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

Elementary Dear Watson, A Great CAPE-r!

Ralph Lauren

The new BBC/Masterpiece series Sherlock is a Veddy 21st century rendition of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous sleuth and his sidekick Dr. Watson... and there is not a cape, cloak, or pipe in view. Yet, the thought of Sherlock Holmes will always muster up a foggy night, a horse drawn carriage and a of course a good CAPE-r!

 Though I do not have the stature to carry off most capes I have always loved the look-could be because one of my fashion design heroines is the great Bonnie Cashin who brought the cape and cloak to icon status along with her signature toggles and Coach bags.

 (Alexander Wang,Missoni,Chloe)

Capes, Cloaks and Capelets are in every collection this year for day, weekend, evening...the perfect accent. Many are reminiscent of the great Bonnie Cashin with classic styling while others are all about the drama!  The definition of a cape can range from a full buttoned or single button  cloak/wrap to a shoulder shrug...some have a deep dolman some of have peek holes or deep slits for hands and some are just a grand rectangle that wraps you up.  Of course I have my eye on the Knitwear styles in Capes---

 (Assos,Chanel)

I am ready to be enveloped and get these on the needles...

(Rowan)
Come Visit Winding Yarn for some great inspiration and patterns to knit the perfect CAPE-r  and
Visit The Shopping Bag Chronicles for more of my favorite reasons to Wrap me Up! from the Runway!