Why everyone suddenly owns a kaftan now and why you need one too

The kaftan’s comeback feels less like a trend revival and more like a quiet personal awakening. I knew it had won when my Instagram feed stopped pushing corsets and started serving kaftans instead. Once strictly coded as resort wear, the kaftan has slipped seamlessly into everyday life. It offers elegance with zero negotiation—no tailoring anxiety, no post-lunch regret. It’s democracy in fabric form. Think of it as ordering dessert first: slightly rebellious, but gentle about it.

Why it feels so right now 

Dressing no longer needs to perform. It’s about permission. To host without heels. To lounge without guilt. To look considered without trying too hard. Designers have caught on, too, with luxury loungewear now taking up a significant share of collections. The kaftan, poised between heritage craft and modern burnout, delivers effortlessness that also happens to photograph beautifully. And yes, that part still matters.

How to wear it without trying too hard

The beauty of the kaftan lies in how little it asks of you. In the morning, it’s all about soft cottons or breezy voile—throw one on, grab your coffee, let natural light and a low-effort bun do the rest. By afternoon, you can decide how visible you want to be: cinch it with a belt if you’re feeling social, or let it flow if solitude is the agenda—both are correct answers. Come evening, switch to silk or satin, add statement earrings, and suddenly the same silhouette feels dinner-ready without a single outfit crisis. It adapts to your mood, your energy, your day. Which is exactly why these are the ones worth falling for.

The ones worth falling for

If you, too, are in favour of the kaftans, these are the ones to bookmark. 

And Abstract Blue Kaftan Dress, ₹5,490

Aditya Khandelwal Copper Silk Tissue Kaftan, ₹59,500

Abrakh Sitaara Kaftan Set, ₹16,500

Sureena Chowdhri Saya Kaftan, ₹23,900

Jeem Shaded Kaftan, ₹18,681

Lead image: The brands

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