Yoga, veganism, tattoos, wearing second-hand clothes, Glastonbury: the roll call of things that once signaled an “alternative lifestyle” and are now pervasive is endless and lengthens every year. The best thing on that list? The kaftan.
I have a lot of love for kaftans. A silver bauble with a low V-neck and short sleeves—a bit Kate Bush circa 1978 with a hint of Paris Hilton circa 2002, though I actually bought it at Maje in 2016—is one of my most prized possessions . The Pucci kaftan has been one of my eBay alerts for years; one day, my friends, i will find the perfect one.
Why? Kaftans are dramatic and relaxed. They bring the party without falling in love with complicated underwear “solutions”. Clothes that are comfortable can often be a little low-energy; glamorous ones tend to feel a bit stiff and formal. A kaftan is high energy but low effort. It’s grand, but not ostentatious. Am I making myself clear? This is a tough recommendation.
“Khaftan” is a Persian word, but kaftan (or kaftan) is used in fashion to refer to a variety of loose tunic-style garments that have their origins in the Middle East and North Africa. A true kaftan is a long robe with defined sleeves; the less structured, butterfly-sleeve garment—a kind of airy poncho, almost—is closer, in fact, to abaya. Traditionally worn by men and women, this generous, loose silhouette garment is designed for ventilation and sun protection in hot climates. There’s a lot of dull 2nd-century popular culture craziness in how this long-established practical garment was “discovered” by Western fashion and became a souvenir from the hippie trail. But in the decades since, the kaftan has evolved from a symbol of exoticism to a light and elegant staple that reflects the globalization of modern fashion.
What we wear for high days and holidays is what drives fashion now. Old spring/summer, fall/winter trend wheel? Not that much. Looking in our diaries and seeing an event is what makes us think about clothes. The rhythms of real life – of Christmas and summer holidays, of starting a new course or a new job – ring the changes in our wardrobes these days, not a new print coming in September, or a new spring colour. that fills the stores in March.
Because the holidays are the top days, they will now be as fashionable as they once were. They set the pace. And the kaftan is the ultimate holiday wardrobe staple. The fashion name to take off is Taller Marmo, an Italian label that produces extravagantly luxurious kaftans embellished with extra-long silk fringe. They have been seen wearing party dresses this summer.
The party caftan has a distilled essence of “Aspirational OOO”, representing sophistication and alfresco fade, rather than leisure time spent staring at your phone in front of the TV. Some version of stretchy sportswear (say a tracksuit, or leggings and a T-shirt) has become a default evening and weekend wardrobe at home for many of us. But those hours tend not to feel terribly satisfying as R&R, encroached as they are by work emails and sentence checking, so it’s good to put clear blue water between your home sport and your holiday outfits.
If a “beach dress” once meant an oversized t-shirt, it now means something more: an off-the-shoulder pastel romper or a jewel-toned slip dress. Or, in my case, a kaftan.
Hair and Makeup: Sophie Higginson. Model: Benn Hebbard @ Body London. Clothing and other stories, rented at hurrcollective.com. Shoes, russellandbromley.co.uk
