kaftan

Loosely cut ankle-length garment which opens at the front and has long wide sleeves; it is often tied with a sash of silk or cotton. Kaftans can be made from almost any fabric, although satin and heavily embroidered fabrics have frequently been used.

Kaftans were traditionally worn by men in several Eastern countries, especially the Ottoman sultans. They were popularized in modern Western fashion by Christian Dior in the 1950s when he showed versions of the kaftan worn open over evening dresses. Yves Saint-Laurent also produced kaftan-inspired designs in the 1960s. During the 1970s kaftans became popular as evening and casual wear. The kaftan is believed to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia.