Animal Print Kaftans: The Edit

An animal print is really a choice of mark: stripes, scales or spots. Stripes run the length of the body and make a kaftan look taller. Scales give a close, even texture that reads almost plain from across a room. Spots are the loudest of the three. Choose the mark first, then the colour.

Stripes: tiger and zebra

Stripes follow the drape. On a full-length kaftan they fall straight from the shoulder, and on a short one they swing out at the uneven hem.

The tiger stripes here are softened by a tropical green colourway that darkens from the yoke to the hem. A beaded V-neck frames a small tiger medallion at the chest. It is viscose crepe, slip-on and light, so it packs well. Plain sandals, and no second print.

Zebra in beige and black is the classic version, but this one is busier than a plain zebra: a printed bib in turquoise, rust and gold runs down the front, with crystals set around the round neck. It is silk crepe and made for daytime; keep the shoes flat and add one bright accent, a red lip or a coloured bag.

The green zebra is the short one. Green and ivory are gentler than black and white, so it sits easily next to camel, white or olive. It is a viscose crepe tunic with an embellished V-neck and a hem that dips at the sides; worn alone with heeled sandals, it is a dress.

Scales: python

Python is the most wearable of the animal prints because its mark is small and regular. From a few steps away it reads as texture rather than pattern.

The red python is a full-length silk crepe kaftan that shades from deep plum at the shoulders to red at the hem, with crystal and bead work tracing the V-neck. It is a celebration piece: festive dinners, with gold jhumkas and block heels.

The teal python is the exception in this edit: a slimline kaftan dress with a boat neck and three-quarter sleeves rather than the wide kaftan cut, with a matching border at the hem. Because it is close-fitting, it layers under a jacket on a cool evening.

Spots: leopard

Leopard is usually brown and gold. This one is aqua, green and yellow, with a leopard set into a jungle scene at the front, so it reads more party than safari. It is a short viscose crepe kaftan, cut wide; worn over slim cream trousers it is a top, and the V-neck is open enough for a statement necklace.

Wearing an animal print

One print per outfit. Let the shoes and bag be plain, or pick a single colour out of the print for them. The crystal work at the neckline on most of these is there to replace a necklace, so earrings are usually enough.