No. Kaftan and caftan are two spellings of the exact same garment: a long, loose, flowing robe-style dress. There is no difference in the dress, the fit, or the way you say it. "Caftan" is the more common American dictionary spelling, and "kaftan" shows up more in British and fashion writing. Both are correct. Pick whichever one you like.

That is the whole answer. But if you want the story behind the word, and how a piece with this much history ends up getting you stopped at a birthday dinner, keep reading.

The short answer

Same dress. Two spellings. Same sound.

Whether you write kaftan or caftan, you are talking about one thing: a long, loose robe that drapes from the shoulders and flows to the ankle. No zippers fighting you. No waistband deciding your day. Just fabric that moves when you move.

The spelling changes by country and by habit. The dress does not change at all.

Where the word comes from

The word travels further than most closets.

Kaftans go back thousands of years. The garment took shape across North Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, and the lands of the old Ottoman world. In the Ottoman court, kaftans were dress worn with real meaning, sewn in rich color and worn to be seen. Rulers gave them as honors. What you wore said who you were.

From there the kaftan moved the way beautiful things always move: through trade. Merchants carried the shape across borders and seas, and every region added its own hand, its own color, its own way of wearing it.

By the 1960s and 70s, the kaftan found its way into Western wardrobes as vacation and resort dressing. Women wanted a piece that felt free, looked rich in color, and got noticed on a beach or at a party. It has held that role ever since.

So when you slip one on, you are wearing a shape with real roots. That is part of why it feels the way it does.

Why you see both spellings

Here is the simple reason for the confusion.

The word did not start in English. It came into English from other languages and other alphabets, and when a word crosses over like that, spellings split. One region settles on one version. Another region settles on the other. Both stick.

• Caftan is the spelling you will most often find in American dictionaries.
• Kaftan is common in British and Commonwealth writing, and it is the spelling the fashion world tends to use.

Neither one is a mistake. Nobody is going to correct you. You are describing the same beautiful dress either way.

How to pronounce it

You say it the same no matter how you spell it.

KAF-tan. Two beats. The first part rhymes with "half," the second is a soft "tan." That is it. The spelling on the page never changes the sound in your mouth.

What makes a modern kaftan

Strip it down and a kaftan is easy to know.

• Long and flowing. It falls from the shoulders and moves as you move.
• Loose through the body. It skims instead of squeezing. It flatters without a fight.
• Open, easy neckline. Nothing to wrestle. You put it on and you are ready.
• Built for color and print. The shape gives fabric room to do something. This is where color and pattern get to be the whole point.

That last one matters most. A kaftan is a canvas. The cut is calm so the color can be loud. That is the trick behind why the right one gets remembered.

How Sai Sankoh does it

We build kaftans to get you noticed. That is the job.

Every piece leads with color and print, because that is what makes a stranger stop and ask where you got it. The flowing cut is chosen to flatter a real body on a real day, whether that day is a wedding, a birthday dinner, a girls trip, or a slow morning on vacation.

We are a kaftan house in Dallas, and this is the one thing we do. Not a little of everything. This. So the color is right, the drape is right, and the piece does what you put it on to do: get you compliments and make you feel unforgettable.

You can see the full range across our Goddess Kaftans, our Silk Goddess Kaftans, and the full kaftan collection. If you want to start where other women already fell in love, look at the best sellers or the new arrivals.

*Free US shipping over $500. Ships within 48 hours from Dallas.*

How to wear one

A kaftan is the easiest yes in your closet.

Wear it long and barefoot on the sand. Add heels and gold and let it carry a dinner. Throw it over a swimsuit and walk to lunch like you planned it. The shape does the work, so you get to keep it simple and still be the most noticed woman in the room.

Want the full playbook, occasion by occasion? Read how to style a kaftan. If you are pulling a whole trip together, what is resort wear walks you through it.

A note on fit: one size

Here is the part that surprises people.

Our kaftans are One Size and are made to fit 0 to 24. The flowing cut is built to drape and flatter across a wide range of bodies, so you are not guessing between numbers on a tag. If you want to double check the details before you order, the size guide has everything.

Quick reference: kaftan vs caftan

From Sai

People spend a lot of time worrying about the spelling. Here is what I tell them: nobody at the party is checking your spelling. They are asking where you got the dress.

Kaftan, caftan, either way, it is the same beautiful thing. Wear it. Get noticed. That is the point.

Never go unnoticed.

Sai

Frequently asked questions

Is it kaftan or caftan?

Both. They are two accepted spellings of the same word. "Caftan" is more common in American dictionaries, and "kaftan" is more common in British and fashion writing. Neither is wrong.

Are kaftan and caftan the same thing?

Yes. They describe the exact same garment: a long, loose, flowing robe-style dress. There is no difference in the dress, the fit, or the pronunciation.

How do you spell kaftan?

You can spell it kaftan or caftan. Both are correct. Choose the one you like and stay consistent.

What is a kaftan?

A kaftan is a long, loose robe-style dress that flows from the shoulders to the ankle. It has roots across North Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, and the Ottoman world, and it became popular Western resort wear in the 1960s and 70s.

How do you pronounce kaftan?

KAF-tan. Two syllables. The first rhymes with "half," the second is a soft "tan." The pronunciation is the same for both spellings.

Who can wear a kaftan?

Anyone. The loose, flowing cut flatters a wide range of bodies. At Sai Sankoh, our kaftans are One Size and are made to fit 0 to 24.

Is a kaftan really one size?

At Sai Sankoh, yes. Our kaftans are One Size and fit 0 to 24. The drape is designed to flatter across a wide range of bodies, so there is no guessing between sizes.

Where does the kaftan come from?

The kaftan has ancient roots across North Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, and the Ottoman world, where it was worn in the royal court. It spread through trade and became Western resort wear in the 1960s and 70s.

Keep reading

Start here: What is a kaftan? is the full guide to the garment.

Go deeper: Learn how to style a kaftan, read what is resort wear, or check the size guide.

Meet the house: Get to know the designer, visit the showroom, or read the FAQ.

Shop the kaftans: Goddess Kaftans, Silk Goddess Kaftans, the full kaftan collection, best sellers, and new arrivals.

Find the one they will remember

You know the difference now. There is only one thing left to do: pick the kaftan that gets you stopped, photographed, and asked where you got it.

Shop the kaftan collection or book a showroom appointment in Dallas.