[Silk caftan, Matthew Williamson, $1050, @net-a-porter.com]

Listen up—if I don’t get a vacation soon, I’m going to start arriving to work in my bathrobe, weeping and shaking people by the shoulders, then setting up a blender at my desk and making dirty bananas until I pass out on my filthy keyboard.

Hop on board the daydream* train:

*Minor edits to the above scenario: (a.) the boat would be cruising the Cuban coastline, not Elk Cove, (b.) I’d be wearing this caftan instead of the thong-kini, (c.) and drinking mojitos while firing off semi-automatic weapons into the water to scare off pirates before swearing at them with in the only Spanish I know:

Quesadilla! El Camino! Tortilla! Senorita! Piñata! El gato! Buenos dias! Margarita! South of the Border! GUACAMOLE!

100% silk, sheer—and begging for a shimmy.

-Carey

[Issa kimono dress, $583 @ shopbop.com]

Issa London makes their signature long dresses every single season, and I’m never let down. I love this edition; it’s perfection for a holiday party, if you’re into that kind of thing. Not quite so obvious as those holiday staples, sequins and lurex, but the subtle butterfly print reminds me of snowfall, and the silhouette is beyond sexy.

Layer a ton of silver jewelry and some Gucci Riddle lace-up boots, hand me glass of champagne, and I’m ready for Santa’s lap.

[Gucci Riddle boots, $1690 @ saks.com]

-Carey

Foto 1: Caftan – Sheila Tonini Acessórios
Foto 2: Echarpe – Sheila Tonini Acessórios
Foto 3: Lenço Bally
Foto 4: Lenço Hermès
Foto 5: Estola Miu Miu
Foto 6: Cachecol Missoni

Matthew Williamson for H&M silk and sequin caftan.

Starting bid: $375.

Best batik kaftan caftans dress featured on my website:

http://www.kaftansale.com/catalog

KATHY

[Cool Change linen caftan, found on ebay, and Alkemie chain necklace from shopbop.]

I love this necklace; awesome art deco accents. And the caftan is one of my favorites—it’s really moody and impractical. When I first wore it a few years ago, my dad asked me if I was dressing for my graduation. It’s ok; I’m ahead of my time.

Wine courtesy Genius Loci. Full belly courtesy Rob and some amazing prosciutto-wrapped melons and peaches. Good mood courtesy Ghostbusters (1&2) on AMC. Always had a crush on Spengler…

-Carey

Essa sou eu, ilustrada pela Jana Magalhães. Um forma lúdica de começar no mundo dos blogs. A partir de hoje mostrarei meu mundo de coisas fofas que amo.

Heavy Metal Stud Cuff, $52

The Annie Glasses, $40

Sequined Knit Dress, $248 and Tanzania Caftan, $98

Biz Buckle Bootie, $178

NASTY GAL. Amazing clothing, accessories and shoes! I want it all! I mean, look at the stuff! How fabulous!?

]]> http://kaftan.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/kaftans-caftans-thumbnails/ Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:05:46 +0000 Caftans Saga http://kaftan.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/kaftans-caftans-thumbnails/

Click on the kaftan you adore !

Bali

Fancy

Batik

Tunic Tops

Tie Dye

Having some thoughts the other day.

In the book Neon Light Evangelist, it is postulated that ultimate freedom can be, well, boring. Consider if we had a real choice in the matter. We would be floating in space, as one-dimensional creatures.

Then, a line exists and we suddenly have a perspective of space. We become two-dimensional. Add gravity, and we are soon walking on that line, like a comics strip.

Add depth and we are soon in 3D. Infuse the small simulation with the passage of time, motion, and change – which is basically the only indication we have that time is happening – and we are almost complete in our own world.

Some people, having achieved this state, wants to find ways to escape it. We take psychedelic drugs, imbibe alcoholic drinks or knock our heads on the wall.

Why?

Because we have discovered hints that what makes the universe is merely perception. Take away our perception of time and depth and gravity and the line, and we are left in our basic spiritual state.

Perception lies in the brain. A trillion billion complex electro-chemical responses. Communication. Natural binary in Cyrillic.

The Secret says all the world is energy.

Bollocks.

All the universe ever is, is information. Data.

