Jenny Packham Cape Dresses: The Cape Gown and How to Wear It
Jenny Packham Cape Dresses: The Cape Gown and How to Wear It
The cape gown is the Jenny Packham shape people remember. It is a fitted beaded gown with a sheer cape that falls from the shoulders to the floor, so the dress moves when you walk and covers the arms without a sleeve. The Princess of Wales wore a gold Jenny Packham cape gown to the No Time to Die premiere in 2021, and the shape has been a house signature since. Here is every cape style in the Autumn Winter 2026 collection at Luxury Shoes .
The cape gowns
Opera
Structured shoulders, a fitted beaded gown and a floor-length cape. It comes in Liquorice, Thistle and Calypso, with the Blackthorne Blue already at Luxury Shoes . $8,240.
Gold Rush
A deep V neck, a sculpted waist and a beaded cape. In Lagoon it is mint; in Nutmeg it is wine red. $8,210.
Sweet Silva
Long cape sleeves and a plunging neckline, with dense beading at the shoulders. In Illusion gold and Midnight Kiss navy.
Gracie and Leia
A shorter sheer cape over a high neck. The Gracie is pale pink, the Leia silver.
Moxie
A plain black column with an illusion neckline that runs into a crystal-scattered cape. The quietest cape gown in the collection, at $6,350.
Petal and Ophelia
Soft cape sleeves rather than a full cape, in navy and ivory.
A cape on its own
The Astralis Cape in Moonstone is a beaded cape with long fringe, sold separately at $3,530. It turns a plain column gown into a cape gown and works over a strapless dress at a winter wedding.
How to wear a cape gown
- Wear the hair up so the shoulders and the cape line are clear.
- Skip the necklace. The beading at the shoulder already frames the face.
- Choose a small clutch held in the hand; a chain bag catches on the cape.
- Check the hem length with your shoes. The capes reach the floor on the 178cm house model.
Fit
Most cape gowns fit true to size. The Opera in Liquorice fits small, and the house recommends one size up. Sizes run from UK 6 to UK 20 (US 2 to US 16).
Cape gowns compared
| Style | Neckline | Colours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opera | High, structured shoulders | Liquorice, Thistle, Calypso | $8,240 |
| Gold Rush | Deep V | Lagoon, Nutmeg | $8,210 |
| Sweet Silva | Plunging V | Illusion, Midnight Kiss | $7,920 to $8,440 |
| Gracie | High | Ballerina Pink | $7,290 |
| Leia | High | Ammonite | $7,400 |
| Moxie | Illusion | Liquorice | $6,350 |
Why the cape works
A cape covers the upper arms without the weight of a sleeve, and it falls away from the body, so it does not cling. It also moves. On the Opera and the Gold Rush the cape is beaded in vertical lines that catch the light when you walk, and that movement is what makes the shape photograph so well. For the same reason, a cape gown suits a tall frame and a petite one: the long vertical line makes the body look longer.
Jenny Packham size conversion
| UK | US | EU |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2 | 34 |
| 8 | 4 | 36 |
| 10 | 6 | 38 |
| 12 | 8 | 40 |
| 14 | 10 | 42 |
| 16 | 12 | 44 |
| 18 | 14 | 46 |
| 20 | 16 | 48 |
The conversion follows the Jenny Packham size chart, where a UK 10 is a US 6 and an EU 38. Luxury Handbags lists every piece in the exact UK sizes the house makes, and the product page shows which sizes are in stock.
Read next: Jenny Packham evening gowns, Jenny Packham and the Princess of Wales and the size guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which Jenny Packham cape dress did Kate Middleton wear?
The Princess of Wales wore a gold Jenny Packham cape gown to the No Time to Die premiere in London in 2021.
Is the cape attached?
On the cape gowns the cape is part of the dress. The Astralis is a separate cape.
How much is a Jenny Packham cape gown?
At Luxury Handbags the cape gowns run from $6,350 for the Moxie to $8,440 for the Sweet Silva in Illusion.
Related Posts
Who Wears Costarellos: Celebrities, Royals and the Carrie Johnson Wedding Dress
Costarellos has dressed Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Paulson, Chrissy Teigen, Gillian Anderson, Hannah Waddingham, Kelly Clarkson and Alia Bhatt, along with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Princess Rajwa Al Hussein of Jordan. In the UK the name is best known for Carrie...
