonal curve shape all along the bottom of my cloak, before getting a pin or leather lace and fastening it.
You're right. I have a beautiful woolen cloak that I use whenever it gets too cold. Nothing like walking around with a layer of warm air keeping you nice and toasty while everyone else shivers!
I watched this video when it was first published. I was still in high school at the time, now I'm a teacher. it was the first thing that came to mind when I was just reading an 16th century diary where the writer was going on about how much he liked his new cloak.
Please Floyd, could you make us a video of how to fold and sew that cloak? I know it might not be as complicated as I think but I cant really see how its done from this angle.
Another great property of cloacks are the ability to share. You can loosen your cloack and wrap it around you and another person when sitting shoulder to shoulder, I tried that with a normal coat but couldnt do that...
Absolutely cracking! I’ve been out in a heavy wool cloak (actually a great kilt) for some historical bushcraft. They are superb! Warm, highly water resistant to a degree, very cosy. Spot on video :) hope this finds you well & staying chipper.
I've always wanted to ask someone like you, how do you consider sitting and waiting hunting? It's not hunting it's waiting in one spot till you can shoot, weak.
You obviously aren't a hunter. For a lot of prey, such as white tail deer, the only way you're going to have consistent success is to scout your area, find the trails and traffic patterns, and ambush it. For rabbit hunting with dogs the **only** way you will ever get a shot it get ahead of them and wait for the rabbit to cross in front of you.
Yeah, you're obviously not a hunter. Patience is the most important asset for a hunter, more important than aim or stealth. We have chickens, which means we have chicken feed, which means that we have rats coming to eat the chicken feed. Rats are fairly smart, which makes them fairly difficult prey. You can't just pick up the air rifle and expect to shoot one, they'll scatter at the movement. You need to pick your spot, get into a comfortable shooting position, and then wait until they come back out. The first to appear will be small and stupid. Once they've been out for a bit the larger ones will start to appear. Even then you need to wait until they're in a good spot and holding still before firing. They'll all scatter again, and this time it will be 20 minutes or more until they reappear. I've gotten as many as four large rats in an evening. That's the only non-food hunting I've ever done in my life, but it's fun.
I guess, he was talking about "hunting" in those treehouses, where you just wait until the game sticks it's head to your rifle when going to water source or eating on bait. Obviously, I'm not a hunter and have watched True detective, but that looks a lot like fishing to me and it certainly misses the "game" part in hunting.
Great to see some practical knowledge on the subject of cloaks. I recently moved from a very hot place to a very VERY cold place. I started out draping a blanket around myself, and got to the point where I was basically designing a cloak to wear during the cold nights. If you are stationary, or doing sedentary tasks, cloaks are incredibly effective at keeping you warm. Dont be fooled by "debunking" videos ... you lose heat upwards, cloaks keep that heat DOWNWARDS.
Just made a cloak from old army blankets today, after watching your video. Wow this thing is amazing. Lovely and snug and really does keep the rain off. I can't beleive these items of clothing just are not used anymore. Great bit of kit
Modern textile manufacturing made relatively fitted clothing cheap, so style took over from practicality. Cloaks also don't play nice with car/bus/train doors.
Cloaks can be stylish and practical - started wearing them when re-enacting then started wearing them out dog walking on the hills in all weather and they're wonderful for all the reasons mentioned here! When with with a belt you can make them cost like too, while keeping the temperature control options and flexibility, and they're easy to adapt for a bit of impromptu foraging too. Stuff normal opinion - they're brill, much better than modern costs in most situations, and it would be great to see them make more of a comeback.
***** Honestly, even the sparse neck(/chin)beard is surprisingly nice in a northern winter. Road my bike to school every day in Milwaukee and one winter day I decided on a full clean shave. I quickly found my ski mask when I got home that night.
Wolfe Kaplan Yeah, It's especially badass when you have ice cycles hanging off your beard. I didn't know how helpful a beard and long hair were in the cold until I grew it out. Ski masks are pretty useless now lol.
That is funny. I was on a meddevel reinactment thingy once when the rain was poring down. There was two "guards" in cloaks, one of them was puting his hand out every now and again. I was thinking he was testig if the rain was decreasing.. but this might be the explination ;)
TL;DR version: A mix of fashion, ease of movement, and conservation of fabric made us stop wearing cloaks. Anyone can take a length of cloth off a loom and make a cloak out of it, but the fashionable had tailors who figured out how to cut the fabric to cup the body. They discovered that a fitted coat took up less fabric than a full cloak, too, once properly made...but mostly it was a way to show off the fact you could afford the tailor or had the skill yourself to make the coat. As for ease of movement, the one drawback to a cloak he doesn't mention is that you can get a lot more work done while wearing a wool coat than if you wear a cloak; a cloak will gape and let in cold air when you try to work with your arms. You can bundle up the cloak, wrapping ends over your arms, even lashing the fabric into place, etc, but it's awkward, far more bulky, and takes more time than a coat to wind and unwind. (I'm in the SCA; I've used cloaks for years, and in cold weather, it's hard to get stuff done without that drafty gap problem.) Another consequence of "modern" life lay in putting more and more emphasis on separating work and leisure activities, and thus separating all the things associated with them. Your cloak could be used as an additional blanket on your bed as well as a way to keep you warm outside, but when you had a coat, you had to have a separate extra blanket for your bed because the coat wouldn't work like a cloak...but you went with the coat-and-blanket, because you could "afford" both blanket and coat; it was fashionable to have both, and showcased your wealth. Putting arm slits on cloaks was a way to help keep out most of the drafts. Putting sleeves on the slits gave us the houppelande, which kept the arms toasty while allowing us to continue to work. That in turn led toward the greatcoat, which still had fuller folds than the modern coat, which led toward coats and jackets as we know them today.
What a brilliant youtube video, immediately gave the answer, then a short clip filled with useful bits and humour about cloaks. Won't lie, would not miss more videos like this today aha
7 years after I first saw this video I finally have a good wool blanket for the purposes of cloak making. I'm rather tall, so until now the only wool blankets large enough to reach my ankles were far to expensive to justify buying just to make a cloak. I am going to make some alterations to mine rather than just using the blanket as is and throwing it around my shoulders. I plan on adding a thin blanket stuffing layer and a nice soft fleece liner or maybe just cotton fabric liner. And I plan on taking the hood off of a hoodie and sewing it on rather than doubling the blanket up on the shoulders because, as I said, I'm very tall and that would make it only come down to just below the knee. So I am finally going to realize a dream I've had ever since watching this video. Woohoo!