And those who can see the strings, the information, and can control it, manipulate it on a whim, are free.

There is no spoon.

We call it magic. And as I have said before, all that magic is, is language.

I see people trying to get free, and all they do is just do whatever other people before them has done. They follow echoes of distant pasts and distant paths.

One psychologist confided in me, amidst glasses of whisky – his – that there are only eight different personalities in the world. And they are recycled time and again. And that one day, he met all eight at a bar in Sao Paulo. Apparently, I was one of them. I was both Harlequin and Pulcinello. Hey, I’m Mr Punch!

In that sense, all you ever meet are eight people. That’s depressing. Six – or is it eight now? – billion humans, and only eight people to meet. Only eight people to play or to get angry with.

And even that is a Jungian echo. His archetypes.

Patterns. Personas. Recreated and regurgitated because everyone wants to be somebody, inside their heads. Everyone wants to be ideas of the perfect being.

So I get all these people telling me to ‘be myself’, and if they knew that ‘being myself’ involved dressing up in plastics and insulting them cause they all had a bad case of bad attitude, I think they’ll stop saying that to me. In fact, I can hazard a guess that some of them will stop talking entirely.

They say they want the truth, but do they?

Everyone wants to be special, just like everyone else. We are not special, and in that, we are special.

Chasing after something means it will be out of grasp. Try and reach for an apple – forbidden or carnal knowledge, who the hell cares about symbolism nowadays – and you strain against it.

Instead, let the apple come to you. Fold the universe so that the fruit gets in your hands. Different approach, same outcome. Less drama. Trust me. You’ve trusted worse things in your life. And worse people.

Whew. That was deep.

So I’ve been doing lots of cleaning and rearranges to the apartment, of course it wasn’t filthy, but it was time to let go some old pieces and re-decor (ha! the good excuse).

I went to pick up my roller shades (will post pics later as I forgot to buy some wall fixers) and also got a couple of  plastic storage boxes @ IKEA for all my fabrics, winter clothes, summer clothes, designs, patterns,  etc .. etc !

these storage boxes are so practical, cheap, good looking and most important keep everything neat!

I also finished some KIMONOS with these Indonesian Batik fabrics (designs made with bee wax) that I brought from my last trip… the colors are very ethnic, as well the art designs … I personally love them.

I think I will try to do some batiks myself .. the process itself takes a long time and the art design you get after mixing your colors and pouring your wax .. its just magic! but for this I would need some space and a nicer weather (holla Panama!)

in other news, I’m expecting a visit from a old OLD friend of mine … He’s in Paris at the moment and may take his groupie ass to Germany, cant wait to see him!

“À la cour du Grand Turc : les caftans du palais de Topkapi”. C’est le titre de l’exposition qui va nous faire revivre les fastes de la cour ottomane et l’apparat du sultan. Elle regroupe caftans, bijoux et accessoires ayant appartenu aux membres de la maison ottomane et provenant, en grande majorité, du Musée du Palais de Topkapi. Ces effets, témoins de la longévité de la dynastie ottomane (1299-1922), furent préservés durant des siècles dans les mausolées impériaux d’Istanbul ou entreposés dans l’ancien Trésor privé du Palais. Objet d’un entretien régulier, ils étaient enveloppés dans des housses en tissu, des bohça-s, étiquetées au nom du sultan qui les avait portés. Ils forment aujourd’hui une collection unique au monde, riche de plus de 3 000 pièces, et dont une petite partie est exceptionnellement prêtée au musée du Louvre.

Un des caftans qui pourront être vus lors de cette exposition :

Exposition du 9 octobre 2009 au 18 janvier 2010 au musée du Louvre, dans le cadre de la saison de la Turquie en France.

No matter how  much Western influence floods Morocco, there are still several traditions that the Moroccans maintain.  One of those traditions is in their clothing, a long hooded robe worn over clothes known as the djellaba.  The style is more elaborate than the black Saudi abaya style robes, and their hood serves to protect from sun, cold and rain.  They can be simple, beautiful, elaborate, or serve the purpose of keeping warm in the winter.  They are made from every fabric, color, pattern, print, and style imagineable.  The fabrics change to suit the season, and the winter styles can be made from heavy fabrics with a thick shawl worn over them to keep warm.  The summer fabrics are light, flowing, and airy.  While they are mostly worn by women as everyday clothing, there are plenty of men who wear them on a regular basis as well.  Sometimes, men wear them only on special occasions such as holidays, weddings, or parties.  The fabrics for men are suited for a masculine pallette, but their is a buttery yellow common for special occasions. 

