<p>I'm assuming from your question that you're looking to have the cape flared out around and behind you while you are standing still, as the cape will naturally take that shape when you're in motion. My best recommendations to accomplish that appearance would be to use plastic ("boning" for corsets) or wire (strong but flexible, ie. aluminum armature wire) that can be used to shape the cape. These would be run down the sides where the black trim is located, starting at waist height or higher, as well as across the bottom hem.</p>

<p>I will not offer these suggestions without the following warnings, however:</p>

<ul>
<li>The cape will likely look unnatural both at rest and in motion. You may be able to skillfully shape it to look more natural at rest, but it will still look stiff when you're moving</li>
<li>You will likely become annoyed very quickly while wearing it. If you're planning to wear it to a convention, they are generally crowded, with a lot of narrow passages, and a stiff cape like this may interfere with your moving around. You'll also become annoyed trying to pack or store it because of the stiffness. And on top of those issues, you also won't be able to sit down while wearing it (and likely would become unwelcome in panel spaces due to the size anyway).</li>
<li>If you are wearing it at a convention, you will quickly become other attendee's least favorite person. You will likely have a reduced awareness of where the back of your cape is, and you will hit people's legs, belongings, and props, as well as potentially knocking over displays in vendor areas, and taking up a lot of space in crowded areas.</li>
<li>If you are wearing it at a convention, you may be in violation of costume policies for that convention. Many will have rules such as the "Six Inch Rule," where no part of your costume may protrude more than 6" from your body, and the shaped cape would easily fall outside that limit. You may be asked to remove the piece from your costume or leave certain areas if convention staff determines you to be in violation of rules or a hazard to other attendees.</li>
</ul>

<p>In light of those problems, <strong>I would recommend you do not focus on making a stiff cape.</strong> Rather, you should evaluate fabrics that will move and drape in the proper manner, to get the right look in motion, and to make the entire costume much simpler to wear.</p>

<p>I will also take a brief moment to address the solutions offered by abbie, which won't work as well as expected. Fabric stiffeners are meant for very lightweight fabrics; unless you're making the cape out of chiffon or cheesecloth, you aren't going to get any noticeable stiffening. I have used various stiffeners on thicker fabrics; they do not harden as you would expect, and form "break points" that fold severely and look quite bad. Starch definitely won't work, as it's meant to keep wrinkles out but keep fabric still wearable. In these cases, you're going to end up with a rigid cape that hangs straight down and doesn't move at all when you move.</p>

<p>Interfacing <em>may</em> work, but only if you use the heaviest form (often sold as "craft interfacing") and line the entire back of the cape with it. I frequently use heavy interfacing in my own costumes, and it is still quite flexible and would not be able to support the weight of the costume at that size. At best, you will likely get a stiff cape hanging rigidly around your legs; at worst, it will partially flare before giving in to your own weight, leaving you looking like you are wearing a bustle, which I assume is not the look you are after. Lighter interfacing will not stiffen the fabric at all.</p>

<p>Crinoline may work, but at the size it would need to be, it will be highly visible, and no more effective than directly wiring or boning the cape itself. Tinfoil will obviously not work, as it's designed to be very pliant, and chicken wire is likely to damage the costume pieces and your body.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T20:27:07.803Z
... and after designing the bottom part with enough extra fabric for cool movement, you might want to spend some time in front of a mirror, practicing the right „swishing“ movements and an impressive entrance. A coat like the one in question is boring on a still figure, but can greatly emphasize the wearer‘s regal or domineering attitude. If, otoh, you slouch or entangle yourself in the coat, it would be super embarrassing ;-).
Stephie
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T21:43:47.207Z
I always encourage practicing poses regardless of the costume, but especially with one with the dynamic looks this one has. There's nothing more boring than a cosplayer just standing there when you ask for a picture, instead of taking a good pose and selling it. @Stephie is dead on with that suggestion.
Allison C
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-21T14:28:47.877Z
2017-11-21T14:28:47.877Z
Allison C
<p>How can I make the lower part of a jacket behave like a cape? The real thing might not be as dramatic as the image. An exoskeleton might be needed to make the costume behave exactly like the animated version. Heck, even the animated version is coded specifically to be stiff at standstill. However I am only asking for the fabric layout, though an exoskeleton design guide could be helpful.</p>

<p>How should I lay out the bottom part of a jacket to make it spread out at the bottom?</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/i4zl8.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/i4zl8.png" alt="back view of anime character in long white robe"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/11IUt.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/11IUt.png" alt="front view of anime character in long white robe"></a></p>

<p>This is what is available right now but I believe it can be improved somehow to make the cape effect more dramatic. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/36G33.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/36G33.jpg" alt="a mannequin wearing the outfit in question"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/JR343.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/JR343.png" alt="a man wearing a black robe that&#39;s flaring out at the bottom"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-17T14:54:52.967Z
Just to be clear, by "dramatic" you mean you want the jacket to be stiff and stick out in the back?
user812786
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-18T10:54:16.010Z
Yes dramatic as if there is air blowing a little bit. like expanding a little bit at the bottoom, but not like a skirt. basically look somewhat like a cape.
user23139
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T00:04:32.583Z
Note that in the picture of the guy in black, I strongly suspect there's a sword underneath there.
Martha
<fabric>
Layout Foot length Jacket Cape
user23139
# Layout Foot length Jacket Cape

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-16)

How can I make the lower part of a jacket behave like a cape? The real thing might not be as dramatic as the image. An exoskeleton might be needed to make the costume behave exactly like the animated version. Heck, even the animated version is coded specifically to be stiff at standstill. However I am only asking for the fabric layout, though an exoskeleton design guide could be helpful.