I have a woolen cloak that I use for Renaissance Festivals and such, and it's my most-used piece of kit by quite a large margin (the second-most-used being my _feileadh-mor_, for much the same reason). Blanket, raincoat, windbreaker, and dramatic flowing cape all rolled into one. Outside of the RenFest, I have a slightly oversized black wool peacoat that makes up the better part of my cold-weather attire; basically a mid-thigh-length cloak with buttons and sleeves. Comfortable and practical, but elegant enough for a funeral. If any more evidence for the efficacy of the cloak is needed, consider this: To this very day, members of the United States Marine Corps are issued a full-length lined cloak as part of their dress uniform. Precious few professions these days come with their own official superhero cape. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/PlateV_Evening_Dress.jpg (Center-right.)
Jonathan Hughes - I’ve been looking for a good long peacoat, but have found the offerings wanting... where’d you get yours? I *_love_* my Russian and English WWII greatcoats (I swear the Russian one weighs like 8kg) but still yearn for a good peacoat...
The problem with woolen cloaks is that nowadays in modern society we enter and exit warm (usually anyway) buildings quite frequently, and cloaks need to dry. Our waterproof fabrics can be hung up and water will drip off them while we do whatever we're doing and we can put it back on and off we go. A cloak cannot do that as effectively as water cannot evaporate out as quickly and might even soak down into the lower layer. I think our high-tech raincoats should be made longer (seriously where are all the long raincoats that are modern?) or cloaks with a waterproof exterior and warm interior should be made.
+Kitt “Captain Aubrey” C Long coats with slightly rubbery exteriors instead of the rough plastic they usually are, plus i would love a fold-out blanket inside it, perhaps doubling as insulation when it's not used.
+Kitt “Captain Aubrey” C Consider the merits of the common naval "bridge coat" (which you should almost certainly be familiar with, mon capitaine): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pea_coat A peacoat plus a nice felt cap is a convenient combo (peacoats can have pockets, unlike cloaks). A similar design, with a waterproof outer layer (such as synthetic fiber) would go a long way towards improving the serviceability of the design, in my opinion.
+Jonathan Hughes Ye average modern raincoat is already the length of a peacoat. Leather is a shite material for a raincoat as you will quickly drown in sweat. Also, peacoats don't have hoods. The peacoat would be a downgrade from current raincoat designs
Excellent content and delivery. Thank you. The future of human dress is in the past & can be seen in wraps, mantles, sarongs, cloaks, capes, togas, shawls, ruanas, etc. Our modern tight-fitting clothing was inspired by attire worn by eastern horsemen, notably the Hungarians. Prior to this influence, the tunic, cloak, and trousers had been standard wear for the European male since the Bronze Age: probably earlier since before the weaving of cloth during use of furs. The cloak went through an evolution of form: 1) square or rectangular blanket (folded or not to make a shoulder cape/ might include fringe) pinned together over undergarments on the shoulder of the sword arm [for men; women developed many pinning methods]; 2) Rounded-bottom rectangular blanket [details as above, plus- might be dagged]; 3) half-circle blanket, with or without a half-circle neck cutout (better), these were longer and contained more material, ergo warmer. Hoods were a separate garment [details as above]; 4) As #3 but attached by clasps or strings, not pinned. This allowed for integral attachment of a hood to the garment, and for positioning clasps centrally, thereby eliminating the asymmetrical hang of the earlier pinned cloaks. They (#4) were worn by a few until fairly recently. Check out FDR at Yalta, and remember the cloak room? Maybe not. I'm dating myself here. Throughout the evolution of these garments based upon throwing a blanket over your shoulder, other variants emerged that required alternate names, such as mantles, capes, or plaids. Other cultures evolved their own versions. A Mexican serape is a light blanket, a poncho has a hole or slit in the middle for the head. These are all fine garments. Let us walk forward into the future together----backward!!! Make a cloak TODAY. : )
I hate the moder rain "coats". They do not even keep my bottom dry. Why do they make them so short? just because it's in?` I bough some years ago a real coat (covering even my knees), made of a waterproof but light material. Unfortunatly it did not have a hood, thus I had to buy a waterproof hat, so that I look like a guy from the 1920s (and everyone is callinng me Indiana jones or Van Helsing), but it turned out to be really an improvement. I have my hands free, I can see and hear without restrictions and I can wear it from 10-20°C without freezing or sweating.
Jane Murphy Easy reason, when you go outside, you put on shoes and crab... crap? Grap? Anyways, you take a coat and you are already out. if you have to change your pants, it takes long time since you have to take off your current ones, which people prefer not to do in public places, in in some places you may get ticket for doing so, much better to just take a proper coat like edi did. Pitty they are so rare these days.
TheRomanRuler True, but they do make waterproof pants that go over what you already have on. If they have a specific name I can't remember it at the moment.
I wear an oilskin duster and a water repellent wide brimmed fedora hat, though I will be getting a leather akubra once I can find one that looks good and is affordable.
I think think cloaks could even be used as improvised armor, especially protecting the arms, if you flick it around the arm a few times it would sort of be padded armor.
Alfred Dunn criollo knife fighting,the way gauchos (lonesome bandits)and the `paisanos (workers of the country side)would fight in the spanish colonies of the plate river in argentina and uruguay.some people still fight that way but rarely of curse
caranthir21 a poncho generally its quite big and hard,and country side knifes are hand made and sharpened with stones so no its not as easy as it sounds
Totaly agree, whenever I've got to wair one for fancy dress party's etc. they are incredibly warm, but unreststrictive and airy, and when not needed its a simple flick over the solder to get them out of the way. +the swirl effect makes dancing look extra awesome.
