caped crusader: the superhero-inspired staple and how to get the look

I never used to be a fan of capes...

Miroslava Duma, leather cape, paris fashion week, pfw

Valentino Resort 2015, valentino, lupita

Working at a vintage clothing store for the past two years; I saw my fair share of them. I remember getting them in and thinking to myself, "wow this is a cool piece," trying it on, and then frowning to myself, because they never quite fit right on me. I think this was partly to do with the fact that most of the vintage capes we got in were more ponchos than anything, and the genuine cape cuts were far too dated for me: they all had that classic 1960's mod look, which is just not me. As well, I'm a tall girl. I'm 5'8" and a half without heels with freakishly long arms and legs and lets face it, most people back then were not. So the proportions on most vintage capes that I saw just weren't for me. They were always too short, hitting me quite uncomfortably above the wrist and above the belt. It seems that capes have evolved, however, and for that I'm quite grateful. We saw a slew of the superhero silhouette on the 2015 runways and much to my delight; it seems to have been reinvented in some of the freshest, most elegant styles: we saw the birth of the tailored blazer cape, as seen on Miroslava Duma and Karlie Kloss. We saw the cape go to great lengths with maxi styles via Valentino Resort 2015, which translates surprisingly well on the street... We saw them get sharper and sheerer with Maison Martin Margiela. We even saw capes get a metallic makeover by Zuhair Murad and Krikor Jabotian back in 2013 and 2014 in styles reminiscent of the iconic gold cape worn by Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra in 1963 and fit for any modern Valkyrie. I love how the cape has evolved and with so many modern options to choose from, it gives a gal like myself a new hope for chicness. Of course, not all of us can afford the price tag on such couture creations, so I've compiled a few of my favorite budget-friendly styles to help you get that superheroine chic look this Fall/Winter for less!