After a long hiatus, here at You Do What You Do headquarters we are excited that summer is officially here (happy belated solstice!), and what better time to let our delusions of fashion grandeur run wild? Between summer barbecues, beach getaways, and balmy nights on the town, you may be thinking of sprucing up your "look". But before you run out and get yourself a new wardrobe of short shorts and halter tops, I'm here to ask you gals out there an important question: who are you trying to impress?What we should really be striving for as the heat waves roll in are breathable fabrics and freedom from waistbands. Enter the caftan.
Though I am a fashion plate, I can't claim full responsibility for the recent resurgence of the caftan. And anyway, it truly is a timeless piece that has never gone out of style and never will. This is all well and good, but for those of us who are not Christina Hendricks, the key to unleashing the true glory of the caftan is to wear it while gleefully casting aside one's dignity.
"Where can I get one?!" I can already hear my readers clamoring. While they can be purchased inexpensively, commercial caftans are unfortunately typically made from synthetic fabrics that detract from what should be an unfettered caftan experience. Luckily, a quality caftan can be made cheaply and easily in the comfort of your own home, and I'm here to tell you how.
You will need:
-A large piece of fabric roughly 8 feet long, give or take depending on the desired length of the finished garment
- Matching thread and a needle
-An iron
- Bias tape
-Optional: sewing machine.
1. Pick the fabric for your caftan. This is arguably the most fun step and you should make the most of it. You could make a trip to a fabric store, purchase fabric online, or find some for free on craigslist. Perhaps like me, you have several yards of free craigslist fabric that you previously tie-dyed laying around just waiting to be made into a caftan. Whatever you do, pick a lightweight, comfortable fabric. Cotton and silk are ideal, and don't be shy about garish prints and colors!
2. Lay your fabric out on a workspace (for our purposes, the floor). As long as we have already given up our dignity, might as well put a bad rom-com on TV.
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| You've Got Mail: Nothing goes with chat room romance like a caftan! |
3. Turn up the raw edges at the bottom and press with a hot iron. Sew the hem.
4. Find the center and cut a neck-hole for your head to go through. You can just wing it (remember, we have already forgotten about our dignity) but you can also use the neck of a t-shirt as a guide.
5. Measure about 10 inches from either side of the folded fabric and stitch down the length of the fabric, leaving about 10 inches open at the top for armholes. All measurements can be altered according to your taste/comfort. Remember, you have taken charge of your caftan journey!
6. Finish the neckline with bias tape.
7. Show off your new style at a local rummage sale, while stocking up on frozen dinners at the grocery store on a Saturday night, or better yet, delight in your new waistband-free life without even leaving the house.
The world is your oyster!