Me because people round here in Kent already think I am weird what with having morals and all that silly stuff so wearing a cloak is going to be even more weird and unusual I even have real standards and everything and I don’t own a telly ! They think looking at school girls is normal and I am weird because I don’t
I wore a cloak in reenactments as well and found that when hanging off my arm while it was held up holding a shield or weapon, it was also useful in dampening the blow of other's weapons even stopping them from reaching my body at times. This may not have worked with really sharp weapons which would probably cut thru it, but it did for dull weapons and concussion type weapons very well. I could also use it twisted up to whip out and disarm some weapons from people's grasps, or tie them up so as to get in a good blow against them. I got so good at using my cloak as both defense and offense in these ways that the others in the group said that I could not wear my cloak in battle any longer as it was breaking the rules.
I still remember the usage of "cloakroom" from my kindergarten and elementary school days. We had an actual cloakroom separate from the main classroom. Another point about rain coats is that if you stand in the rain long enough you'll also get a chill. Probably not near as much with a good cloak.
#BringBackTheCloak
The one time I approve of a Hashtag.
You know what would be really practical? If they designed jackets to button into makeshift capes that could be hung to the side or something.
@@sgtsaltstick2729 I used to use my coat as a sort of cloak when I was yonger
@@avaius same
Agreed cloaks need to make a come back
Whenever I want to stay dry in the rain I usually just put on a long rain coat, knee length, something like a dryzabone, and a good brimmed hat, and then stay inside my house until the rain stops.
LOL
I think you wouldn't need to. Your humour is so dry it'll keep you safe. :-D
are you from New Zealand?
Then you will get soaked in your own sweat.
Gothic trenchcoats do the job pretty well :P
You don't have to outrun the enemy...you just have to outrun Phil.
Baconstine if you don't get clotheslined and fall on your ass first
Let us all have a moment of silence for Phil.
What do you mean?
Listen to the video.
He was a real human bean.
F
F
Ok so here's the thing. I'm at art school, so the things people wear can be a little different from "normal" things to wear. So sometimes I wear a Medieval cape. Then, one day when I was walking down the hallway, the Cape bloating behind me, I saw it: another person wearing a frickin Cape aswell. And now theres like 3 other people walking through the Hallways and it just looks gorgeous when we're passing each other.
Art school moment
truly an art school moment
were you at a pimp convention?
I've always wanted to do this at my art school, unfortunately I have an insecurity with my appearance and I don't exactly believe that wearing a cape would improve anything XD.
You should see Hogwarts mate ur cream ur knickers
A cloak is currently number 1 on my to-buy list.
I intend to wear it regularly.
I'm old enough not to give a damn if people think I'm a nutter; I'll be a warm, dry, nutter.
I can live with that.
Also figure it'll add a season or two to my sleeping equipment for camping out.
***** Are you okay?
+Nathan Baxter Don't forget your fedora and your katana on the wall ;D jk m8^^
I have one
+Nathan Baxter i tried wearing one for a week. people did not seem to react much differently towards me. my friends were teasing a bit but after the first night, they all wanted to borrow it xD
Now we are the 4-nutter-ears!... or something.. lol no im kiding i stoped wearing it, i did not find it practical in comparison to a jacket.. it was more anoying trying to figure out where to stuff a cape every time i went inside :P
+Nathan Baxter You could also wear poncho, its basically the same thing and its more socially acceptable
It's a blanket, that you can wear. Enough said.
Joshua Pearce thought that was a snuggy
Plus you can use it as a "TADA" blanket. Do they come in camo
Introvert clothing item. 😁
JC Does Stuff!! The snuggie is worn to cover your front while reclining. Not at all like a cloak. The snuggie is not made for standing or walking. Good luck trying to draw your sword while you're wearing a snuggie.
enough said, enough for me
if we all decide to, we could bring it back... look at that guy with no cloak, but of a nutter that one...
+Daniel Mallett I wish man. I really do. I would love to be able to wear a cloak without being labeled as a weirdo :(
I own a really nice cloak and i love to wear it, but pretty much everyone gives me weird stares for doing so
And tricorn hats.
Pretty sure they did bring it back. At least for people who'd never taken History classes. It was called the Snuggie. Google it.
XD A Snuggie. I wouldn't quite call that a cloak, but I'd love to be able to wear one in public.
I feel like he is responding to people making fun of him in a cloak
It is the biggest shame ever that cloaks went out of fashion because I absolutely agree. When I was still doing LARP and reenactment, my trusty half circle cloak was my most practical and favourite piece of kit I had. I absolutely hate modern rain coats because they're all designed for fashion rather than practical use.
Clokes look cool. It's not like it's an aesthetic problem.
It's that fashion is retarded
I agree they are fantastic, one of the best things i've ever brought.
CloakingDonkey didn't expect to see you here.
A quality wool duffelcoat is the closest modern equivalant i think.
CloakingDonkey still not in fashion in 2018
I made a long wool cloak out of two army blankets I have made the exact same observations. It is a shame that western culture has discarded this magnificent article of clothing... Here's to the nutters!
DaneStolthed We don't particularly need them. There are many objects of clothing better able to stay warm in, and we can avoid rain rather well without carrying defenses with us.
+al dipschwitz
really? what is a single item of clothing more helpful in the rain?
+Gary Rain suits? They're a bitch to put on, though.
+Firefox is red, Explorer is blue. Google+ sucks and Chrome does too. Get a good set with zip-up legs and leave the legs unzipped to the knee both top and bottom zips and it'll take you seconds to put on even in big boots. I keep mine rolled up so I can get the top on first then the pants, then I put any bag covers on their bags. I would very much like to try a cloak in place of my modern rain gear to see how it compares.
Rain suits suck, you get as wet as from the rain, only it's from your own sweat. A wool cloak is better IMO.
That was an extremely high fidelity thunder roll there. The fact that I had to take my headphones off and look out of the window has made me quite pleased that I bought this headset.
tSp289 me too!
Me three, and it's just pretty much regular headphones, on a phone.
Same 🖐🏼
"People would say: Hhmm, Nutter"
Lloyd-2012
0:30 "Quirky impractical piece of clothing which they all stuck to for traditional reasons"
We have that. It's called the 3 piece suit.
Depends on how it's cut: frankly if you're fropm the US, yes, all US suits are basically garbage. The cut is far too restrictive.
its not impractical if it makes you look hot
@@testingmysoup5678 lewd
The 3 piece suit is wonderful.
It allows for great heat management and helps keep posture during a long days static work.
Get a proper suit and you’ll understand
@@12many4you or just work in jobs where you can dress how you like.
