How To Style A Kaftan
How To Style
A Kaftan
From beach cover-up to dinner reservation. Five ways to wear a kaftan.
Shop KaftansA kaftan is one of the most versatile pieces in a woman's wardrobe. It can be worn as a swimsuit cover-up, a vacation dress, a resort dinner look, a travel layer, or an elegant statement piece. This guide explains exactly how to wear a kaftan and style it for every occasion — from beach club to dinner reservation, from brunch to evening event.
The kaftan is one of the oldest garments in the world — worn across centuries and continents, from ancient Mesopotamia to the courts of Morocco to the beaches of the French Riviera. In its modern luxury form, it is a flowing, one-size-fits-all silhouette in a bold print, designed to look extraordinary on every body and work across every vacation occasion. The Alma Collection — warm Cappadocia earth tones, reds and terracotta — is the kaftan at its most adventurous.
The reason women reach for the same kaftan repeatedly on vacation is not just that it looks good. It is that it removes decisions. One piece that works at the beach, at the bar, at the restaurant, and on the boat. No fittings. No alterations. No second-guessing. The kaftan is the single most intelligent piece of clothing a woman can pack.
Sai Sankoh goddess kaftans are available in Georgette for all-day wear and Silk Viscose for elevated occasions. Both pack completely flat into a carry-on and arrive without a crease. Both are one-size-fits-all from size 0 to 24 — which means they actually fit all. A kaftan is not a compromise. It is the most sophisticated packing decision a woman can make.
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"I never knew how many ways I could wear a kaftan until I bought my first Sai Sankoh piece. It's become the most versatile item in my entire closet."
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Five Ways to Wear a Kaftan
1. Beach cover-up. Wear the goddess kaftan open over a swimsuit — it satisfies every beach club cover-up requirement while looking infinitely more intentional than a sarong. The Georgette falls beautifully in sea breezes and photographs magnificently against any coastal backdrop. This is the way most women wear their kaftan first. Most end up wearing it everywhere.
2. Resort dinner. Belt the kaftan at the waist with a simple leather or fabric belt and pair with flat strappy sandals. The flowing fabric reads as intentionally dressed for any restaurant setting, from casual beachfront to cliffside terrace. The bold print does the styling work — the belt defines the silhouette. No other accessories required.
3. Travel day. The Georgette kaftan folds completely flat into a carry-on and arrives without a crease. Wear it with flat sandals and a carry-on bag on travel day — it is comfortable for a six-hour flight and looks completely intentional the moment you arrive. No wrinkled t-shirt. No yoga pants. The kaftan is the intelligent traveller's answer to the airport-to-destination transition.
4. Brunch. Over slim-cut trousers or worn as a tunic, the kaftan transitions from its vacation context into a brunch or lunch look that works at home as well as it does abroad. The bold print reads as deliberate and styled — a woman who chose this, rather than someone who ran out of options. Add a statement earring and nothing else.
5. Evening event. The Silk Viscose goddess kaftan is the elevated choice for a destination wedding, a gala, or an evening event that calls for something genuinely special. The silk viscose fabric is heavier, more lustrous, and photographs beautifully under evening lighting. Pair with heeled sandals and a minimal clutch. The kaftan is the statement — let it speak.
Every Sai Sankoh goddess kaftan is designed to fit sizes 0 through 24. One-size-fits-all — which means they actually fit all. A kaftan should never require alteration, tailoring, or compromise.
Kaftan Styling Guide
Every question about kaftans — answered honestly
What is resort wear?
Resort wear is a category of clothing designed for vacations, warm-weather destinations, and luxury leisure. It sits between casual beachwear and formal evening wear — intentional enough for a resort restaurant, comfortable enough for a beach club, and versatile enough to move across both without a wardrobe change. Classic resort wear includes goddess kaftans, printed shirt dresses, wide-leg trousers, blouses, jumpsuits, and coordinating scarves. The defining quality of true resort wear is that it travels well, photographs beautifully, and requires no alterations or last-minute decisions.
What is the difference between resort wear and vacation wear?
Resort wear and vacation wear are often used interchangeably, but resort wear implies a higher level of intentionality and quality. Vacation wear can mean anything worn while traveling. Resort wear specifically refers to pieces designed for luxury leisure destinations — beach clubs, yacht days, tropical dinners, poolside settings — in fabrics and silhouettes that hold up to heat, sea breezes, and the visual demands of memorable settings. Sai Sankoh makes resort wear: clothing designed with a destination in mind and a certain kind of woman at its centre.
What is considered resort wear?
Resort wear typically includes: goddess kaftans (one-size flowing silhouettes worn over swimwear or as standalone pieces); printed shirt dresses (maxi length, bold prints, belt-able at the waist); wide-leg printed trousers; printed blouses; jumpsuits; coordinating scarves; and matching sets. The category is defined by bold prints, quality fabrics, flowing silhouettes, and the ability to transition across multiple occasions — beach, boat, dinner, terrace — within a single day.
Can resort wear be worn outside of vacation?
Absolutely. Resort wear translates naturally to warm-weather everyday dressing, dinner occasions, gallery openings, rooftop events, summer weddings, and anywhere a woman wants to look intentionally dressed rather than casually assembled. The Sai Sankoh kaftan, in particular, transitions from resort to brunch to cocktail hour without asking you to justify the choice. Resort wear is not a costume. It is a category of clothing for women who dress with intention — wherever they happen to be.
What fabrics are best for resort wear?
The best resort wear fabrics handle heat, pack without creasing, and move beautifully in warm-weather settings. Georgette is the ideal all-day resort fabric — lightweight, breathable, and wrinkle-resistant. Silk viscose is the elevated resort fabric — slightly heavier, more lustrous, and best reserved for evening occasions. Poly crepe is excellent for structured pieces like wide-leg trousers. Organza is the choice for statement blouses and tops that need drama and movement. Sai Sankoh uses all four across the collection.
What shoes should I wear with resort wear?
Flat strappy sandals are the default resort wear shoe — elegant, practical on sand and cobblestone, and appropriate from beach club to terrace restaurant. A low block heel or wedge sandal elevates the look for evening settings. Heeled mule sandals work beautifully with wide-leg trousers and a blouse combination. The key principle of resort wear footwear is that the outfit carries the look — the shoes support it. A bold printed kaftan or shirt dress does not need to be undermined by footwear decisions.
What is the best resort wear for women over 40?
The best resort wear for women over 40 combines genuine elegance with comfort that makes travel enjoyable — not a compromise between them. Flowing kaftans, wide-leg trousers, and belted shirtdresses in quality fabrics are ideal: they flatter without restricting, travel without creasing, and look intentional rather than age-appropriate. Sai Sankoh is available in sizes 0 through 24 and is worn by women across every age group who share a common quality: they dress for themselves. See our Vacation Outfits for Women Over 40 guide for more.
Are kaftans considered resort wear?
The kaftan is the defining garment of luxury resort wear. Originating in ancient Mesopotamia and worn across cultures for centuries, the modern goddess kaftan — long, flowing, one-size, boldly printed — is the piece that most fully expresses what resort wear is: comfortable without being casual, elegant without being formal, and visually striking without requiring effort. Sai Sankoh goddess kaftans in Georgette and Silk Viscose are available in prints designed with specific destinations in mind — and in sizes that actually fit all women, from size 0 to 24.
