Caftan or Kaftan? Same Garment, Two Spellings

If you have ever searched for one of these and found half the results spelled differently, that is the entire mystery: it is one garment with two accepted spellings, split roughly along the Atlantic. American retailers and magazines write caftan. British, Indian and Australian ones write kaftan. The garment does not change.

Both spellings are recorded in standard dictionaries; the American entry is at Merriam-Webster.

“I have written it kaftan my whole career because that is the Indian spelling, and half my customers write caftan. It is the same dress. What actually matters is the drape and the weight of the fabric, not the vowel” says First Resort founder and fashion designer Ramola Bachchan.

Is it caftan or kaftan?

Both. Caftan is the dominant American spelling and what you will see at US retailers and in American magazines. Kaftan is standard in Britain, India, Australia and much of Europe.

The word travelled into English from the Turkish kaftan, itself from the Persian khaftan, and English never settled on one transliteration. Dictionaries on both sides list both forms. Search engines mostly treat them as the same word, which is why searching either eventually finds the same garments — though not always the same shops.

What actually makes a caftan a caftan?

A caftan is a loose, straight-cut robe that hangs from the shoulder rather than fitting at the waist. It has no darts, no fitted bodice and no waist seam — the shape comes from the cut and the fabric’s fall, not from tailoring to the body.

That is the whole definition, and it is why the garment reads as effortless. Everything else — sleeve width, length, neckline, embellishment — is variation. A caftan can be floor-length or hip-length, plain silk or fully beaded, and still be the same garment.

How is it different from a kimono or a kurta?

A kimono wraps across the front and ties; a caftan is closed and goes over the head. A kurta is a tunic worn with trousers and is usually cut narrower through the body. A muumuu is closer in shape but has no embellishment tradition and sits in a different register entirely.

The confusion with kimono is the most common, because both are described as loose robes. The test is simple: if it opens down the front, it is not a caftan.

How do you wear a caftan without looking like you are in a nightdress?

This is the real question, and it comes down to three things. Fabric weight: silk, georgette and organza hang and catch light; heavy cotton jersey does not, and that is what reads as loungewear. Structure at one point: a defined shoulder, a worked yoke or embellishment at the neckline gives the eye somewhere to land. Shoes and jewellery: a caftan with flat sandals is resort; the identical caftan with heels and earrings is evening.

A silk caftan with an embellished yoke works for a dinner where a dress would feel like too much effort, which is the reason the garment has survived six hundred years.

Sizing a garment with no waist

Because a caftan hangs from the shoulder, it is far less size-sensitive than a fitted dress — the shoulder and the length are what matter, and the body measurement matters much less than people expect.

Our size chart is body measurements, not garment measurements: a size XS is cut to fit a 32-inch bust, and the finished garment measures larger to allow ease. Every piece runs XS to 8XL at one price, and made-to-order means the length can be adjusted.

Buying a caftan online, and what to check

Three things decide whether a caftan online is worth it. Fabric named specifically — "silk" should say what kind; georgette, crepe and organza behave completely differently. Length stated in inches, because "full length" means different things at 5'2" and 5'9". Whether embellishment is hand-worked or printed, which is most of the price difference.

Ours are made to order rather than held in stock, which is why the range runs to 8XL without a stocking penalty, and we ship worldwide from India.

Common questions

Is it spelled caftan or kaftan? Both are correct. Caftan is the standard American spelling; kaftan is British, Indian and Australian. Dictionaries on both sides record both forms.

What is the difference between a caftan and a kimono? A kimono opens down the front and ties; a caftan is closed and goes over the head. If it opens at the front, it is not a caftan.

What makes a caftan different from a regular dress? A caftan hangs from the shoulder with no waist seam, darts or fitted bodice. The shape comes from the cut and the fall of the fabric rather than from tailoring to the body.

How do you dress up a caftan? Fabric weight does most of the work - silk, georgette and organza hang and catch light. Add structure at the shoulder or yoke, then let shoes and jewellery decide whether it reads resort or evening.

What size caftan should I buy? Caftans are far less size-sensitive than fitted dresses because they hang from the shoulder. Check whether the size chart gives body or garment measurements - ours are body measurements, with ease built into the finished garment.

Shop the Collection

Also shop: Caftans · Silk · Signature Kaftans · Evening Wear · Vacation Edit  ·  Kaftan

Also read: Kimono or Kaftan? · Kaftan Types: A Style Guide · Full Length Kaftan Styling Guide