How should I lay out the bottom part of a jacket to make it spread out at the bottom?

[![back view of anime character in long white robe](https://i.sstatic.net/i4zl8.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/i4zl8.png)
[![front view of anime character in long white robe](https://i.sstatic.net/11IUt.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/11IUt.png)

This is what is available right now but I believe it can be improved somehow to make the cape effect more dramatic.

[![a mannequin wearing the outfit in question](https://i.sstatic.net/36G33.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/36G33.jpg)
[![a man wearing a black robe that's flaring out at the bottom](https://i.sstatic.net/JR343.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/JR343.png)

**Tags:** fabric

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just to be clear, by "dramatic" you mean you want the jacket to be stiff and stick out in the back?  
> **username_0**: Yes dramatic as if there is air blowing a little bit. like expanding a little bit at the bottoom, but not like a skirt. basically look somewhat like a cape.  
> **username_2**: Note that in the picture of the guy in black, I strongly suspect there's a sword underneath there.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-11-21. Score: 6

I'm assuming from your question that you're looking to have the cape flared out around and behind you while you are standing still, as the cape will naturally take that shape when you're in motion. My best recommendations to accomplish that appearance would be to use plastic ("boning" for corsets) or wire (strong but flexible, ie. aluminum armature wire) that can be used to shape the cape. These would be run down the sides where the black trim is located, starting at waist height or higher, as well as across the bottom hem.

I will not offer these suggestions without the following warnings, however:

* The cape will likely look unnatural both at rest and in motion. You may be able to skillfully shape it to look more natural at rest, but it will still look stiff when you're moving
* You will likely become annoyed very quickly while wearing it. If you're planning to wear it to a convention, they are generally crowded, with a lot of narrow passages, and a stiff cape like this may interfere with your moving around. You'll also become annoyed trying to pack or store it because of the stiffness. And on top of those issues, you also won't be able to sit down while wearing it (and likely would become unwelcome in panel spaces due to the size anyway).
* If you are wearing it at a convention, you will quickly become other attendee's least favorite person. You will likely have a reduced awareness of where the back of your cape is, and you will hit people's legs, belongings, and props, as well as potentially knocking over displays in vendor areas, and taking up a lot of space in crowded areas.
* If you are wearing it at a convention, you may be in violation of costume policies for that convention. Many will have rules such as the "Six Inch Rule," where no part of your costume may protrude more than 6" from your body, and the shaped cape would easily fall outside that limit. You may be asked to remove the piece from your costume or leave certain areas if convention staff determines you to be in violation of rules or a hazard to other attendees.

In light of those problems, **I would recommend you do not focus on making a stiff cape.** Rather, you should evaluate fabrics that will move and drape in the proper manner, to get the right look in motion, and to make the entire costume much simpler to wear.

I will also take a brief moment to address the solutions offered by abbie, which won't work as well as expected. Fabric stiffeners are meant for very lightweight fabrics; unless you're making the cape out of chiffon or cheesecloth, you aren't going to get any noticeable stiffening. I have used various stiffeners on thicker fabrics; they do not harden as you would expect, and form "break points" that fold severely and look quite bad. Starch definitely won't work, as it's meant to keep wrinkles out but keep fabric still wearable. In these cases, you're going to end up with a rigid cape that hangs straight down and doesn't move at all when you move.

Interfacing *may* work, but only if you use the heaviest form (often sold as "craft interfacing") and line the entire back of the cape with it. I frequently use heavy interfacing in my own costumes, and it is still quite flexible and would not be able to support the weight of the costume at that size. At best, you will likely get a stiff cape hanging rigidly around your legs; at worst, it will partially flare before giving in to your own weight, leaving you looking like you are wearing a bustle, which I assume is not the look you are after. Lighter interfacing will not stiffen the fabric at all.

Crinoline may work, but at the size it would need to be, it will be highly visible, and no more effective than directly wiring or boning the cape itself. Tinfoil will obviously not work, as it's designed to be very pliant, and chicken wire is likely to damage the costume pieces and your body.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: ... and after designing the bottom part with enough extra fabric for cool movement, you might want to spend some time in front of a mirror, practicing the right „swishing“ movements and an impressive entrance. A coat like the one in question is boring on a still figure, but can greatly emphasize the wearer‘s regal or domineering attitude. If, otoh, you slouch or entangle yourself in the coat, it would be super embarrassing ;-).  
> **username_3**: I always encourage practicing poses regardless of the costume, but especially with one with the dynamic looks this one has. There's nothing more boring than a cosplayer just standing there when you ask for a picture, instead of taking a good pose and selling it. @username_4 is dead on with that suggestion.  

---