Beside being a really great peice of clothing cloaks can be used as a shield if you wrap you arm with it or as a net to catch like a dog or something or bundled into and blanket for your kids if they fall asleep. Bring em back!
Or as a piece of fabric good for suffocating people.
Cloaks seem appropriate in both medieval and futuristic settings, but aren't socially accepted currently. Yep, we live in awkward times, we'll just have to wait for them to become fashionable again :D
Sleeping bags are a pretty good modern alternative. The downside is the hopping for mobility :D
I love my cloak. It's warm, if I'm sleeping at a friends it's a wool blanket.. brilliant.
We have to MAKE them fashionable lol
Patrick Kniesler We just need to wear them until they become mainstream. Then, all who don't wear cloaks will be hipsters, and nobody likes hipsters
But it's hot where I live. I don't want heat stroke just to make cloaks fashionable.
Cloaks: Also known as "What Weather?!"
I honestly have no idea why they went out of fashion, my viking cloak is brilliant as protection against the English summers
OHHHHHH, The sound of the lighting had a delay on it ! Wow. Nice!
Incredible!!!
The lighting was about a mile away.
*****
Dude, it's a joke.
Lighting or lightning - who cares. What you're talking about is thunder anyway!
If you lived in the Rural southern US, you can get away with a cloak. People still wear them when hunting, cause its warm, and does a damn good job at breaking up your silhouette.
I lived in NC until I was 40. Worked in, and visited, rural areas. Other than a couple of women, never saw anybody in a cloak.
@@Zerpersande I am still thinking about not noticing rain falling. Wait until you have a bigger bald patch.
Here in Louisiana, we only have cold weather about 3 or 4 months outta the year. But I could see a loose linen or canvas cloak being good to keep the sun off of yourself.
Actually, you just MAY be overlooking your accidental discovery of a cloak's ability to cover your retreat by unseating a compatriot to be captured as you successfully exit...:)
+Carl Street That's rough man.
+Erreul I guess one could call that "pulling the wool out from under someone's feet"... :)
+Carl Street The same way you don't have to outrun a bear, you just have to outrun your friend.
+CorollaNut68 Speaking as a veteran of two combat tours; you have NO friends -- anyone who stands between you and safety is your enemy; no matter what uniform they are wearing.
So true!!
Guy stands on your cloak and then blames you for it, jeez Phil accept your own actions.
wool is like magic for textiles anyway. it's been shaped by evolution to keep sheep warm in all weather, and it does the same for us. warm in the cold, breathable in the heat, keeps you warm even if it's wet, and dries efficiently. just the best.
+Rob Mckennie Scratchy, though. I love woollen clothing and often wear a traditional New Zealand Swanndri that's like a shepherd's smock; it seals a lot of weather out, but it doesn't dry that quickly and is very itchy against the skin. Everyone should own a "Swanny"- thoroughly recommended.
+Stone Marten
What is it made of?
+AlexSDU Pure Merino wool from New Zealand, woven on quite a tight weave to keep the weather out. It keeps you warm, even when damp, but also breathes very well. I wear my Swanndri in the Autumn through to Spring and then chuck it in the back of my Jeep to use as a picknick blanket in the Summer - versatile bit of kit! Swanndri also do a "Ranger" shirt and I have one of these.
Stone Marten What do you mean a "traditional" swanndri? Admittedly they've been around a long time, but the only things about New Zealand that I'd call 'traditional' are elements of Maori culture
+Rob Mckennie New Zealand is the European colonisers' name for the islands, who also brought the sheep with them, so it is a traditional "New Zealand" garment. You cannot deny that the Swanni is cut like a traditional European shepherd's smock. As you sound like a SJW type, you would probably disapprove if I wore a Maori clothing as cultural appropriation!
Which raises the question, why did we ever stop wearing them?
because a normal thick woollen coat, you know, with sleeves and buttons, is strictly better in almost every way?
As long as the coat and the cloak are made from the same material i don't see an upside to cloaks, like sleeves are useful, pockets are useful, buttons are useful. But if you like them and hate sleeves, knock yourself out.
They became stylised in the 19th century as a part of high fashion of the time, where they remained that way past the 1880s before transforming into the overcoats we know so well.
I'm thinking maybe the backpack had something to do with it?
Why no cloak?...Because you now live in a warm house..a warm work environment..and warm transportation (a car...not on foot or horse)....?......Now people wear coats to get from their front door to their BMW door.
I dont know, youtube keeps recommends me this awesome channel. I dont really know what is this channel about. I have watched your video about boarding schools over 5 times in about 8 months and I am not planning to stop.
You, Mister, are a gem here.
Ive just ordered the material - boiled wool for me - to make my own cloak. I'll be honest, I really don't give a crap about people thinking I'm a nutter, they think that enough already
I you make a simple one like the one Lindybeige has (as opposed to any of the google image results for "cloak"), but made it with a less garish pattern, such as plain brown or black, people might not really think anything of it. I think I'll make one too. If I'm wrong, I don't really care, the hoodie I wear all the time is covered in paint anyway so I already look like a homeless person.
XD
Agreed. I'm now looking into getting the materials to make my own cloak as well.
You got me thinking how and where to get one.
Also, man, you are funny one! I can't remember how I stumbled onto your channel, but I like your sense of humor and way you present it. Also, the points you provide aren't half as bad as load of video makers do. Sharp, bit goofy and on target.
So, thumbs up and keep up a good work.
Satan Let us enjoy an afternoon of mirth!
www.kultofathena.com/cloaks.asp
I wish we still used them
Lets bring em back...fuck modern fashions
+Shamelesscritique1 I'm game
Chronicler of The Shadows
(tears down curtains, gets a close line peg dons his cape and puffs up chest while placing hands on hips in a striking pose)
+Shamelesscritique1 nice
I still do, when fighting crime
I've always been bothered by how cold your back gets at a bonfire. But now I get it: when it was cold, people were sitting around the fire in cloaks. Mind blown 🤯
Make an "Indian" fire.
White man: Make humungous fire stand way back, freeze his @zz off.
Indian: Make small fire, sit close, stay warm.
Oh and if you have just a small fire, and a wool cloak you will be snug as a bug in a rug.