When the women’s version is made of glamorous fabrics and trimmings, the hood is removed and the garment then becomes a caftan, reserved for special occasions such as weddings and holidays.  The caftan is also worn with a matching belt made of fabric, embroidery and trimming that coordinates with the garment.  Some of the belts are made of gold, or gold plated metal like a big bracelet for the waist.  They add another level of design and intricacy to the ensemble and provide shape and structure.  The belts themselves come in a myriad of styles as well, some of them tying in the back like a corset, others snapped on like a belt.  

There are as many stores selling djellabas and caftans as there are stores selling Western wear.  You can buy djellabas and caftans pret a porter (ready to wear), or you can buy your own fabric and have them custom made.  The quality of a store bought djellaba will not nearly match that of a custom made one, and the difference in price is not all the different either.  A custom made one will fit your exact measurements and not only do you select the fabric, but the trimming and the style as well.  The options are endless and therefore, almost no two djellabas are alike.  Even the ready to wear versions aren’t sold in mass quantity, with a few exceptions of popular fabrics.  You aren’t that likely to see another woman wearing a djellaba you bought at a store.  The trims on store bought djellabas are often not the quality of the tailor made trims.  They look machine made, and often don’t match as well with the djellaba itself.

I once saw a ready to wear djellaba made of the most gorgeous fabric, and the trim was decent.  I wanted it desperately, but the next time we passed the store it was already sold.  I saw a woman wearing the exact one about a month later, but I’ve never found it in a store again.  Believe  me, I’ve looked.  I’ve also seen djellabas made of Coach and Gucci print fabrics that actually look quite stunning, even though the fabrics are obviously fakes.

The intricate trimming for the hood, sleeves, row of buttons and side slits is part of the cost of having the djellaba made, but you don’t need to buy it separately.  The tailor will show you all the styles he is able to create as well as the colors and trim styles to match exactly your djellaba.  The first djellaba I had made was a deep corally orange color and I assumed my only options would be white or black to match.  When we picked up my djellaba after about a week, the tailor  managed to make a trim in the exact color of the djellaba which made it look so much better than a contrasting trim would have.  On a multi-color fabric, they will often mix colors within in the trim so that it really stands out among the design, but if you prefer, you can pick one color from the fabric to make it stand out. 

The djellaba made by the tailor is done so according to a long tradition and is mostly hand sewn.  The trims are done the same way and since our tailor is literally across the street from our building, we often open the door to find a string about neck height being measured by the tailor.   The nice thing about having them tailored other than the quality and uniqueness is the relationship developed between the tailor and the customer.  My tailor has my measurements on file, so I don’t have to re-endure the awkard motions of being measured in his space the size of a closet.  We also discovered that our tailor is also a samsar which means if we ever need a new apartment, we can seek one through him!

All the same goes for the caftans in terms of purchasing versus ready made, although the prices may vary a little more.  Caftans are the Moroccan version of a princess dress. We always imagine a big puffy skirt with a fitted strapless top as the ultimate regal attire, but the colors, fabrics, and shiny trimmings of the caftan are so gorgeous, they have you drooling at the window displays.  I would really love to have one to wear to a special occasion here, or even in the United States, but I’m almost afraid to select one for fear I might see one I like better at another time.  They are much more expensive than djellabas in the thousands of DH range, compared to 300-500 DH for a djellaba.   

Caftans also come with underclothes such as matching pants and an underdress to make a complete outfit, where the djellaba is meant to be worn over your everyday clothes which is often pajamas for a Moroccan woman.  There are whole stores dedicated to pajamas with almost as many choices in fabric and style as the djellabas themselves.  It makes the djellaba quite comfortable and convenient as I’ve thrown one over my house clothes on many occasions.

