Draped in fun
The versatile and easily accessorized caftan makes a comeback
By Karol Ann Bergman 06/04/2009
A longtime wardrobe staple for beach-savvy fashionistas, the caftan has recently taken a style turn for the better.
Long gone are the days of the 1960s when we might have seen our mothers running down dudes on their surfboards while wearing embroidered and bright-colored cotton caftans with more flash than Twiggy herself, and last season’s gaudy silk-and-sequined misfires have also had their moment.
New fabrics and subdued trims have updated the caftan, a sleeved cloak buttoned down the front that originated among Ottoman sultans, and made it easier to accessorize.
Why I love them:
It’s not only that my breezy cotton jersey caftan looks amazing over my very old crochet two-piece, it’s the fact I can throw it on with my flip-flops, bask in the sunlight all day, go to my car, change into my old favorite summer heels, accessorize with a cinch waist belt and loosely woven fedora, and then join my friends over at the pub. Convenient doesn’t even begin to describe the luxury of this seasonal must-have.
What to look for in a caftan:
I like using these five simple rules to find myself a keeper.
1) Choose a color that you’re comfortable with. For example, I love this season’s new lemon yellow but I would never think of buying a caftan in it. Yellow is too bright for my personal taste, so not only would I be buying a color because it was “trendy,” I would feel uncomfortable in it all day, and that would inhibit me from owning my style. That said, I stick with neutrals — but this is just me. Yellow might be you, who knows?
2) A caftan is like an oversized shirt, so most designers update the style by adding a running stitch up the sides, allowing it to form to your figure while also draping at arm’s length. Because of all that extra fabric, keep your hemlines short. A few inches above the knee works for me.
3) Avoid loud and obnoxious embroidery. Stick to more subdued prints or you may start looking like a Christmas tree.
4) Vintage caftans are great, but be wary: They often come in overpowering colors and trim that’s more distracting than appealing to the eye. If you decide vintage is the way to go, try an Ebay search for “vintage caftan.”
5) Although one size typically fits all, try it on if you can to see how you feel in it.
While it appears the caftan is by no means outdated (yet) and will be in full flowing force this season, it’s always good to have a back-up plan rooted in summer basics. If this style falls out of your favor, have on hand roughed cut-off denim short-shorts, oversized lightweight cotton tanks, sandals, a fedora or two and definitely some cute little aviators.
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