US Navy & US Marine Corp Boat Cloaks, and US Army Capes

[coastie_classics]

Coming together but my symmetry is all off… it’s more lopsided when viewed from the front. Not sure if I should disassemble or push on and find a way to tuck the fabric back into something more balanced.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ Not seeing the lopsided issue. If you've measured carefully the panels should all be the same measurements, and if you've assembled/sewn carefully with the same amount of extra cloth, then there shouldn't be differences. Two things you can do is (1) gently iron the seams so they sit flat and the stitching is taut, and (2) hang it on a hanger with wide shoulders (not a thin one like you're using) and make sure the cape is seated evenly. Then take another look. Edit: I should add that I have a cape which was handmade by some fellow in China and it's completely even from side to side, etc, but when hanging on a hanger because of all the extra cloth it can look lopsided. Maybe take some photos wearing it. This sort of outergarment is never going to look neat and trim and tidy.

 

[coastie_classics]

It took me an entire day with a seam ripper but I disassembled and started all over again. The lopsidedness really presented itself when I put it on and viewed from behind, the back seams wound up on different parts of my shoulders.

Put it back together this time on a hanger instead of just trying to pin it to myself while wearing the black shirt. Ran into a couple new issues but are probably easier to fix:
(1) ran out of cape on the center left, but just enough that it could line up flush with the center of the shirt. I think I’ll just cover it up with bias tape.

(2) One half runs longer than the other. This is more visible when I close up the front and line the center edges together. I think once I finish re-sewing the top, I’ll lay it flat and recut the bottom circle to even it out.​

Pictures of progress attached.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's an Army cape sold/supplied by The Cadet Store, West Point. Probably an officer teaching there or somesuch.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's what the seller is calling a US Marine Corp cape, dated 1944. Not sure if the USMC had women serving in those days (nurses?) so this is probably a men's cape although it doesn't match the official specs which I've posted early in this thread. Perhaps a ceremonial garment. If someone has any info, please chime in.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Lt Truesdale in 1917.

 

[Doctor Damage]

USMC boat cloaks photographed in the wild.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's a cape up on eBay, seller says nurse's cape but the detailing with the agraffe suggests a men's cape and my instinct agrees with that. This one needs a good cleaning (!) and I post it here because details are pretty clear.

 

[scotrace]

My cloak (thankfully none the worse after a year in storage). The mage with the date tag best represents the lining color, which is a burgundy shade and not at all bright red.
So, nurse's? It doesn't "feel" feminine, and I'm hoping it's a man's cloak.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ Looks really great, scotrace! You're lucky to find a USN cloak in good shape.

 

[scotrace]

Thanks! It's a treasure. Not so much as a moth nip anywhere.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's a USN boat cloak that I noticed on an auctioneer's website. The description read: USN Boat Cloak for Officers M1922 dated and named Ensign C.W. Smalzel, 2-12-1940.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's a US army cape, from another auctioneer's website. (click for larger)

 

[Doctor Damage]

Illustration from the 1922(?) USMC uniform guide.

 

[Doctor Damage]

US Army quartermaster Major Archibald W. **** in 1911.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's descriptions of US Army officer's capes from the 1897, 1912, and 1917 uniform regulations. Note that these have different details than the "modern" US Army cape, and seem to be more of USN boat cloak sort of thing (except with branch-colored linings).

 

[Doctor Damage]

The following cape is from an auction website and was described as an "Indian Wars era artillery officer's cape" and it certainly matches the descriptions I posted in the previous post above.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Howard C. Bush, base camp commander (army) for Trinity Site.



source

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's a thumbnail photo I came across. If I manage to find a larger version I'll post it but not likely since it was probably a one-off photo from someone's personal belongings. Obviously it shows a US Army officer in cape.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Sherman in 1860 or thereabouts. Looks like an early version of the US Army cape, pretty regulation it seems, including the agraffe cord which in this photo is hanging down unfastened.