How a Moroccan Kaftan Should Fit

Man wearing a deep blue Moroccan kaftan, cover image for a guide to how a Moroccan kaftan should fit

Most people buying a Moroccan kaftan online are worried about one thing: whether it will fit when it arrives. Here is what a good fit looks like, so you can judge it yourself rather than hoping.

The short version. A kaftan should skim your body, not hug it. Shoulder seam on the shoulder, hem at the ankle bone, sleeve at the wrist. Between sizes, take the larger one.

Start with the shoulders

The shoulder seam should sit roughly where your shoulder ends and your arm begins. This is the one measurement that cannot be fixed afterwards, so get it right and the rest follows.

If the seam hangs down your upper arm, the kaftan is too big, and the whole garment will look like it is sliding off you no matter how good the fabric is. If it pulls across your back when you reach forward, it is too small.

Tailors can shorten a hem. Nobody can move a shoulder seam on a garment cut this way.

Length

Side profile of a black Moroccan kaftan for men showing its drape

A Moroccan kaftan should finish at the ankle bone. Slightly above is fine and is often more practical. Touching the floor is too long, and you will step on the hem going up stairs.

Length is the most common reason people size up, and it is usually the wrong move. Going up a size for length also widens the shoulders and the body, so you solve one problem and create two. If you are tall, check the height ranges on the size guide rather than guessing from the size letter.

Sleeves

Long sleeve and cuff detail on a deep blue Moroccan kaftan

The sleeve should end at your wrist bone, roughly where a shirt cuff sits. A little longer is traditional and looks intentional. Well past the knuckles means the garment is too big through the body as well, and the sleeve is just the first place you noticed.

Through the chest and body

A kaftan is cut closer through the shoulders and chest than a gandoura. That is deliberate. It is what makes it the more formal of the two.

But it should still fall straight from the chest down, with no pulling. Two quick tests:

  • Sit cross legged on the floor. If you cannot do it comfortably, it is too tight, whatever the measurements say. You will be sitting like this at prayer.
  • Check the placket when seated. If the embroidered front gapes or strains, go up a size.

If you are between sizes

Take the larger one. A slightly loose kaftan reads as generous and traditional. A slightly tight one reads as a mistake, and there is no way to let out a garment cut this way.

The same applies if you plan to wear something underneath, or if you are buying for winter and will layer a winter djelleba over the top.

How to measure properly

Measure a garment you already own and like, laid flat on a bed, rather than measuring your body. It is far more accurate and takes two minutes.

  1. Chest. Armpit to armpit across the front, lying flat. Double it for the full circumference.
  2. Shoulder. Seam to seam across the back.
  3. Length. Highest point of the shoulder straight down to the hem.

Compare those three numbers to the size guide and you will get it right first time.

One thing worth knowing

Our kaftans run M to 3XL, and returns are for faulty items only. That is normal for this kind of garment, but it does mean the five minutes spent measuring is worth more than it would be at a shop with free returns.

If you are still unsure between two sizes, the larger one, every time.

Browse the Moroccan kaftan collection.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know what size kaftan to order?

Measure yourself and compare against the size guide rather than going by the size you wear in shirts. Moroccan garments are cut loose, so the relationship to normal sizing is not reliable.
Should a kaftan be loose or fitted?

Ours are cut tailored, closer through the shoulders and chest than a gandoura, which is what makes a kaftan read as dressed rather than draped. It should still fall from the shoulders without pulling anywhere. If you want a roomier fit, size up.
How long should a kaftan be?

Around the ankle. Short enough that it does not drag, long enough that it does not read as a shirt.
What if I am between two sizes?

Take the larger one, every time. These garments are meant to hang loose and a size up looks correct, while a size down looks like a mistake.
Where should the shoulder seam sit?

On the edge of your shoulder or just past it. This is the single measurement worth getting right, because it is the one that cannot be fixed by anything else.
Can a kaftan be altered if it is too long?

The hem can be taken up by a tailor without much trouble. The shoulders and the embroidered placket cannot, which is why you size for the shoulders and adjust the length afterwards.
Do a gandoura and a kaftan fit the same?

No. The sleeve length and the cut differ, so measure for each separately. There is a full comparison in how to style a gandoura.
How should I measure myself at home?

Over a t-shirt, not bare skin and not over a jumper, standing normally rather than holding yourself straight. Get someone else to hold the tape if you can, because measuring your own shoulders accurately is close to impossible.