No, not the Robert DeNiro movie… we’re sharing our feelings about the 2010 outerwear trend.

The top shops are all featuring weird beige, gray, shapeless wraps like capes and ponchos. Believe it or not, the cape is really a must-have piece for Fall 2010.

Yet, if you just pick one and throw it on, you risk looking like a mental patient, a governess, or a great-grandma. Not a Savvy look!

Instead, the cape should make you feel like a fairytale queen, in something elegant and different that turns heads while keeping you warm. Or maybe a superhero—ready to take on whatever the world brings your way!

So we’re here to  cape  keep you on track, with our picks for the best looks in capes, ponchos and wraps. (Yes, it’s still in the 90°s out and you aren’t thinking about outerwear yet… but now you can get started—then by the time it actually cools down, you’ll know exactly what you want.)

• Wraps and capes can have shape. Look for pieces that won’t turn you into a shapeless blob. For example, look for belt elements… or a cape-cut coat that still reveals your figure.

Let’s face it: this model looks like she just tore down some curtains and wrapped up in them. And this cardigan could do double-duty as a bathrobe. The absolute key to a bulky piece of outerwear is going to be the cut and how you wear it.

• Keep it proportional. If you’re wearing a big voluminous coat on top, stick with cigarette pants, skinny jeans, leggings, pencil skirt or another slim silhouette on bottom. Otherwise you’ll just be a massive block of fabric-covered bulk.

• Make use of textiles to lighten things up. Compare the difference between a heavy knit poncho like this one, and the chiffon cape we’ve pictured here. Lighter-weight fabrics (think jersey, cashmere, Merino wool) and finer weaves will keep you from looking like you just tossed on a horse blanket to go to dinner.

• Be brave, but avoid looking costume-y. You want to feel like Supergirl, not look like her. If you try on a cape, cardigan or poncho and immediately feel like Mr. Rogers, Mary McConnell in “Dances With Wolves”, or the Wicked Witch of the East, then put it back.

But, don’t immediately pass by these new outerwear shapes just because it’s not what you’re used to! This season is a great time to try a new cut and step out of your comfort zone. Just make sure the overall look you’re striving for is sophisticated and Savvy.

Turn that cape fear into cape fierce!