Over the weekend I asked on Instagram what you wanted to see more of. Summer tablescapes won, so an entertaining roundup is coming next week. The kaftans idea got plenty of love too, though, so I’m running with it now while I have you.
How could I not? Look at this gem!!
I love a kaftan because it works over swim, or you can wear it to an event, (versatility, baby!) and both don’t require trying too hard. They are perfectly suited to vintage hunting because they’ve been around and beloved for decades.
The kaftan’s modern fashion moment started in the 1960s, when designers began looking toward Morocco and Turkey for inspiration.
Yves Saint Laurent made them for Talitha Getty, who was photographed on a Marrakech rooftop in 1969 (iconic photo on the left). From there, Halston, Pucci, and Oscar de la Renta all made their own versions.
I pulled together a roundup below, and tried to include a good mix of the different types you’ll find if you go searching. If you love a specific one and it’s not your size, take the keywords from the listing (the fabric, the era, the silhouette) and search those same terms. You’ll almost always turn up something similar in your size.
Top row, left to right:
70s embroidered white kaftan (medium; $210) I would honestly buy this myself but it would be criminal to hem off a foot at the bottom. For the tall girls!
70s floral w/ collar (medium/large; $98) This is calling Amanda Jones Vaughan’s name.
60s yellow silk chiffon (medium; $115) This color would be a hit at summer cocktail parties. So chic!!
60s Rajkumar beaded kaftan (large; $142) A classic in a great color that could be day or night.
Bottom row, left to right:
70s Saks Fifth Avenue kaftan (xl; $318) Very Pucci. I love this, or really any old school Saks (holds value well!).
70s David Brown abstract kaftan (small; $125) I am imagining this with gold accessories or in the fall over tall boots. Incredible.
60s Odette Barsa with feathers (medium; $175) This is an amazing find and someone needs to buy this immediately. Shrimpton Couture sold one a few years ago. The seller offered me $140.
70s silky nylon w/ high neck (medium; $140) This just looks so comfy. Would be a great fall wedding guest dress if expecting.
Two quick housekeeping things. Shipping on some of these runs high. The girl math (aka my math) is that even with shipping factored in, you’re still landing under what the average dress costs on Shopbop, except it’s one-of-a-kind, sustainable, and bound to be higher-quality.
Second thing: I don’t have a ShopMy account yet, which would make linking and clicking infinitely easier. I applied, fully ready to be a person with a ShopMy account, and they denied me for being too new??? Humbling! We’ll get there, friends.
Now, onto styling. I think a lot of people freeze up here, because a kaftan can be a lot of fabric and they’re not sure what to do with it (or feel frumpy).
My advice is to just lean all the way into the glamour of it. Hair up! Big earrings! Platforms! I find the extra height keeps the kaftan from swallowing me, and it feels very 1970s in the best way.
You can find ones that skim a little closer to the body, which is what I’d steer you toward if you’re petite like me and worried about drowning in it.
While not vintage, there’s also strong case for the below: on sale, yellow, 100% silk, and can be worn sheer or with a slip. (I also love anything Kallmeyer does these days.)
The best thing about kaftans is you don’t age out of them. They also work well if you’re expecting or postpartum. If you find one you like, you should be able to wear it for decades, even as you switch up how you style it.
And if you’re still not sold, here’s some modern-day inspiration to push you over the edge.
Thank you for continuing to read, friends. I'm trying to be patient as I find my niche, my voice, and my crowd. It's a strange, out-of-body thing to dive into something so intrinsic to who I am, yet have it still feel so new. I appreciate you reading, liking, and sharing with a friend.
Finders keepers,
SN
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Each week I’ll be sharing things from across home, fashion, travel, and littles, and mostly wherever my vintage hunting and rabbit-hole deep dives take me.
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I don’t have a need for it in my life but that vin horse clutch is insane in the best way. What! Also with the way I love to drown myself in fabric it is shocking to me that I don’t own a kaftan. Off to the hunt, I go!
Ah! I just wore a caftan at a party last weekend! I changed into it later in the evening (it’s in my last post). 💕
Mine’s just a big rectangle, but it’s 80s and fabulous! Love all these gorgeous ones you found.