Kaftan

A kaftan is a common cotton or silk button down shirt that is worn with a sash and usually comes to the ankle.  Kaftans are often embroidered on the front and on the sleeves.  These embroideries varied in color and often times the color of the embroidery vary based on the social or political ranking of the person wearing them.  This is because the kaftan became popular during the Ottoman empire and the Ottoman empire is well known for its structure of hierarchy.

In the fourteenth century, there were a great deal of these worn, typically with large patterns and subdued colors.  As time went one, there was a reduction in the size of the patterns and prints on the kaftans and the colors became lighter and lighter.  When kaftans were made, the fabrics were often coming from Istanbul and Bursa.  Some also came from other countries, however Istanbul and Bursa are the most predominant.  The jackets are made from a variety of different fabrics from these nations including velvet.  They also come in a variety of different colors including “China blue” and “Turkish Red”.

Below are a variety of different variations of the kaftan, which vary depending on where they come from.

Russia

The Russian kaftan is a type of men’s suite with long tight sleeves.  The Russian kaftan is one of the most popular street and formal outerwear of peasants and merchants in Russia.  This makes it one of the most popular outfits in Russia, because of the great population of peasants and merchants.

Moroccan kaftan

On morocco, kaftans are actually a piece of clothing worn by women, which is unusual because in the rest of the world kaftans are typically worn by men.  In morocco, the kaftan is one of the most formal things a woman can go out in, similar to a dress in the United States.  However, the elegance and formality of a women’s kaftan is completely dependent upon the fabric used.

Batik

Batik is a country that is located in South East Asia.  In Batik, the kaftans are manufactured as very comfortable outfits that are comfortable in the squelching heat.  The batik kaftan is extremely comfortable and is usually made from silk.

Dashiki kaftan

Dashiki kaftans are most often found in West Africa.  Located in West Africa, a dashiki kaftan is a woman’s dress.  The dashiki for men is worn in most tribes in West Africa.  Other tribes wear a grand dashiki which is a more elaborate versions of the dashiki are sometimes worn in other tribes in West Africa.

Kaftans are an ancient and storied piece of clothing that has been used in a variety of countries, cultures,  and nations.  Get yourself one of these pieces of clothing and you will be wearing a part of history.  The Kaftans have significant cultural significance in different societies and different meetings based on where they are worn.  They are made from a wide variety of different fabrics and it is important to remember which ones for their different meanings.