Aspects of this topic are discussed in the following places at Britannica.
A caftan has long, wide sleeves and is open in the front, although frequently it is bound with a sash. The word caftan (or gaberdine) also refers to a black frock coat worn by Ḥasidic Jews since the European Middle Ages. An ankle-length coatlike garment with wide sleeves became fashionable for women’s evening wear in the mid-20th century and was called a caftan.
We welcome your comments. Any revisions or updates suggested for this article will be reviewed by our editorial staff. Contact us here.
Regular users of Britannica may notice that this comments feature is less robust than in the past. This is only temporary, while we make the transition to a dramatically new and richer site. The functionality of the system will be restored soon.