Kaftan

The kaftan has its origins in East-Asia. Back in the 17th century it was mostly worn by men. Originally, it was a military garment. Later it was, and still is, worn by orthodox jews. Nowadays, we see kaftans worn by women as well as men, depending on which continent we talk about. Originally, the kaftan was long. Over the years it became shorter and shorter and sometimes it is hard to distinguish from a tunic. Now we find kaftans in all lengths. Women often wear them on the beach, then the kaftan is made with some see-through fabric. The very wide and open sleeves are characteristically for the kaftan. Then, the waist is often emphasized with a cord belt.

Giving some background to the kaftan sprang to my mind when I saw the very short kaftan in the current H&M Collection. I personally have no kaftan in my wardrobe but that might change soon when I see all these beautiful pieces. 😉 What about you? Do you have a kaftan? Is it a long or a short one?