As with all outfits, many Moroccan women painstakingly search for the perfect hijab and shoes to match the djellaba or caftan.  Doing so can sometimes take longer than selecting the fabric and style of the garment itself!  They look well put together in an outfit so entirely matching.   It’s hard to say this without seeming like I’m passing judgement, but a majority of the women (at least in Rabat) don’t seem to care whatsoever if their hijab and djellaba match and some of the combinations I’ve seen of the two really hurt my eyes!  In Tanger, never would you see this, but in Rabat the shoes, the hijab and even the underclothes poking out of the bottom of the djellaba are never given a second thought!

There is a very old style of djellaba that I’ve only seen on the elder women, which you can tell is the only type they’ve ever worn.  The hood acts as the veil and they often include a peice of fabric over their mouth leaving only their nose and eyes exposed.  This style is mostly only worn in muted colors.  This style is still different from the kimar with full face cover and long robe that is worn by the most devout Muslim women (I’ll get to writing about that soon).  On the contrary, the much younger women wear short sleeved and djellabas and no veil, mostly in the summer as it is often a cooler alternative to pants.  I like the short sleeve style and can see wearing one with a long sleeved shirt underneath for a modern yet modest take on the djellaba.  A lot of Westerners observe that only women over 40 wear the djellaba, but believe me, that’s not true.  While younger women may not wear them all the time, they do have them in their wardrobe and mix them among their Western wear according to how they feel like dressing that day.  They are made in mini-size for children, and seeing a small child in one is one of the very few times I actually find children almost cute.

There are magazine pages and fashion shows dedicated to the djellaba and caftan.  Haute couture caftan runway shows play on 2M every now and then to show the avant-garde, almost unwearable desgins.  In the store windows, you can see these designs translated into versions of the caftan worn mostly by women who don’t wear a hijab.  They are lower cut and some have corsets style tops under long jackets.  The innovation and modernization in both the djellaba and caftan make them more appealing to the younger generations keeping them a tradition in Morocco that will hopefully remain everlasting , and not become a costume.

A good djellaba wardrobe consists of three djellabas.  One made of an all-purpose fabric with a simple trim that can be worn around town, to meet others, and is made of an all season fabric.  The second is made of a simpler fabric perfect for throwing on to do errands in the neighborhood or to and from hammam.  For the third, pick a fancier fabric (silk or satin) with a nicer more elaborate trim for traveling, special occasions including weddings where they are perfectly acceptable if you don’t have a caftan.  Of course, adding a caftan is certainly recommendable.

I’ve been keeping a secret all week.  Last week my husband told me we were invited to the wedding of one of his colleagues and said wedding happened yesterday.  It was actually a small wedding celebration, but not the official one.  Still it was fun and interesting and who knows if I’ll get a chance to attend another one before I leave Morocco. 

We were invited to attend the wedding at 3:30 p.m. so we arrived pretty promptly.  Unfortunately, only one other guest and her child arrived at that time too.  The DJ was set up and the henna artist and kitchen staff were also ready to go.  By 4:30 p.m., another guest arrived.  Finally at 5 p.m., the grooms family arrived.  There were quite a few of them so the space filled up fast and the buffet  tables were then decorated with beautiful pastries.  The women were dressed in colorful, sparkling caftans, and the children in play clothes.  The men take a more casual approach to wedding attire in slacks and button up shirts.  A few guests were dressed more casually in jeans. Maybe that was because the wedding was just a starter celebration for a much larger one to come in the next week.

The groom’s mother and other relatives livened up the party by dancing while we all waited for the arrival of the bride and groom.  They were fantastic dancers and you could tell they were very happy.  Their hennaed hands were waving in the air as their hips swirled back and forth in liquid motion.  Many of their moves were similar to a bellydancer, but more casual and celebratory than performance.  Even an elder woman got up to dance with them.  Everyone cheered them on clapping their hands. 

They brought large bottles of water and cups to everyone, except our table and another guests’ table.  I didn’t really feel slighted, but I wondered why we weren’t given any water.  That thought quickly dissapated as near 6 p.m. the bride, groom and more family finally arrived.  We watched from our table as they walked hand-in-hand down the path around the fountain, stopping every ten steps for pictures.  The family followed behind and evenutally they made it to their special seats for the day.  After a few more (okay, well a ton more) pictures, they sat down and one woman in a loud and cracking voice belted out the melodic blessing for protection of the bride and groom.  It was long, and drawn out and so beautiful. 

