Caftans + Bold Earrings

It was a cloudy, rainy weekend here in Northern California. I am NOT complaining – we NEED rain, I LOVE rain, I look forward to dark, gray days to light candles and dig out blankets and feel cozy and wintery. Plus, it’s been pretty cold, so it FEELS like winter, finally.

But….

I’m also starting to think a little bit about spring. The Boy started baseball last week, and The Girl is running barefoot everywhere as if it already were sunny and warm. We’re starting to sign up for summer camps. The REALLY warm weather will be here before we know it. I think it’s the perfect time to consider….

…a caftan!

This is the first one I found YEARS ago. I didn’t even know what it was (a robe? a nightgown? something from another country?) But the embroidery was so lovely – I’m a sucker for good needlework – that I had to have it.

Turns out, they are perfect for warmer weather because the long, loose fabric billows away from the body and keeps you cool.

(For a brief history of the caftan, check out this article.)

I fell for this one because of its cross-stitch design, a skill I used to be pretty good at back in elementary school. The gradient of color played out in tiny stitched X’s is just so great.

This one’s perfect for spring – bright coral with white embroidery.

This one is my favorite – a soft chambray with thick white cotton embroidery thread. I think this is the one I’m going to keep. The rest will be going in my Etsy shop this week. (And I’m always on the lookout for more, so I’ll add more as I find them.)

And aren’t they fun with big, bold earrings?

I’ve been playing around with a couple of different earring designs lately – a 3-tier drop and a big almond shape. Both designs feature upcycled vintage beads I’ve found at antique shops and thrift stores. Because most of the beads are vintage acrylic, they are fairly lightweight and easy to wear.