Capelets and Short Capes, Made to Order

A capelet is a cape cut short — ending at or just below the elbow rather than at the hip or the knee — so it covers the shoulders and upper arms and leaves the rest of the outfit visible. Nadya Shah makes capelets and short capes to order in her London studio, in hand-woven wool, silk velvet and silk gauze, each one lined in silk and made to measure in sizes 4 to 14. The cape collection currently holds sixteen styles cut at fifteen or sixteen inches, and every piece ships within one to two weeks.

What Makes a Capelet Different

Length is the whole distinction, and it changes what the garment is for. A full-length cape replaces a coat. A capelet does not — it sits over an outfit the way a stole or a bolero would, finishing above the waist so a belt, a waistline or the line of a skirt stays visible underneath. That makes it the only cape style you can wear seated at a table without rearranging it.

It also behaves differently in the shoulder. Because there is no weight of fabric below the elbow pulling the garment down, a capelet holds its shape across the back instead of draping, which is why embellishment reads more clearly on a short cape than on a long one. The trade-off is warmth: a capelet is a layer, not outerwear, and most are cut for interiors and evenings rather than for a cold walk.

How Nadya Shah's Capelets Are Made

Nothing is held in stock. Each piece is cut and finished by hand once it is ordered, in hand-woven wool, silk velvet or silk net gauze depending on the style, with a silk lining throughout. Embellished pieces are then hand-worked in silk thread, sequin, bead or metal thread — the same studio techniques used across the hand-embroidered wool capes.

Every capelet is cut true to size and made to measure in sizes 4 to 14, so the length across the shoulder and the fall at the back can be adjusted to you rather than to a standard block. See the sizing chart for measurements. Allow one to two weeks from order to shipping.

Featured Capelets and Short Capes

Bardot Cape: 100% wool with a silk lining, sixteen inches. The plainest of the four and the easiest to wear over tailoring during the day.
Cape Carmine: burgundy silk velvet with a silk lining, sixteen inches. The evening option — velvet at this length reads as jewellery rather than as outerwear.
Chevron Pearl Cape: wool with a gauze detail and a silk lining, sixteen inches, worked in a chevron with pearl detailing across the shoulder.
All About Eve Cape: 100% wool with 100% silk, sixteen inches. The most structured of the short styles, cut to sit squarely across the shoulder.

How to Care for a Capelet

A capelet should be dry-cleaned by a specialist rather than washed at home, to protect the wool or velvet and any hand-worked thread. Pearl, bead and sequin detailing sits at the shoulder on a short cape, which is exactly where a presser lands, so tell the cleaner to cover the embellishment before pressing.

Store it on a wide, padded hanger or folded flat with acid-free tissue, and keep it out of direct sunlight so the coloured threads do not fade. A short cape carries all its weight on the shoulder seam, so avoid narrow or wire hangers, which will mark it. Treated well, a capelet is designed to last for years and to be kept as an heirloom piece — part of our wider commitment to artisanal, responsible making.

New to capes? Start with our guide to the different types of capes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a capelet and a cape? Length, and nothing else structurally. A capelet ends at or above the elbow and covers the shoulders and upper arms; a cape continues past the hip, and a full-length cape to the ankle. Both are cut without sleeves and both fall from the shoulder rather than the neck, which is what separates them from a shawl or a wrap.

What do you wear a capelet with? Anything whose waistline you want to keep visible — a column dress, a belted skirt, high-waisted trousers, a fitted jumpsuit. Because it finishes above the waist it will not interrupt the line of what is underneath, which is the main reason to choose a short cape over a long one.

Is a capelet warm enough on its own? Not as outerwear. The wool styles with silk linings hold heat well across the shoulders and back, but a capelet leaves the forearms and the body below the waist uncovered. Treat it as an evening or indoor layer and keep a full-length cape for the cold.

How long does a capelet take to make? One to two weeks. Nothing is held in stock — each piece is cut and hand-finished after the order is placed, and the embellished styles sit at the longer end of that window.