Six of the Best Kaftans

Coleen's recent swimwear show (sorry, honeymoon) featured some beautiful kaftans – florals, plain white, cobalt blue – but this year's pieces aren't exclusively for beach-babes (see Lily Cole shopping in NYC wearing full length kaftan and flip-flops). Pick the right piece and you can even waft from poolside to club, particularly if you're holidaying in Miami or Ibiza. Manmade fibres are a big no-no: polyviscose plastered to damp skin just isn't nice so choose a lightweight cotton or better still splash out on silk. Don't get on that plane without one.

This feature was published in July 2008.