Staying cool in a caftan.
One of the perks of living in South Florida is the beautiful weather all year long. In winter, it’s fairly warm in the day and cools off at night. In Spring and Autumn, it’s gloriously perfect. Summer the sun shines, and we get the daily thunderstorm roll through to add to the humidity. It can get a little too hot during the heat of the day, but that’s where the local dress code is a win.
Unlike some places where they wear their jeans all year long, down in places like Palm Beach, everyone slips into something a little more comfortable. Shift dresses and caftans are everywhere. Bright colors, and crisp white are de rigeur. Palm Beach was the home of Lilly Pulitzer, and her spirit hasn’t left the island. Wearing bright colors makes you feel happy. There’s no being a wallflower in a kaleidoscope print.
Palm Beach has more preppy pastels with splashes of bright pinks, but as you head south towards Miami, the colors, like the people, get a little louder.
When I was there last week, it was like Miami had issued a uniform. Almost every single lady was moving between the beaches and bars in soft flowing caftans of every length, color and pattern imaginable. It was magical. All these women, flowing around in soft fabrics. Some had plain, short, sheer cover ups to show off their sexy bikinis underneath, others had long silky caftans that looked more like etherical evening gowns. Everyone looked so comfortable, even in the stifling heat. The caftans dry quickly, even when put over a wet bikini. The few people walking around in cut off jeans had wet patches that looked super uncomfortable. The best part about a pretty caftan is I can walk straight from the beach, over to the bars, and get myself a pina colada, and I don’t have to go back to my hotel and change first. You can also tie your caftan back or go one shouldered and make it look like a sexy dress for clubbing after the sun goes down. Everyone had completely different patterns and lengths, so no two women looked alike. It was a beautiful thing to observe.
South Florida is full of resorts. No resort wear wardrobe is complete without the staple caftan.
So if you’re headed to South Florida, do yourself a favour and grab yourself a caftan or two. It’ll be the most versatile piece in your luggage.
If you’re like me and have trouble finding a caftan to fit your petite frame, I’ve curated a collection of both long and short caftans that will all fit a petite. Check out my Petite Caftan Fit Guide to see how long each length caftan is on an actual petite person, and then find something in your style at the Shop.
