Kaftans The ultimate cover up (on or off the beach) Say so long to your sarongs and wave bye bye to your board shorts while you usher in summer's newest beach wear: the kaftan (or caftan, pick a spelling). Once considered evening wear by the legandary Yves St. Laurent in the late '60s, the kaftan of 2007 is moving from the bottom of the tickle trunk to beaches around the globe. A favorite of such iconic glamor queens as Elizabeth Taylor, the kaftan was once thought uneligible for a fashion comeback. What has provoked the fashion world's sudden change of heart? We can't answer that but we are more than happy to drape ourselves in it's silky embrace. We can't help but dream of ways to incorporate the kaftan into our everyday summer rotation. We figure our mini dresses won't mind a day off (or 12). The kaftan's original ethnic roots (from Istanbul to Morocco) lead us to wonder how it became a favorite amongst housewives of the early 1970s. But it's flowing fabric, drapability factor and astonishing prints have us wondering why it ever disappeared in the first place?

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