Opera cloak

{{short description|Long loose luxurious coat, worn over evening dress}}

{{use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

File:Opera coat MET DT7397.jpg

An opera cloak is an ankle- or floor-length loose-fitting cloak of dark, luxurious fabric such as velvet, brocade or satin, to be worn over an evening gown for a woman or a man's white tie tail coat or black tie dress suit, named after its typical designation for the opera.{{Cite web |title=Opera cloak {{!}} American |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/84236 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Metropolitan Museum of Art}} It may be described as a fitted cloak (sometimes with sleeves), generally not as tailored as a coat. For white tie, men's opera cloaks are frequently worn with a walking stick and top hat or opera hat.{{Cite web |date=2012-03-25 |title=Capes & Canes: What Would Don Draper Do? |url=https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/capes-and-canes/ |access-date=2024-09-06 |language=en-US}}

Like cloaks and capes, the opera coat is usually lined in a coloured expensive fabric, such as silk, or a weave like satin, for a more opulent look. An opera coat often has an elegant or dramatic collar, and may have padded sleeves. It may or may not be trimmed in fur. It often has an elaborate braided rope instead of buttons at the neck.{{Cite web |title=Velvet, Fur, and Dragons: Cornell's Opulent Opera Cloak {{!}} Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection |url=https://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellcostume/2022/04/01/velvet-fur-and-dragons-cornells-opulent-opera-cloak/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=blogs.cornell.edu}}