Inverness cape
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Although a wide variety of coats, overcoats, and rain gear are worn with Highland Dress to deal with inclement weather, the Inverness cape has come to be almost universally adopted for rainy weather by pipe bands the world over and many other kilt wearers also find it to be the preferable garment for such conditions.
Made famous by Sherlock Holmes, the Inverness cape is a water-repellent garment. The commonly held image of the cape worn by Holmes is of tweed, but more modest capes of nylon are commonly used by members of pipe bands. Unlike most raincoats, the Inverness cape has no sleeves. Instead, there is a wide cut in the sides to accommodate the arms. This enables the wearer to access a sporran without unbuttoning and opening up the cape. The opening in the side is covered by a short cape which can be buttoned in the front.
