Wide view of Venice: Piazza San Marco - Riva degli Schiavoni

TABARRO: the heavy Winter Cloack

A men's item that could be used by everybody

Giovanni Grevembroch: "Nobile in Tabarro"
pen, ink & watercolor (18th century)
Museo Correr, Venezia

Made of wool, usually black, it's a cloack that covers the user's body as much as possible. Venice's cold and damp during winter.

It uses a whole lot of tissue (20 feet), and there had been quite a bit of Venetian regulations to limit the quantity of fabric used. Little respecrted, of course.

An evolution of the ancient roman toga, born after the Middle Ages and used by almost everybody, rich and poor: the most democratic garment ever designed.

Traditionally,  men, more than women would wear the Tabarro, but cold weather makes the rules, usually.

And it was practical, not so cheap, but neither that expensive (poor people would wear shorter cloacks) warm and maintenance free.

The simplest items always win, this is my philosophy too. Make it simple, dummy!


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