Another Time; Another Place

*

Kaftan: Gift, vintage chiffon & sequins (from India)

Slip: TS elastane

Heels: Target Collection patent & plastic

Bag: Gift, vintage resin

*

Sharing some pictures of a recent "fashion parade" (you know, at home, as you do...) featuring a stunning vintage maxi kaftan - sort of a winter sari, if you will - that was sent to me by a dear friend who lives in India. It is so special that I will probably only end up wearing it on very special occasions, so I wanted to style it up & give it a little spin down the runway... er, hallway... 

The cut of the kaftan is simple - a straight, long rectangle with dropped shoulders (a pretty popular shape when it comes to kaftans from the late 1960s & 1970s) & a high, square neckline - all the better to showcase the amazing bronze & gold sequinned paisley embellishment on a background of vivid green chiffon. I'll be honest, it IS heavy & a flesh-tone slip was required underneath to protect my delicate skin from the slightly scratchy sparkles but those kinds of issues are quickly forgotten when I look in the mirror, see its beauty & feel its history.

What is also amazing is the thick strip of the same embellished material that is ruched & placed over the shoulder in the same way that a sari is wrapped around the body, easily adding depth & visual interest. Scroll down for more detailed shots:

With such a "full on" base, accessories need to be kept simple & tonal: a pair of flesh tone patent pumps (or court shoes) with pointy toes & clear plastic panels down the sides from my local Target store as well as a vintage handbag in glittery bronze/gold resin that was a gift from a dear friend for Christmas 2 years ago.

And just in case the ensemble wasn't amazing enough, there is also an amazing long strip of green chiffon that can be worn as either a belt or a wrap. I'm not really one for belts, due to the fact that I'm short-waisted, so it was basically predestined that I would place it gently around my shoulders for a "pop" of colour to match the kaftan edges... which are slightly asymmetrical on either side, which is one of the foibles of handmade vintage that makes me love it even more! 

I've spoken many times on the blog about the "stories" that come as "part & parcel" of vintage clothing (some may even say ad nauseum) but for me, it's one of the biggest draw-cards - something that is only emphasised by the fact that this kaftan was first worn nearly 50 years ago in a land that I have not yet visited... Who wore it before me? Was it for a special occasion? Did they feel as wonderful in it as I do? Did it change their life in some way? I'll never know the answers to these questions but there is an inherent romanticism in wondering... yes, even as I wear it for the perusal of my family on the tiled floor of the hallway in my suburban home on a weekday evening as that, my friends, is the power of (vintage) fashion...

*