Kaftan has been in existence since the early Islamic days worn by both men and women. It is a long coat like dress which reaches to the ankles and has got long sleeves. Every country has got their own style of kaftan and so does UAE too.
Kaftan is a suitable versatile dress for any occasion anywhere. It is one great way to cover your whole self in one piece and could also be worn during hot summers. Unlike the kaftan in the olden days, today’s kaftans can be fitted, figure hugging and embellished with jewels and beads.
Kaftan comes in all sorts of cloth materials. They come in silk, georgette, net, cotton and chiffon. All these materials are worn according to the event and occasion. You won’t probably find an Emarati woman wearing a kaftan in public, but they do wear them in parties and weddings. Also, many of them wear them casually at home. It may seem odd to many people that how could they wear at home since it is so flowing around. But the Arab women are used to wearing them and have no difficulty in carrying them around.
Talking about designs over the kaftans, they come with various bead and embroidery work over them. The kaftan styles in UAE are usually very fancy and looks very elegant when worn by Arab women. They have got lovely embroidery over them with golden or silver thread. If not embroidery then they have got beaded work on it with a blend of colours. There is mostly a belt at the abdomen which gives a slim fitted look. Other than embroidery and bead work, kaftans have also got frills and laces providing a pretty flattery look.
Apart from kaftan being worn casually and in parties, many brides also wear special bridal kaftans in their weddings. They come in bright red colour with shiny stone work and golden or silver embroidery. Kaftan was once considered strictly a part of Muslim fashion, but now it has also become an appealing fashion in Western countries.
There are several advantages of wearing a kaftan. To start with, there are versatile and goes with any sort of occasion. Since women are always very conscious about their body, the loose cuts in kaftan give women the opportunity to hide any problem in their body. Also, the modern kaftans can be designed as one wants providing it a more feminine look. It helps to give your body figure a more enhanced look.
Some of the kaftans are simply stitched for casual wear but many of them are adorned with beads and thread work around the neck or all over the front side. Moreover, kaftans do not require a lot of accessories to be carried with since they are already very flattery. The main accessories that go with kaftans are belts around the waist, small necklaces and chunky bracelets.
When worn casually, kaftans can be worn with flat sandals but not slippers. If worn on an occasion then it must be carried with high heels to give a more elegant look to your outfit.
If you are from a Western Country and planning to visit UAE very soon, in order to show respect to the culture of UAE kaftan is the best option. Kaftans are loose so can be worn over swin suit, tank tops and jeans or any slim fitted dress.
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