I love your videos and the random tangents you go on; your videos encompass so many topics that watching several of them feels like having an actual conversation
It wasn't just merely that cloaks were practical and warm, I think the historical salience of cloaks has a lot to do with the fact that they were as textiles extremely simple to manufacture, requiring almost no tailoring and thus were relatively cheap.
One has to remember, in an age before sewing machines, industrial textile factories, and (sigh) the sweatshops of the global capitalist village, tailored garments were extremely expensive and largely unavailable to all but the rich.
That great invention of some unsung genius tailor of the past, the pocket, was unknown until modernity. It's amazing to think that people living in the middle ages and before that time had to transact all their day-to-day business without the help of pockets sewn into their clothing.
The ironic thing is that for all their poverty of fabric, the medievals had a far more (in my opinion) amenable fashion sense than we moderns do. They dressed themselves in a riot of color and flair, whilst we in our very glut of textile riches, choose to clothe ourselves in drab, shapeless, sacks of cloth. Apparently because that's what's "cool".
It does seem very strange that clothes have become duller and more uniform as artificial dyes and sewing machinery has come around. All I can attribute it to is that possibly people are more aware of social pressures to conform. I think George Orwell noticed this trend, though I forget the quote.
Lab Rat Actually, I was somewhat paraphrasing C.S. Lewis' Merlin who says something similar to the whole 'drab sacks of cloth'. Merlin also criticizes the paradox between having comparatively wonderful modern cutlery and utensils and sparkling clear drinking water yet subsisting on a diet of processed garbage.
Lab Rat It just the fashion cycle. It won't be long till the big thing is bright colors again.
Well... Considering that most people would sew their own garments, and so until recently most of everyone had clothes, yes, "tailor sewn" as it were, I doubt that particular bit mattered much. I mean, until industrial clothing production became a thing, no garments at all was not sewn a particular person. Of course, the very, very poor probably bought other people's used clothes, but the majority would sew their own clothes (or, well, have their wife/mother/some other woman do it) if they couldn't pay to have it sewn.
*****
Think more along the lines of scavenging cloth that was thrown out to make your own clothing for the very poor.
It's a pity cloaks went out of style. I love my fleece blanket as a cloak around the house in winter.
Pretty sure a Snuggie is just a cloak rebranded for yuppies.
I thought a snuggie was just a reverse robe.
Good to know I'm not the only one cos lords knows I get funny looks from family to this day.
@@KingOhmni you're not alone.
Orange Joe no, a snuggie is not a cloak and you know it. A snuggie is made to cover your front while reclining. Good luck trying to draw your sword with a snuggie in the way.
But can it defend against a stray pommel?
With a simple flourish, you too can avoid being ended rightly!
Roger J Doucet Skallagrim?
And apparently Skallagrim's inside jokes have reached critical mass and have now spread to other channels.
Could probably defend against a horse bite.
Non can escape the devastation of the pommel
I adore your content: what few videos I've seen of yours are very informational yet all is presented in small, comprehensible and simple bits. Kudos to you good sir, keep it up!
I have come to appreciate the "bottom line up front" style of you tube videos. saves me loads of time. it's like "hey this shit is really cool and this is why, stick around if you want all the juicy details." saves me loads of time because I can decide then if I want to actually hang around. some times I hang around for 20 fucking minutes, waiting for some kind of revelation, and the shit turns out to be not really that cool.
So, this video, after many years of consideration and saving, has convinced me to purchase a nice period accurate cloak to the 10th century. And I have to say, cloaks are good. However, as a student, I've noticed a severe limitation: Cloaks are make backpacks very cumbersome.
I bought a satchel to remedy this, but even then, cloaks are best used without baggage.
When the thunder hit at 2:16 I immediately started closing my windows despite it being sunny. Good on you and your sound design Lindybeige!
I have myself a cloak made from 12ft of think wool cloth, its folded over in half to match my height and then shortened just a bit more for the hood. I'm 5'10 and the cloak is 5'7 and works tremendously well in heavy rain (I live in the pacific Northwest) So I can verify; they are amazing, and the looks are priceless too but there are a few people that do say when its raining and i'm cozy and dry, "genius".
Solid information here. Let's remember that cloaks were awesome and practical And let's appreciate the influence on lamguage- cloak and dagger, cloaking your plans or vessel.
Can’t believe I’ve spent so long on UA-cam and haven’t seen your stuff before, every video is just awesome x)
I live in sweden.. I've long thought about using cloaks - and you've now convinced me. I now officially want a cloak to protect me against the horrific winter cold.
I have been on a 6 hour marathon of your videos. Love them!
I'm so glad I subscribed. These are the quirky videos I could spend hours watching.
My mother's ancestors, Native People of Eastern Canada, used the Hudson's Bay point blankets essentially like cloaks. In Canada's cold winters,and long,cold wet springs, these blankets worked quite well. It should be noted, however, that these Blankets were heavier than today's blankets.That said, however, I have a modern day Hudson's Bay Blanket, the heaviest type,around 50 years or so old. t I used it for fall hunting trips in the bush, and I found it grand! Nowadays , it can be used in the coldest and draftiest bedroom in the old farmhouses around here, and never be cold. Even though the room is upstairs, and unheated. Water will freeze, but you won't! Just the ticket for wrapping around you and your sweety at the campfire.
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss
one advantage of wool is that it still onsulates when wet
One advantage of Australian bushland is that you can wear whatever you want, because it doesn't rain.
Bah, I HATE the feel of wool on my skin, though.
antred11 +100
antred11 I have a Soviet Air Corp jacket that is made of wool that I wear when it rains and in winter, you get used to it after the first few uses. It's easiest to just wear it for 3-5 days in a row.
JonatasMonte Wool is more likely to melt rather than catch fire. When it does catch fire though it burns hotter due to the natural oils it contains.
You can still wear a cloak modernly without being regarded as weird, it just has to be actually fancy like, not just a folded blanket thing. Like, an actual shaped hood and solders.
To quote a quite popular moviefigure: " NO CAPES!" At leaste in combatcontext^^
+Schulzffw nice xD
+Schulzffw Go! Fight! Win!
+Schulzffw the fashion designer from the incredibles?
+Schulzffw Cloaks are an English thing -- the French always Es Cape... :)
Edna Mode.
Call me snobby, but this seems to me to be the greatest video on UA-cam. We should send that along with the next Voyager probe. Seriously.
