About Kaftans
History - A kaftan, which is sometimes spelt caftan, was originally a garment of clothing that would be worn by men, the first kaftans were full length cloaks with full sleeves and would button up the front, as today the majority of these would have been manufactured from cotton or silk.
However, unlike today these early kaftans were only worn by Ottoman sultans and there was a very strict hierarchy in terms of the colour, patterns, ribbons and buttons, which would collaborate with the rank that the individual held.
Russian Kaftan - In the Russian language the word 'kaftam' actually refers to a different item of clothing, which was a man's long suit with tight sleeves. By the 19th century the Russian kaftans were worn widely by mainly peasants and merchants.
Moroccan Kaftan - In Morocco today the kaftan is only worn by women and they don't bare much resemblance to the Turkish garments. This is perhaps the most similar to our Western dress and it can be worn for all occasions, both formal and casual.
Batik kaftan - With the climate in South East Asia the kaftans are manufacturered as much for their feel and comfort as for their appearance, with the preferred material being mainly silk. Floral and abstract designs also figure heavily in the Asian designs.
Nowadays more and more designers are answering the ever growing demand for these stylish and comfortable garments and the kaftans that are available today are very stylish and similar to the Asian designs in terms of materials, which make them perfect for a warmer climate or as a beach cover up.
A selection of retailers who stock a large variety of kaftans.
Kaftans are available in a number of differbet styles.
Kaftan Dresses - Kaftans were originally full length dresses and they are still available in this style today. Although the original style has lasted, the more contemporary dresses are designed with Western fashion in mind. These dresses are very versatile with the look of an elegant evening dress combined with the feel of more comfortable casual wear, which makes them ideal for warmer climates. As fashion has moved on these kaftans are available in a variety of lengths, patterns, colours and cuts in order to supply the varied demand for them.
Kaftan Tops - Full length dresses have evolved into tops in order to make kaftans more appealing to the Western market and in particular the younger generation. With this evolution comes a greater chance for creativity for designers and consumers alike with the ability to pair a top with jeans or other garments that are already popular today, this change also gives you more opportunity to wear the kaftan because there is less need for a warmer climate when wearing the tops as part of an overall look.
Beach Kaftans - Kaftans have started being designed and promoted as beach wear as a beach cover up, much like the sarong, and this is where we can see the most fashionable and contemporary designs coming to the forefront, together with a greater emphasis on the price in order to fit into the beach cover up marketplace. More and more beach cover ups are being designed and manufactured with younger people in mind and this is certainly an item of clothing that is successful in crossing the tastes of generations, which is leading to some very prestigious designers capitalising on the trend.