But cloaks continued to exist as a staple of fashion for many men and women. Overcoats became popular in the mid-1800s, - usurping the cloak - and greatcoats (essentially long wool overcoats) began to take the place of other military attire. That’s not to say they didn’t lose popularity. As opposed to wigs, which serve no function whatsoever, cloaks are all purpose garments. Cape/groundsheets were used in the Australian army up until the 1970s. A well-made cloak also provides ample coverage against the rain. They’ve been around since ancient times simply because they’re so easy to make and could double as a night blanket for travelers. In part that’s probably because, unlike the laces, ribbons, and high heels despised by the revolution, cloaks are extremely practical. Cloaks escaped the reign of terror and remained appropriate manly attire well into the 19th century, worn by Napoleon Bonaparte, among others. But capes, or more properly cloaks (capes are short, cloaks are floor length, though at this point they’re used pretty interchangeably), despite being worn primarily by the wealthy, were spared that fate. This meant an end to stockings, male high heels, elaborate wigs and even some richly colored, expensive fabrics. The idea of a decorative man was replaced by the idea of a man of vigor and action.
This extended through much of Europe, where aristocrats, correctly or incorrectly, thought that maybe they should begin looking a bit more relatable. One leader of the revolution, Barere, issued a decree saying that anyone wearing wigs would be suspected of insufficient devotion to the cause, and that people would have to choose “ between their headdresses and their heads.” So people very quickly, and men in particular, started dressing like members of the lower class. So you definitely didn’t want to dress like a member of the ancien regime because they would guillotine you. The more important reason, however, was likely that the radical Jacobins killed anyone who even appeared to have royalist sympathies. One was that it genuinely seemed easier to move about in it. The new fashion caught on for a few reasons. The working men, who were a motivating force behind the revolution, became known as “sans culottes” meaning “without breeches.” The term referred to workers who could not afford the silk breeches and stockings worn by aristocrats, and instead wore pantaloons. After the overthrow of the French monarchy, people began eschewing traditional aristocratic symbols as a political statement. That’s a change that came about as a result of the French revolution in 1789.
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