This is such an informative channel... this guy is so passionate about what he is covering, the way I feel when watching him speak, it reminds me of Steve Irwin.
You must have the most mighty of voices to be able to get reverb in that open landscape!
I don't understand why cloaks went "out of fashion". Because, provided they're of a fine material, I could absolutely see them as a stylish addition to one's wardrobe. I believe you could even create one with interior zip-up pockets.
Overall, I think wool is underappreciated in modern clothing, synthetic materials being preferred. I recently added some wool items back into my winter wardrobe and I'm appreciating them quite a lot.
Modern wool fabric is wonderful compared to what my grandparents had. Nowadays you can even make nice undergarments from wool with terrific insulation. The wool clothing my grandparents had/have is unbearable to the point I can't even wear them without scratching my skin off. The synthetics are cheaper to mass produce and therefore cheaper in general though
Shawn Wesley - I have two wool greatcoats, one Russian one British, from WWII and they are *_fantastically_* warm... t’only problem is the Russian coat weighs about 7kg...
I've worn a cloak, in public, for several years.I'm sure numerous people thought I was a nutter, but most people wanted to know where I got it. Unfortunately, for them, I made mine. I would like to mention, I live in Missouri, USA, not an area historically known for open-minded individuals.
Wiccan Wanderer How did you make it? Did you use instructions from a book or a webpage? If so, could you please tell me where I can access the information?
Same. I was called a vampire.... that made me laugh.
I have one that I wear too. I basically got two yards of fabric cut it so I had a two and a half by one and a quarter foot rectangle in the center top, folded it in half rounded the top corner of the rectangle where the fold is. Sewed all along the top and rounded corner of the rectangles, and cut a diagonal curve shape all along the bottom of my cloak, before getting a pin or leather lace and fastening it.
You're right. I have a beautiful woolen cloak that I use whenever it gets too cold. Nothing like walking around with a layer of warm air keeping you nice and toasty while everyone else shivers!
I watched this video when it was first published. I was still in high school at the time, now I'm a teacher. it was the first thing that came to mind when I was just reading an 16th century diary where the writer was going on about how much he liked his new cloak.
Please Floyd, could you make us a video of how to fold and sew that cloak? I know it might not be as complicated as I think but I cant really see how its done from this angle.
I've experience that "Is it raining?" while being underneath a wool cloak with a hood as well. Kind of trippy
Lets bring back the cloak!
Another great property of cloacks are the ability to share. You can loosen your cloack and wrap it around you and another person when sitting shoulder to shoulder, I tried that with a normal coat but couldnt do that...
Absolutely cracking! I’ve been out in a heavy wool cloak (actually a great kilt) for some historical bushcraft. They are superb! Warm, highly water resistant to a degree, very cosy. Spot on video :) hope this finds you well & staying chipper.
Cloaks look really fucking comfortable. I prefer things like that to rain coats.
I wear a cloak when hunting. They are nice for sitting in the cold waiting.
I've always wanted to ask someone like you, how do you consider sitting and waiting hunting? It's not hunting it's waiting in one spot till you can shoot, weak.
You obviously aren't a hunter. For a lot of prey, such as white tail deer, the only way you're going to have consistent success is to scout your area, find the trails and traffic patterns, and ambush it. For rabbit hunting with dogs the **only** way you will ever get a shot it get ahead of them and wait for the rabbit to cross in front of you.
Brian Bixby but hunting these days is obviously not for food, its for fun or as a challenge, but wheres the fun in sitting and waiting
Yeah, you're obviously not a hunter. Patience is the most important asset for a hunter, more important than aim or stealth.
We have chickens, which means we have chicken feed, which means that we have rats coming to eat the chicken feed. Rats are fairly smart, which makes them fairly difficult prey. You can't just pick up the air rifle and expect to shoot one, they'll scatter at the movement.
You need to pick your spot, get into a comfortable shooting position, and then wait until they come back out. The first to appear will be small and stupid. Once they've been out for a bit the larger ones will start to appear. Even then you need to wait until they're in a good spot and holding still before firing.
They'll all scatter again, and this time it will be 20 minutes or more until they reappear. I've gotten as many as four large rats in an evening. That's the only non-food hunting I've ever done in my life, but it's fun.
I guess, he was talking about "hunting" in those treehouses, where you just wait until the game sticks it's head to your rifle when going to water source or eating on bait. Obviously, I'm not a hunter and have watched True detective, but that looks a lot like fishing to me and it certainly misses the "game" part in hunting.
I used to wear a cloak all the time. I got made fun of. A lot.
But I loved the thing.
Cloud Nucleus I still wear my cloak to school.
Im wearing blankets all the time. Even when walking with the dog.
Great to see some practical knowledge on the subject of cloaks. I recently moved from a very hot place to a very VERY cold place. I started out draping a blanket around myself, and got to the point where I was basically designing a cloak to wear during the cold nights. If you are stationary, or doing sedentary tasks, cloaks are incredibly effective at keeping you warm. Dont be fooled by "debunking" videos ... you lose heat upwards, cloaks keep that heat DOWNWARDS.
Just made a cloak from old army blankets today, after watching your video. Wow this thing is amazing. Lovely and snug and really does keep the rain off. I can't beleive these items of clothing just are not used anymore. Great bit of kit
in argentina we call it "poncho"
un poncho es un poncho lo del video es cloak lo que viene siendo capa, una capa y un poncho se parecen pero no son lo mismo
Pablo Arribas what
yeah you are right
+kevin Rudd learn mexican
Pablo Arribas you mean spanish
"Cloaks are good."
Oh thank GOD.
after seeing this it makes me wonder why did cloaks fall out of fashion if there so good why don't we use them anymore
+El Fixo Just roll it up and tie it like a backpack!
Wool coats with sleeves became more popular because they left your hands free and covered instead of holding the cloak closed all the time.
Modern textile manufacturing made relatively fitted clothing cheap, so style took over from practicality.
Cloaks also don't play nice with car/bus/train doors.
They were replaced with wool longcoats, which are even more practical.
This is the first lindybeige video I ever saw! Set me on many years of loving his content.
