Embrace the Caftan

Part III: It's Time to Find Your Own Inner Caftan Wearer

After a certain age I think all, well most, women should acquaint themselves and become comfortable with wearing a caftan. It’s a marvelous way to dress up or down; from at-home to a black tie event and look completely chic while commanding the room. (See Marta Marzotto post in Part II). It can hide with aplomb more than a few extra pounds (see Liz Taylor in Part I) and creates the perfect landscape for piles of exotic jewelry.

A great starter caftan from Tove (and on sale!) promise you’ll it enjoy forever

It’s actually one of the few perks of getting old. A chic older woman rocking a caftan looks as though she has earned her caftan wearing status and hints at an eccentric, worldly and colorful past.  Who wouldn’t want to grow into that other than a sister wife? As a child I was obsessed with Endora the caftan wearing, hookah smoking mother of Samantha on Bewitched. To this day she remains my model for growing old gracefully.

My idol Endora (right) with her TV daughter Samantha, no slouch either in the outfit department

However, there is a right and wrong way to do it.  There are a lot of bad caftans out there that scream Karen does Dubai. Too much appropriation in synthetic fibers that scream mass market. Also beware of the too extra caftan.  Though expensive they can veer into the excess lane a la Absolutely Fabulous. You must wear the caftan. Not the caftan wears you. This is not to say you should be timid in choosing a caftan. By its very nature it’s a bold statement piece. However, there’s a balance to be struck while matching the caftan to the wearer. If you’re not big on prints stay away from that Pucci caftan because remember, once you don the caftan you must own it.

If you are a print person some excellent choices from left, Adriana Degreas, Pucci and Max Mara

I divide caftans into two categories: day, which work for recreational settings, beach, poolside, day drinking at home. And evening, when the jewels come out enforce and the channeling of Henry Clarke’s famous 1960’s Vogue photoshoots is apropos.

All the above are from the Lem Lem website, an excellent source for the beachy side of caftans.

For both, a conventional shoe such as a pump is strictly verboten. If the shoe has a biblical feel you’re on the right track. Simply put, a flat sandal works best (refer to Henry Clarke Part I). Though a strappy heel for evening is acceptable but never a platform. Keep it light.  The vision of a gold metallic sandal is insistently in my head.

Another great source for daytime Caftans, The Salting where all the above can currently be found

Extra in a good way, fabulous evening choices all in 100% silk, from La Double J leave the spanx at home.

I hope you enjoyed my suggestions for your own Caftan starter kit.  Remember you don’t start at full blown Marta Marzotto, that takes years to perfect. You must however, start somewhere to find your own caftan comfort zone (if you haven’t already).  You can thank me later. ;)