Costarellos Pre-Fall 2026 and Fall Winter 2026: The Collection Edit and 8 Picks
The current Costarellos collection spans two seasons. Pre-Fall 2026 is built around the "Fall in Bloom" story of floral-cut satin, petal lurex satin and sequin florals, with crystal embroidery and beaded French lace. Fall Winter 2026 moves into velvet, silk mikado, mohair knits with lace and...
Costarellos Floral-Cut Satin: How the Pre-Fall 2026 Sets Combine, With Outfit Formulas
The floral-cut satin pieces are the heart of the Costarellos Pre-Fall 2026 "Fall in Bloom" story: satin separates with dimensional embroidered florals cut into the surface, designed to be worn as matching sets. A two-piece outfit costs from $1,580 for the Lex bralette and Chelsie skirt to $3,730...
Costarellos Knitwear: Feather Sweaters, Embellished Mohair Knits and a Feather Top
Costarellos knitwear this season is mohair with something added: ostrich feathers, corded lace applique, hand-embroidered crystals and an "Oasis" applique. The sweaters cost $1,110 to $1,190, the Vianna knit mini dress is $1,450, and the Luneth feather top in French tulle is $2,000. Knits come...
Costarellos Velvet: Silk Velvet Gowns, a Velvet Maxi Skirt and a Strapless Dress for Winter
Costarellos works velvet two ways this winter: a silk-blend velvet with a liquid drape for gowns and a long skirt, and a denser cotton velvet for a strapless dress and flared trousers. The gowns start at $3,650, the Laudrie velvet maxi skirt and the Padra trousers are $1,450 each, and each of...
Costarellos Holiday Party Outfits: Christmas and New Year’s Eve Looks
The easiest Costarellos holiday party outfits pair one embellished piece with one plain one: a sequin floral jacket with a sequin skirt, a feather top with velvet trousers, and a crystal pencil skirt with a beaded lace shirt. For a single piece, a crystal tulle mini at $2,940 covers both a...
Costarellos Cocktail Dresses: Embellished Minis and Sequin Midis
Costarellos cocktail dresses come in two lengths: embellished minis from $1,290, led by the Palla crystal tulle mini at $2,940, and sequin and lace midis from $3,000, led by the pink Capria and Harlee. Both are built with the same hand embroidery as the gowns, so a short Costarellos dress still...
Costarellos Mother of the Bride Dresses: Sleeved and Covered Options
The best Costarellos mother of the bride dresses are the sleeved and higher-necked styles: the Aliska silk velvet gown, the Lissie silk velvet gown, the long-sleeved Mellorie, the Verana keyhole column gown, the Shayna lace midi and the Kalissa guipure lace dress. They run from $2,430 to $5,370...
Costarellos Wedding Guest Dresses: Black Tie, Formal and Winter Weddings
For a black tie wedding, a floor-length Costarellos gown in velvet, lace and lurex georgette is the right call, and for a cocktail dress code a sequin midi works. Winter weddings suit the house best, because the Fall Winter 2026 collection is built on silk velvet, silk mikado and sleeved lace....
Costarellos Dresses by Colour: Blue, Pink, Green, White and Black
The current Costarellos collection comes in seven colour families: blue, pink, green, white and ivory, black, purple and mauve, and a metallic gold. Pink is the deepest edit, with dresses from $2,000, black holds the most gowns, and blue runs from pale ciel lurex to electric blue silk velvet.
Costarellos Gowns: The Evening Gown Edit by Silhouette
A Costarellos gown is a floor-length evening dress from the Athens house, usually in French lace, lurex georgette, silk velvet and crystal-embroidered tulle. At Luxury Handbags the current gowns cost from $2,000 to $5,470, and they cover every main silhouette: column, strapless, halter, lace and velvet....
Costarellos Size Guide: FR to UK, US and EU Sizes, Measurements and Fit
Costarellos uses French sizing, from FR 34 to FR 46 in most styles and from FR 32 in some. To convert, take 28 off the French size for your UK size and a further 4 off for your US size, so FR 36 is a UK 8 and a US 4. Most styles fit true to size, with a few exceptions noted below.