Cloaks can be stylish and practical - started wearing them when re-enacting then started wearing them out dog walking on the hills in all weather and they're wonderful for all the reasons mentioned here! When with with a belt you can make them cost like too, while keeping the temperature control options and flexibility, and they're easy to adapt for a bit of impromptu foraging too. Stuff normal opinion - they're brill, much better than modern costs in most situations, and it would be great to see them make more of a comeback.
I think something like a duster coat would be a good compromise, because frankly modern raincoats are not long enough.
***** I have a leather duster with a leather hat and I will say its rather warm.
***** Honestly, even the sparse neck(/chin)beard is surprisingly nice in a northern winter. Road my bike to school every day in Milwaukee and one winter day I decided on a full clean shave. I quickly found my ski mask when I got home that night.
Wolfe Kaplan Yeah, It's especially badass when you have ice cycles hanging off your beard. I didn't know how helpful a beard and long hair were in the cold until I grew it out. Ski masks are pretty useless now lol.
That is funny. I was on a meddevel reinactment thingy once when the rain was poring down. There was two "guards" in cloaks, one of them was puting his hand out every now and again. I was thinking he was testig if the rain was decreasing.. but this might be the explination ;)
make cloaks Great again!
You forgot the #
# bring back clokes
Great cloaks!
I like cloaks bigly.
"they are warm"
Englishman: ahh, that's an advantage
Texan: oh, disadvantage
It's nice to go back and watch these again.
I’ll have everyone know that I’m on a mission to bring cloaks back into fashion
It would make even better sense with raw wool with the lanolin in it. After all - it works for sheep.
Paul Murray - Yeah, but can't really dye raw lanolin wool, and it's a human compulsion to decorate almost everything.
Have you ever smelled a sheep? Its fine outdoors for work/hiking but not good if you're anywhere near other people.
So why did we stop wearing cloaks?
TL;DR version: A mix of fashion, ease of movement, and conservation of fabric made us stop wearing cloaks.
Anyone can take a length of cloth off a loom and make a cloak out of it, but the fashionable had tailors who figured out how to cut the fabric to cup the body. They discovered that a fitted coat took up less fabric than a full cloak, too, once properly made...but mostly it was a way to show off the fact you could afford the tailor or had the skill yourself to make the coat.
As for ease of movement, the one drawback to a cloak he doesn't mention is that you can get a lot more work done while wearing a wool coat than if you wear a cloak; a cloak will gape and let in cold air when you try to work with your arms. You can bundle up the cloak, wrapping ends over your arms, even lashing the fabric into place, etc, but it's awkward, far more bulky, and takes more time than a coat to wind and unwind. (I'm in the SCA; I've used cloaks for years, and in cold weather, it's hard to get stuff done without that drafty gap problem.)
Another consequence of "modern" life lay in putting more and more emphasis on separating work and leisure activities, and thus separating all the things associated with them. Your cloak could be used as an additional blanket on your bed as well as a way to keep you warm outside, but when you had a coat, you had to have a separate extra blanket for your bed because the coat wouldn't work like a cloak...but you went with the coat-and-blanket, because you could "afford" both blanket and coat; it was fashionable to have both, and showcased your wealth.
Putting arm slits on cloaks was a way to help keep out most of the drafts. Putting sleeves on the slits gave us the houppelande, which kept the arms toasty while allowing us to continue to work. That in turn led toward the greatcoat, which still had fuller folds than the modern coat, which led toward coats and jackets as we know them today.
Some people still do, especially those living in colder countries, but cloaks have went down in popularity simply because we have jackets now.
Wrong. It was the 1874 Waddington "no more cloaks" Act.
What a brilliant youtube video, immediately gave the answer, then a short clip filled with useful bits and humour about cloaks. Won't lie, would not miss more videos like this today aha
7 years after I first saw this video I finally have a good wool blanket for the purposes of cloak making. I'm rather tall, so until now the only wool blankets large enough to reach my ankles were far to expensive to justify buying just to make a cloak. I am going to make some alterations to mine rather than just using the blanket as is and throwing it around my shoulders. I plan on adding a thin blanket stuffing layer and a nice soft fleece liner or maybe just cotton fabric liner. And I plan on taking the hood off of a hoodie and sewing it on rather than doubling the blanket up on the shoulders because, as I said, I'm very tall and that would make it only come down to just below the knee. So I am finally going to realize a dream I've had ever since watching this video. Woohoo!
I have a woolen cloak that I use for Renaissance Festivals and such, and it's my most-used piece of kit by quite a large margin (the second-most-used being my _feileadh-mor_, for much the same reason). Blanket, raincoat, windbreaker, and dramatic flowing cape all rolled into one.
Outside of the RenFest, I have a slightly oversized black wool peacoat that makes up the better part of my cold-weather attire; basically a mid-thigh-length cloak with buttons and sleeves. Comfortable and practical, but elegant enough for a funeral.
If any more evidence for the efficacy of the cloak is needed, consider this: To this very day, members of the United States Marine Corps are issued a full-length lined cloak as part of their dress uniform. Precious few professions these days come with their own official superhero cape.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/PlateV_Evening_Dress.jpg
(Center-right.)
+432fuuzz Peacoat*
***** As hats go, yes.
432fuuzz so it is a tweed coat?
Jonathan Hughes - I’ve been looking for a good long peacoat, but have found the offerings wanting... where’d you get yours? I *_love_* my Russian and English WWII greatcoats (I swear the Russian one weighs like 8kg) but still yearn for a good peacoat...
good christ i thought a thunderstorm just started outside. good sound m8
The problem with woolen cloaks is that nowadays in modern society we enter and exit warm (usually anyway) buildings quite frequently, and cloaks need to dry. Our waterproof fabrics can be hung up and water will drip off them while we do whatever we're doing and we can put it back on and off we go. A cloak cannot do that as effectively as water cannot evaporate out as quickly and might even soak down into the lower layer. I think our high-tech raincoats should be made longer (seriously where are all the long raincoats that are modern?) or cloaks with a waterproof exterior and warm interior should be made.
+Kitt “Captain Aubrey” C Long coats with slightly rubbery exteriors instead of the rough plastic they usually are, plus i would love a fold-out blanket inside it, perhaps doubling as insulation when it's not used.
+Kitt “Captain Aubrey” C
Consider the merits of the common naval "bridge coat" (which you should almost certainly be familiar with, mon capitaine): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pea_coat
A peacoat plus a nice felt cap is a convenient combo (peacoats can have pockets, unlike cloaks).
