Cloak

A cloak is a loose outer garment worn over other clothing, primarily outdoors, where it functions like an overcoat by shielding the wearer from the elements. It can be part of a uniform and has appeared across many cultures. Over the centuries, cloak styles have evolved to suit changing fashions and the textiles available.

Cloaks are usually fastened at the neck or over the shoulder. Their length ranges from the hip to the ankle, with mid-calf being most common. Some have an attached hood, and if they close down the front, they often include slits or holes for the hands. Nearly all cloaks are sleeveless. In Christian contexts, clergy may wear a cappa or cope—both forms of cloak—as liturgical vestments or as part of a religious habit.

The word “cloak” comes from Old North French *cloque* (Old French *cloche*, *cloke*), meaning “bell,” from Medieval Latin *clocca* (“traveler’s cape,” literally “a bell”), named for the garment’s bell-like shape. This makes it related to the word “clock.”

Ancient Greeks and Romans wore cloaks. Greek men and women used the *himation* from the Archaic through Hellenistic periods (c. 750–30 BC). Romans later adopted a Greek-style cloak called the *pallium*, which was quadrangular, square-shaped, and worn on the shoulders like the himation. During the Roman Republic, the *toga* served as a formal mark of citizenship, denied to foreigners and worn by magistrates as a badge of office; it supposedly originated with King Numa Pompilius (r. 715–672 BC). In Kievan Rus’, prominent figures adopted the Byzantine *chlamys* as a fur-lined *korzno*. Among the Aztec Empire, powerful nobles and elite warriors wore a *tilmàtli*, a Mesoamerican cloak or cape symbolizing high status. The most elaborate and colorful tilmàtlis were reserved for high priests, emperors, Eagle warriors, and Jaguar knights. In southeastern Australia, Aboriginal Australians traditionally made cloaks from possum skins, while those in western Australia used kangaroo pelts for *buka* cloaks; these were also used as blankets or drums, and their leather sides were etched with personal symbols.

In Western countries, full evening dress often includes a cloak as a fashion statement or to protect fine fabrics from weather, since a coat might crush or hide the garment. Opera cloaks are made from quality materials like wool, cashmere, velvet, or satin. Women may wear a long cape (over the shoulders or to the ankles) or a full-length cloak, while men wear ankle- or full-length cloaks. Formal versions often have expensive, colored linings and trimmings such as silk, satin, velvet, or fur. The term also titles a 1942 operatic comedy.

In the King James Version of the Bible, Matthew 5:40 quotes Jesus: “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.” Luke 6:29 records a similar saying: “...and him that taketh away thy cloke, forbid not to take thy coat also.” Cloaks are a staple of fantasy literature, tied to medieval settings and often associated with witches, wizards, and vampires. The best-known stage version of *Dracula*, which made Bela Lugosi famous, had him wear a cloak so his exit through a concealed trap door could seem sudden. When Lugosi reprised the role in the 1931 Universal film, he kept the cloak, which became so iconic that nearly all non-historical depictions of Count Dracula include one. Fantasy cloaks are often magical—for example, granting invisibility in the *Harry Potter* series, or shifting color to help the wearer blend in, as in *The Lord of the Rings*. Marvel’s Doctor Strange wears a Cloak of Levitation with mystical abilities. In the game *NetHack*, a “cloak of magic resistance” can nullify magical projectiles.

Figuratively, a cloak can be anything that disguises or conceals. In science fiction, such as *Star Trek*, cloaking devices make objects appear invisible; a real, limited version was demonstrated in 2006. The phrase “cloak and dagger” refers to espionage and secretive crimes, suggesting murder from hidden sources, and “cloak and dagger” stories are mystery, detective, and crime tales. Marvel’s vigilante duo Cloak and Dagger references this.