The bride wore a gorgeous kelly green and gold caftan with a magnificent gold and green gem crown, and a bold necklace and earings.  I didn’t get a glimpse of her shoes, but I’m sure they were just as dazzling.  Some people might find it hard to imagine a bride not wearing white, but she was none the less matrimonial in green.  The groom wore a soft golden yellow djellaba and together they looked smashing. 

Once they are seated, the family began dancing to the music in front of them.  The bride and groom smiled and shared intimate words now and then.  They never let go of each other’s hand while they sat there.  After the song ended, the space in front of them cleared out and the groom removed the veil from the bride’s face and gave her the softest, most loving kiss on her forhead that I have ever seen.  It was a truly romantic moment!  Just after that, the bride showed her own affection by fixing the drape of his djellaba over his knee.  Not a truly romantic moment, but the kind only shared by a couple in love.

A lady was constantly fussing over the bride and although she was wearing a fancy caftan, she was also wearing a white tag on a red chord around her neck that seemed out of place.  She must have been the wedding planner.  The photographer was also a double duty videographer.  He switched between the two whenever the occasion warranted. 

Next, they brought out a white bowl of henna and a young lady who was at the event almost as early as we were approached the couple.  She propped the brides leg up on her leg and loaded a syringe of the green brown paste.  The long slow and intricate process of applying henna began and punch and cakes were brought out to everyone.  It takes more than an hour for the henna to be completed and the family dances near the bride and groom while the bride sits patiently with her feet propped up and her hand being twisted in various ways for the lavish work to be perfect.  As each limb was finished, it was sprinkled with glitter making the ugly paste look magical.  Mint tea and another round of pastries was brought around, this time a tray full of traditional Moroccan pastries such as a gazelle’s horns.  They were yummy little bites as I helped myself to four! 

By this time, we’d been at the party for more than 5 hours and decided that we would leave, even though we knew the festivities would probably last long into the night.  As we said our goodbyes to the bride and groom, and she told us to stay longer.  We thanked them for the invitation and wished them well because we needed to get home while the buses were still running and the souk was open to get supplies for dinner.

It was a nice day and I’m glad I got to experience some of the Moroccan wedding traditions.  I’ll post soon about how couples get engaged in Morocco as well as a post of caftans and djellabas that I’ve been working  on.

Everything falls in place…. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me to make her a cover-up dress, after a lot of thinking -I was kind of afraid of measurements and patterns-  I finally did, but I got over excited about this and could not stop, I bought and I bought and I bought fabric thinking about the beautiful dresses I was going to make with it. I Started one night sewing a strapless dress, and could not stop, so, after few cover-up dresses made, something got in the mail, a Cover-up contest sponsored by Singer, Cool!!!!

I continue sewing and sewing until 5 am everyday, finally I had some nice dresses to shoot. I run into a friends of my brother, Carolina & Agatha, show them the dresses, and ask them if they could model for me. I explain everything about the contest and they got also so excited that promise to help me. I was juts thinking about taking the pictures myself you know, totally amateur but turns out Agatha is a Photographer and Carolina used to model, so thanks to them I got this beautiful shoots of my stuff.  THANKS GIRLS!!!!!

and finally… this are the cover-up dress that i submit to the contest, I hope I win!!!!!

I totally love this one, it’s inspired in the Yucatecan Huipil, that I always talk about.

This, has a detachable belt to wear with another outfit.

Fotografia: Agatha Lanz
Modelo: Carolina
Ropa y Accesorios: Guaya
Locacion: Puerto Morelos, Mexico

Jessica Hess on MLFYIASOH.

SALE Vintage 1970s kaftan gown ONE SIZE on Etsy

Ah yeah, this can only be right! Mmm cozy…and colourful.

Desert Palms Kaftan

Desert Palms Kaftan

Desert Palms Kaftan

Cool Breeze Caftan

Cool Breeze Caftan

Cool Breeze Caftan

Flower Embroidered Kaftan

Flower Embroidered Kaftan

Just in time for yesterday’s post… how did I miss this?

They say it ain’t easy, but I’m going to give it a go. How can I not? This IS Corks & Caftans!

