What is a kaftan?

Dear users, dear authors,
what is a kaftan? It would be nice if you could explain that. Thanks.

A kaftan is a floor-length garment that falls loosely over the body and is an ideal piece of clothing for summer because it’s airy and light. But you can also make a kaftan hip-length and wear it as a kaftan blouse, like this one I once sewed for myself.

Best, Inge

What’s the difference between a kaftan and a tunic?

The kaftan is a garment that is still popular today in Asian countries, including and especially among men; there, however, the kaftan is only knee-length, while women usually wear it down to the ankles.
The tunic is a garment that is actually sleeveless; sometimes it has small extended shoulders, i.e. little sleeve-like extensions that reach over the shoulders, often with a V-neck at the front, unlike the kaftan, which is usually high-necked, with sleeves, long or short, but often has an opening neckline at the front.
I want to sew myself a kaftan again; I’ve been thinking about it for a while, just need to buy fabric :-)
The kaftan was very popular with both men and women in the flower-power era, also because of its unisex cut; both genders felt comfortable in it. I had one back then and loved that piece, wore it until it basically fell apart :-) ;-)

Best, Inge

Another important point: both garments are very old and still in fashion, in one form or another. The caftan originates from Arab and Eastern cultures, while the tunic comes from Greco-Roman culture and was worn under the toga so that people wouldn’t be standing around naked from the waist down :-)—it was a kind of undershirt back then. Thanks to their practicality, these two garments have survived into the modern era—something not every modern garment can claim.
The tunic can also be found in Old Germanic clothing, though there it was worn as a wrap over the shirt.

Best regards, Inge

Oh wow
Did you learn that in your training?

Yes, that’s part of it—the study of clothing and how it has evolved over the centuries. It’s a truly fascinating field, just like traditional costumes, which are also very diverse and complex in their design and the regions they come from.

Best regards, Inge

What else do you learn in fashion studies? Does it also cover current trends, etc.?

This is only partly about current trends, because those are always short-lived phenomena; a trend is only mentioned once it has become established. The best example was jeans for women: in the first half of the 20th century, it was a complete novelty for women to wear something like that and even go shopping in them; even fabric trousers were a novelty. That only changed after 1945, when it became established in women’s fashion.
In the Middle Ages and even earlier, it was normal for a man to wear a skirt or dress; nobody thought anything of it, because it was simply normal. Then, as industrialization took its course, the image of men’s fashion changed decisively, because people quickly realized that trousers were the better garment. Nowadays, when a man wears a skirt, he gets strange looks and is thought to be crazy, at least in the provinces; yet he is only doing what men had already done for centuries before, namely wearing a skirt.
What has developed into a trend is the so-called traditional costume fashion at folk festivals, but what is shown there is anything but traditional costume, not even remotely. Dirndls are and were women’s work clothes, and depending on the region they looked different too; the so-called good dirndl was worn on Sundays and feast days and public holidays. These dirndls were sewn from cotton or linen; later silk was added too, but only wealthy farmers could afford that.
So that was just a small excerpt of what I still remember

Best regards, Inge

What about kilts? ;)

These kilts are a traditional folk costume that the fashion world has also adopted; even today, kilts are still worn with pride by true Scots, as the color indicates which clan they belong to.
The so-called tartan has proven to be a perennial favorite in the fashion world ever since looms were invented, because this pattern is so versatile that it’s used for all sorts of things, including the famous kilts. Especially when this tartan is made from genuine wool from Highland sheep, it’s almost priceless—just like the famous Harris tweed, a woolen fabric that originated in Northern Europe, primarily Scotland, and has since taken the world by storm.
A garment like a Harris tweed coat is, just like our loden, a piece that—if well cared for—can be worn by several generations, because these items are practically indestructible. Strangely enough, the cuts of these coats have remained the same for decades; they’re so timeless that you can wear them forever.

Best regards, Inge

Burberry coats are timeless, too, but not quite as indestructible?

These Burberry coats are made from a gabardine fabric that’s woven very tightly, making them highly water-repellent and—importantly—breathable. Thanks to this weave, the coat is also practically indestructible with proper care—because I believe a garment like this needs to be cared for so you can enjoy it for a very long time. Above all, the Burberry goes with just about anything you wear underneath it, whether it’s everyday clothes or something more elegant; it’s an ideal companion, though it does come at a price.

Best regards, Inge

What is gabardine fabric?

Garbardin is a very tight, sturdy twill weave; you can see it best in jeans—those fine diagonal stripes you see there are a twill weave. This weave makes garbardin water-repellent without the need for additional waterproofing.
You should Google “garbardin” and “twill weave” to understand what it is and how it works.

Best regards, Inge

Have I pestered you with enough questions for today?

That’s fine, Josefa. Your questions also show me that I haven’t forgotten all that much after all and can still recall things—okay, for some things I first had to look them up again to remember how it was, but I’m happy when questions are asked. But since linking isn’t allowed here, it’s often hard to explain things only in words, so I sometimes refer people to Google so they can get a picture of it. That way, someone who otherwise has nothing to do with sewing can at least get a rough idea of what kind of training this profession involves

Best regards, Inge

You're doing a great job.

Thank you, Josefa, I’m also happy to do it because it’s really fun.

Best regards, Inge