Ethos Kolekto

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Have you ever worn a caftan?

While I am a small business owner, I am also a full-time remote special education teacher with my 3-year old at home with me while I work. I often find that if I let myself roll out of bed in PJs and work for a day, I’m ok, but if I do it more than 2 days in a row, my productivity goes down, so I need to put together actual outfits… but I want them to be super comfortable and easy to move in so I can bounce between my online classes and homeschooling a small human.

Enter the Dessous Loungewear caftan.

According to Britannica, the caftan, or kaftan, originated in the Middle East in Mesopotamian times and was a full-length garment for men. In the mid 20th-century, it became fashionable for women as an ankle-length coat-like garment. At Dessous, they have taken the original breezy and flowy silhouette of a caftan and adapted it so that it is an incredibly comfortable garment that is also quite functional and stylish.

Their range of sustainably-made caftans come in a full-length and a short length and there are a several different colors and patterns available. Since green is my favorite color and I’m a bit short, I opted to try out the Short Grace Caftan in Emerald Marble. Inspired by Grace Kelly, this caftan has an open silhouette, a deep V-neck, a bib collar, and detailed side seams. It is truly a timeless garment that works with my lifestyle at this age, but will flex and adapt along with me as life goes on.

Dessous has also upped the sustainability ante by opting for use of sustainable office supplies, careful patterning to conserve paper, creative use and donation of scrap fabrics to eliminate waste, and sourcing of fabrics that have been produced sustainably wherever possible. Fabrics are also sourced in the US as often as possible to reduce the expenditure of fossil fuels during shipping. All products are made in a small, family-owned factory in Los Angeles. Dessous also partners with Ecologi.com to plant a tree for every caftan that they sell.

I was very easily able to style it with leggings and a cozy sweater for lounging around the house on a chilly day, with a cropped denim jacket and knee-high boots for an in-person work meeting, with a long skirt and hat for a fun boho-look, and with sandals and statement jewelry for a more formal look. It would also be awesome as a beach cover up or as fancy pajamas.

Love any of these looks? Want to try a caftan of your own? Stay tuned for a giveaway!