After what seemed like an eternity choosing this kaftan, then settling on a fabric colour (there were so many options design-wise and colour-wise that I found it incredibly hard to narrow it down to merely one option) I received it in the post last week or so and finally got around to reviewing it. It is honestly such a battle to find time when both kids are asleep simultaneously, thus granting me a rare opportunity to get through my very long list of reviews piling up at home. I know I seem to say this every time, but finding that small amount of me/alone time is increasingly difficult. If you have more than one kid then you will know what I mean.
This particular kaftan was custom made and sent to me by Facebook based company Bel Vestito who specialise in abaya and kaftan replicas. They were so patient and helpful with me, especially considering how I kept umming and ahhing with my annoying indecisiveness when deciding which design to choose. In the end, I was guided into settling on this greeny turquoise beauty...
The handmade beading/crystal embellishments are quite elaborate, as are the four roped ball/bead combo tassels that hang down at the front and rear of the gown. They create a very unique feature to the kaftan that I haven't seen used elsewhere. A few crystals had come off the design during shipment, but I was given a small bag of spare crystals to use as replacements when needed. Thankful for that! I wish more companies included spare buttons/crystals, etc because they really are quite handy to have tucked away.
The gorgeous design is multi-layered, featuring a long sleeved silky slip to wear under the gown which hides under the many layers of turquoise chiffon. The material is thin but good quality but does snag easily (as most kaftan material does) so keep sharp jewellery away (not that you would need to wear any with this. It is so heavily decorated that any jewellery would be overwhelming).
Above - left pic displays the front, while the right pic displays the back of this beautiful garment.
The decorations are quite blinged out (which I love - I am definitely not afraid of the fancy) so obviously this is a dress made for weddings, parties, etc. I don't know of anyone getting married soon, but if I did I would probably end up wearing this with some saparkly gold or nude hued heels.
The kaftan also came with a matching scarf that you can see featured in a recent review I did here a couple weeks ago for Abaya Addict. The colour is pretty much perfect for me if I do say so myself. I'm so glad I ended up choosing this one.
Check out Bel Vestito on Facebook for their multitude of other designs. You can also follow them on Instagram like I do @belvestito.
What do you think of this princess style design? Would you wear an elaborate piece like this?