DIY Matthew Williamson Caftan

I'm imagining mine in white gauze with raised dots in pale gold thread.

Today has been pretty typical of the lovely upstate New York area for the past month—rainy, with patches of sun here and there, then more rain. Someone get this latitude a diaper. This unfortunate weather pattern, combined with my prune-faced hangover and exhaustion, is making me primed and ready for a big ole nap. I was salivating so immensely over this daydream (the usual: air conditioner cranked, blinds slightly drawn, fan on, cold sheets) I had to Sham-Wow my desktop. Ok, I didn’t actually. But I did really get myself going by imagining different naps in various scenarios. [As I type: just heard thunder.]

I want to make kinda like this kid.

[Image by ModernDayGilligan via Flickr.]

Next stop: beach umbrella. Isn’t that the most unreal kind of nap? Being born and raised at the beach, I can think of no better way to expel my drool than on a beach towel in the shade. The breeze switches off the dunes and starts blowing in off the ocean. Everyone is tired from swimming and sunning and maybe you’ve even got pink shoulders so you take your pareo and make it a blanket, curl up in the shade, and pass out with your sunglasses on. [As I type: just realized that was a truck, not thunder.]

This put me in the mood to search for another great pareo to add to my collection of Androsia batik-dyed wraps from the Bahamas. I have a real soft spot for Vivre.com so popped over to search their resort stuff. [As I type: sunshine again.]

Vivre has a really solid collection of Matthew Williamson resort and beach wear. His signature explosion of color (most often in his famous print, “Escape”) was all over the place. I’ve lusted after a Missoni bikini for what feels like 10 years, but this first one, the lavender, is sort of stealing the thunder:

MW bikini, $325.

MW "Escape" bikini, $325.

MW Eyelet one-piece, $475.

Yes, please:

MW "Escape" caftan, $1350. (ouch!)

Why not:

MW "Escape" toiletries bag, for my Water Babies SPF 50.

How I’ve even gone this long being away from the beach I’ll never understand. Silver lining: I’m probably saving myself some extra freckles, no? In any event, let’s look at some more beach photos, just for torture’s, I mean inspiration’s, sake.

Me on Nantucket in my bridal gown. Photo courtesy Zofia Waig.

With Rob in Ponte Vedra during out Engagement Weekend.

[As I type: headache subsiding, breath improving, one hour to go.]

DVF Gaia caftan, $450.

Woo! This is a busy caftan. I’ve been periodically peeping this one since it came out in April or so. She really nailed it this year; I’m sort of resentful give the current stay-tus of my accounts. Whatevs.

It’s sort of sheer and everywhere is showing it with a bikini underneath but sorry, kiddies, you won’t catch me getting a damp suit anywhere near a $450 caftan. Ludicrous! But indulgent… yes, how indulgent. Instead, I’d throw on a white catsuit underneath with leggings to the high calf, backless, like the radical one I’m wearing today!!! Keeps the breezes from tickling the fan fan, too.

All it does is rain here. Illuminating my daily fantasties is the following: my parents are toodling over to the Vineyard in a week or so and looking at this caftan makes me think I should throw all caution to the wind (and all decency, when I think about it) and order it, pack it, and show up unannounced on the Jewett’s front door step to surprise my parentals and their lovely friends. Notice I made no mention of Rob here; but, he’ll be fine tending to Eli and one party crasher is probably easier to stomach than two. I’ll bring an array of giant, crystalline bottles of fine booze and pull them out of my Bean bag upon arrival.

Two fists of vodka and a smile? They won’t be able to turn me away.

[Photo from Flickr courtesy cdevers.]

From In Style July 2009 issue, “Welcome to My Life” section, featuring Iman:

Q: You travel a lot and always take…

A: Flip-flops. Patricia Wexler skin care. Brooks Brothers men’s PJs—the white ones with navy piping. And I love caftans. Wearing one gives you an aura of leisure.

She goes on to say, “I never met a caftan I didn’t like. I have about 350 from YSL, Cavalli, and the bedouin bazaars in Morocco.”

Roberto Cavalli Spring '09 hooded caftan.

Here is a link to some updated and added caftans kaftans dress :

http://www.kaftansale.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2655

The best prices!

Free shipping!

Literally hundreds of ‘em!

KATHY