A Bonnie Cape

 I am having a serious Cape Crush these days -  

  
 This is not my first Cape Crush and certainly won't be my last!   Of course when I think of a classic Cape that can only mean Bonnie!  Bonnie Cashin truly was the originator of American Sportswear and she defined cape style with her sweeping bold fabrics,tweeds, houndstooths, plaids, herringbones, checks...in great colors, with her signature details of turnlock closures, buckles, drawstring ties, coolie collars, leather trim, great linings and pockets, fur collars and cuffs... 

Bonnie Cashin Sketch- Cape and "Toothache" Cap via FIT 

Bonnie Cashin Cape, Fall 1966. Photograph: Francesco Scavullo via

Bonnie Cashin Sketches via FIT

Vintage Cashin Cape via 

This season Coach found their way back to their original designer once again, back to when Coach was Coach!  I have gushed on before about my love for Classic Bonnie Cashin Coach. Why they ever left that look is beyond me but apparently the folks at Coach saw how popular "vintage' Coach bags are on sites like ebay, Etsy and 1st Dibs and decided they really should go home again!   This year a new  line of Legacy bags and Coach Classics including the perfect Bucket Duffel Bag-I own two from "back in the day" and would not part with them for anything! Online the Coach site even lets you design your own Duffel Bucket bag!   As Coach looked back they of course had to incorporate the  fabulous Bonnie style capes.  The Cashin Capes will always be a staple of any classic wardrobe.

via Coach

Capes have been all over the editorial spreads this year and they all owe a dramatic nod and  bow to Bonnie! 

via My Design Chic

Katarina Friedrich by Adriano Russo for Vanity Fair Italy October 2012 via 

Of course with capes on the brain There must be at least least on the needles so I went in search of Classic Cape knitting patterns from the Bonnie era:

1960s Vintage Cape Panel Knitting Pattern-Etsy 

                

1950s Parisian Cape Knittng Pattern-Etsy

...and then I took a look at how current knit designers are interpreting Bonnie style:

Kelly via Rowan

Grand Tour Stole  Imperial Stock Ranch  

Waist Tie Tunic VK

Run for the Needles it's time for a Bonnie Knit! 
 Come Visit Winding Yarn

"Chic is Where You Find It"-Coach Returns to the Cashin Classics

 "A Good Thing is a Great Thing Forever...I Don't Like In and Out Things"  Bonnie Cashin

I own a lot of bags!  I mean a lot!  But if someone were to say "OK, one bag that's it"..it would have to be my Coach Duffle Bucket Bag--you can put a house full of furniture in it, and though many have told me it is bigger than I am-- I adore it! and have forever!  I love it so much I own it in three colors, my favorite is the red.

The bucket bag along with so many original profiles that were the foundation of the Coach image disappeared in recent years.  Coach got lost as far as I am concerned---a sea of Cs is not what the classic American brand was built on...it was built on handcrafted beautiful glove leather and it was built on the designs of one of my true fashion heroines Bonnie Cashin.  Bonnie Cashin set her own course in fashion design with a look that changed the way American women dressed.  In the early 1960's the men's leather accessory company Coach finally persuaded Bonnie Cashin to design a women's line and it is the Cashin Coach that defined the brand long before little Cs were seen all over their bags...distinctive hardware such as turn key toggle closures, buckles, grommets,zippers, dog leash clips...with strong but malleable beautiful leather in styles that will never ever be mistaken for anything but a Cashin Coach bag.

To celebrate 70 years of Coach the famous leather manufacturer has relaunched 5 of it s classic profiles in a limited edition collection- Coach Classics is available only at Coach.com and Net-a-Porter along with a handful of Coach boutiques. These styles remain as chic as they did 40 years ago--they aren't going anywhere and I for one applaud their return to the shelves,..not a C in site...Bonnie would approve!