Capes are like the Marmite of the fashion world, you either love them or hate them.

They are perfect for making a style statement, but those armless cover-ups can be tricky to pull off as a look. They throw up all sorts of issues: Where should your handbag go?

Should your arms be left in or poke out? And with all that excess fabric, will you look swamped?

But if you are comfortable with the practicalities of cape wearing, they are a great alternative to your winter coat, and offer a quirky edge.

We've spotted Liv Tyler in a cool, black, voluminous knitted style with vintage-look gold ­buttons, Lily Allen in a similarly slouchy, charcoal grey knitted cape and Fearne Cotton has been snapped in a simple black belted style, as well as a red tartan mini-cape.

If you are inspired by these stylish celebs, but are concerned by any of the above issues, then go classic and stick to a military-style cape.

Opt for navy blue or black, with double- breasted buttons and preferably some kind of tie-waist to emphasise your shape.

Gallery: Cape wearing Londoners

We think the DKNY wool blend cape (£495, net-a-porter.com) ticks all the boxes, thanks to its pea coat-style front and Caped Crusader back.

It also has handy pockets, cute brass buttons and plenty of room for arms to escape for either handbag holding, or for general tasks that can be troublesome without proper sleeves.

If you're on a budget check out asos.com's black high-neck military cape with shiny gold buttons (£32). Brilliant for experimenting with the look without making a huge investment, it's a compact cape that is easy to style.

More adventurous capes can be found at Hobbs in its NW3 collection — we love the great heritage-style mustard and peacock tartan check cape, and the gorgeous deep raspberry pink brushed mohair style with shiny buttons (each £249).

Also try Wallis's eye-popping lime green belted cape (£65), fun but flattering thanks to the belted waist and wide collar. It is also available in pale grey.

So whichever camp you are in, there is no denying that capes are crusading forward in style this season.

Gallery: Cape wearing Londoners