A similar design, with a waterproof outer layer (such as synthetic fiber) would go a long way towards improving the serviceability of the design, in my opinion.
+Jonathan Hughes Ye average modern raincoat is already the length of a peacoat. Leather is a shite material for a raincoat as you will quickly drown in sweat. Also, peacoats don't have hoods. The peacoat would be a downgrade from current raincoat designs
you work for the rain coat federation nobuddy listen to this guy! ! he am schill... four the rain coat mafia.
mercoid I've got my top cryptographers working 24/7 trying to figure out what the fuck you just said
"feeling the feeling" -- it's pain to hear that from YOU! you are the god of eloquence.
Excellent content and delivery. Thank you.
The future of human dress is in the past & can be seen in wraps, mantles, sarongs, cloaks, capes, togas, shawls, ruanas, etc.
Our modern tight-fitting clothing was inspired by attire worn by eastern horsemen, notably the Hungarians. Prior to this influence, the tunic, cloak, and trousers had been standard wear for the European male since the Bronze Age: probably earlier since before the weaving of cloth during use of furs.
The cloak went through an evolution of form:
1) square or rectangular blanket (folded or not to make a shoulder cape/ might include fringe) pinned together over undergarments on the shoulder of the sword arm [for men; women developed many pinning methods];
2) Rounded-bottom rectangular blanket [details as above, plus- might be dagged];
3) half-circle blanket, with or without a half-circle neck cutout (better), these were longer and contained more material, ergo warmer. Hoods were a separate garment [details as above];
4) As #3 but attached by clasps or strings, not pinned. This allowed for integral attachment of a hood to the garment, and for positioning clasps centrally, thereby eliminating the asymmetrical hang of the earlier pinned cloaks.
They (#4) were worn by a few until fairly recently. Check out FDR at Yalta, and remember the cloak room? Maybe not. I'm dating myself here.
Throughout the evolution of these garments based upon throwing a blanket over your shoulder, other variants emerged that required alternate names, such as mantles, capes, or plaids. Other cultures evolved their own versions. A Mexican serape is a light blanket, a poncho has a hole or slit in the middle for the head.
These are all fine garments.
Let us walk forward into the future together----backward!!!
Make a cloak TODAY.
: )
I suddenly have a great to go out and buy a cloak
I hate the moder rain "coats". They do not even keep my bottom dry. Why do they make them so short? just because it's in?`
I bough some years ago a real coat (covering even my knees), made of a waterproof but light material. Unfortunatly it did not have a hood, thus I had to buy a waterproof hat, so that I look like a guy from the 1920s (and everyone is callinng me Indiana jones or Van Helsing), but it turned out to be really an improvement. I have my hands free, I can see and hear without restrictions and I can wear it from 10-20°C without freezing or sweating.
They were made to be worn with pants that are also waterproof. For some reason nobody does that though...
Jane Murphy Easy reason, when you go outside, you put on shoes and crab... crap? Grap? Anyways, you take a coat and you are already out. if you have to change your pants, it takes long time since you have to take off your current ones, which people prefer not to do in public places, in in some places you may get ticket for doing so, much better to just take a proper coat like edi did. Pitty they are so rare these days.
TheRomanRuler True, but they do make waterproof pants that go over what you already have on. If they have a specific name I can't remember it at the moment.
Jane Murphy Waterproof trousers ;)
I wear an oilskin duster and a water repellent wide brimmed fedora hat, though I will be getting a leather akubra once I can find one that looks good and is affordable.
that looks really comfy
Thank you Lindy, for your efforts to supply us with cool information.
Thank you for putting the summary first. I appreciate that.
I think think cloaks could even be used as improvised armor, especially protecting the arms, if you flick it around the arm a few times it would sort of be padded armor.
I think there is a style of knife fighting that does this with a poncho, not like the plastic rain ponchos, but an actual poncho
Alfred Dunn criollo knife fighting,the way gauchos (lonesome bandits)and the `paisanos (workers of the country side)would fight in the spanish colonies of the plate river in argentina and uruguay.some people still fight that way but rarely of curse
And if someone penetrates your cloak you got some nice pieces of cloth in your wound.
Depends on the knife.
caranthir21 a poncho generally its quite big and hard,and country side knifes are hand made and sharpened with stones so no its not as easy as it sounds
You did that to your friend on purpose. You know the saying, "I don't need to be the fastest, I just need to be faster than you." :)
I just bought my own cloak and it was very expensive and I intend to wear it (weather permitting) despite what anyone says
cloaks are good, and I might add that they are a splendid accessory to any outfit, I enjoyed the video, thank you kindly, I love you!
Totaly agree, whenever I've got to wair one for fancy dress party's etc. they are incredibly warm, but unreststrictive and airy, and when not needed its a simple flick over the solder to get them out of the way. +the swirl effect makes dancing look extra awesome.
i have thought it would be awesome to wear a cloak for a long time.
perhaps i can get one to wear camping and hiking.
Holy shit, that thunder sounded so real.
Oh shit maybe because it was a recording of real thunder :o mind blown
yeah, cloaks are awesome! i move to bring them back in fashion! who's with me?
Me because people round here in Kent already think I am weird what with having morals and all that silly stuff so wearing a cloak is going to be even more weird and unusual I even have real standards and everything and I don’t own a telly ! They think looking at school girls is normal and I am weird because I don’t
I wore a cloak in reenactments as well and found that when hanging off my arm while it was held up holding a shield or weapon, it was also useful in dampening the blow of other's weapons even stopping them from reaching my body at times. This may not have worked with really sharp weapons which would probably cut thru it, but it did for dull weapons and concussion type weapons very well. I could also use it twisted up to whip out and disarm some weapons from people's grasps, or tie them up so as to get in a good blow against them. I got so good at using my cloak as both defense and offense in these ways that the others in the group said that I could not wear my cloak in battle any longer as it was breaking the rules.
I still remember the usage of "cloakroom" from my kindergarten and elementary school days. We had an actual cloakroom separate from the main classroom. Another point about rain coats is that if you stand in the rain long enough you'll also get a chill. Probably not near as much with a good cloak.
CLASSIC PHIL!!