C

aftans may have made their debut in 

the 1960’s, but today’s caftan has come 

back better than ever and has brought 

pompoms and tassels along with it. 

Shorts and tank tops are always appropriate for the 

beach, but sometimes you want to take your style 

to the next level. A sweet sundress is perfect for 

brunch or shopping with friends, but if you really 

want to wow the crowd, try a caftan. A caftan is a 

flowing garment that when slipped on, instantly 

transforms the wearer into a goddess. Caftans 

can be made of linen, soft cotton or silk materials 

that flutter as you walk. The caftan (or kaftan) is 

a variant of a robe or tunic that has been worn by 

several cultures around the world. For thousands 

of years many middle-eastern groups, royalty, and 

fashion icons have worn the caftan. The garment 

originated in Mesopotamia around 600 B.C. but 

made their mark on American fashion history in 

the 1960’s. The vibrant prints and elegant fabrics 

lent themselves perfectly to the free love era. The 

modern caftan is the muumuu’s more chic sister. 

They are usually long but can sometimes be short 

and they now come in a variety of cuts. Caftans 

can be loose and gauzy, they can be cinched at the 

story by

 

Courtney Murray

Cool in Caftans

58     |    VIPDestinMagazine.com

58-59 DestinStyle- Caftans.indd   1

8/27/17   2:04 PM