Cape dress

A cape dress describes a woman's dress which combines features of the cape and the dress. Either a cape-like garment is attached to the dress, pinned or sewn on, and integrated into its construction, or the dress and cape are made to co-ordinate in fabric and/or colour. Cape dresses provide a modest double layer in the bodice area. They also provide a long, full, skirt which conceals the form and falls at least below the knee and sometimes down to the ankle, depending upon the Christian denomination. In Christianity, this practice has been followed since the times of the Early Church, immediately after the New Testament time period. Cape dresses are traditionally worn by female Anabaptist Christian church members, such as Mennonite, Brethren, Amish and Charity women. Along with the adjective kosmios (κόσμιος) meaning "modest", uses the Greek word catastola katastolé (καταστολῇ) for the apparel suitable for Christian females, and for this reason, women belonging to traditional Anabaptist denominations often wear a cape dress; for example, ladies who are members of the Charity Christian Fellowship (an Anabaptist denomination) wear the cape dress as the denomination teaches that "the sisters are to wear a double layered garment as the Greek word 'catastola' describes." Cape dresses have additionally been worn by females who are traditional Christians of the Quaker and Shaker denominations, among others. Each local church group has its own regulations and basic pattern, so that when meeting each other, members of plain churches can generally recognize which church they are members of. Many churches have a dress pattern where the cape is attached at the waist. Others, especially among the Brethren churches, have maintained a dress pattern where the cape is loose at the bottom edge. Additionally the cape dress, in extreme forms, has become a part of fashion vocabulary. The cape dress is worn with a headcovering, often in the form of a kapp or an opaque hanging veil.