Last updated on December 27th, 2021 at 10:25 pm

Just a couple of months back we wrote about how the house dress is coming back.  Now it’s the caftan’s turn! The house dress is perfect to wear around the house, just as it sounds. The caftan is designed more for leisure outside of the house.  Picture yourself lounging around the pool or just meeting your friends for coffee.  The 2021 caftan is “cool”, both literally and figuratively.

What’s nice about the caftan is that it is effortless, comfortable enough to wear all day and fits pretty much anyone.  Most of them are “one size fits all”. Because of the the “one size fits all”, many have ties or belts to give them a more customized fit.  As the “dog days of summer” are here, the caftan is a great option for looking good and keeping cool.

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The History of the Caftan

It is interesting to take a look back at the history of the caftan.  I found a great article in the Wall Street Journal that tells the story of how the caftan dates back centuries to the Ottoman sultans and Moroccan dignitaries. They wore these garments made of luxurious silks and ornate beading.  The caftan was introduced to Western society the 1950’s and 1960’s by designers such as Cristobal Balenciaga and Christian Dior as a new form of evening gown.  It later evolved into the more casual, drapery garment known today, often worn to the beach.

Elizabeth Taylor was the queen of the caftans.  In 1963’s “Cleopatra”, she played the Egyptian queen in a series of caftans that sparked a modern trend. Not soon after, jet-setters like Princess Grace and Lee Radziwill were photographed wearing them.  Elizabeth Taylor loved them so much that she married Richard Burton in a tie-dye and embroidered version.

But don’t let the history of the caftan scare you away.  One of the things “The Harper Girls” is all about is how the history of the past is important to the present. Just as the 1990’s fashions are back in play (and everyone is loving it) the caftan’s place is secure in the present.  You could almost call it ordinary these days. I read that Hilary Clinton recently posted a photo of herself on Instagram wearing one and there are also versions ranging from Gucci to Everlane.  It’s now a global classic.

The Caftan Collection

My interest in caftans this year began when I received one as part of my subscription to Curateur, formerly known as Rachel Zoe’s box of style. I fell in love with it’s “breeziness”, and if I am being honest, it’s “forgiving nature’. You can wear it and be confidently comfortable. My caftan is more of a “vest” to be worn over something else. I styled it over a black maxi dress.

The subscription to Curateur is $99.99 per quarter but they usually have introductory specials, which is how I first started. My summer box came with this caftan, straw purse, gold lariat necklace, Marc Jacobs lip oil and Onekind nourishing facial oil. I find it be a great value.

I found these first three caftans on etsy.com that seem well made at an affordable price. I did also include a classic Moroccan look if you are interested in something very traditional.

The next stop was Amazon and there were so many that that it’s was difficult to narrow down the choices. I decided to pick ones that covered multiple options – from the classic, to the wild to the solid color. I hope you find one that suits your style.

Here are a few others that I found – one on a completely new site for me. The one on the left is from the site cupshe.com, which focuses mostly on beach wear. I ordered the blue and white dress on the left. I figured for $25 it was worth the chance. The dress on the right is more traditional and is from J. Crew.

And lastly, the splurges! The one on the left is from Barefoot Dreams – and if you are familiar with the brand, you already know how soft their fabrics are. This caftan was one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2018. The one on the right is from Anthropologie and it’s just so pretty!!

Don’t miss our post on the house dress, also inspired by the styles of the 1950’s and 1960’s and area back in style again also. Let us know if you are getting into the caftan or house dress trend this summer! Leave a note in the comments!