Charlie Caftan – 2020 Beach Vacation On My Balcony
This is me last year in my Charlie Caftan on vacation in Heraklion, Crete.
That was the second time in a row we made it our summer vacation spot, and vowed to go back this year for our third. What I discovered on that trip is that all I wanted to wear was my Charlie Caftan. It’s the perfect beach vacation outfit. Simple, elegant, breezy and stylish, it takes one effortlessly from beach to restaurant dining. All one needs to pack for a beach vacation is a bikini and a Charlie Caftan, or two. No fuss, no check-in baggage, no worries. That’s how we like to travel.
Here we are in our favourite tavern, Taverna Bar Vasilis on Mononaftis Beach, Agia Pelagia.
We were staying at Ambelos Apartments, and those were perfect 10 days in beautiful Crete. This was our incredible swimming hole/heaven:
Absolutely dreamy, I know. But let’s get back to the Charlie, and the reality that it’s a high possibility we’re not going anywhere for summer vacation this year with the way things are panning out. So I put on my Caftans to recreate the vacation-in-paradise feeling on my balcony:
They are actually perfect Covid-19 lockdown loungewear, and are great mood-lifters compared to my sweats. Anyway, this lockdown has been a version of a holiday, hasn’t it? No work, 24-hours with the family, great food (I’m cooking), great weather so far, and so peaceful and quiet outside you can hear the birds sing.
But I digress. Back to the Charlie from Closet Case Patterns, which is on the top of my list for independent pattern companies because the instructions are crystal clear, and the drafting is ultra-reliable. Heather Lou and her team at Closet Case have superpowers, so go and buy their patterns. There are also these sew alongs if you need a hand to guide you through some trickier bits of sewing. So this is my second offering for Me Made May #memademay #memademay2020. Go make it in #isewlation and convert your lockdown vibes to vacation vibes.
The fiddliest part of this make is sewing up the panel on the front bodice, but no worries, the instructions will get you through it. And when you get it done, you’ll feel like you have superpowers. The first Caftan (green-orange leafy tropical print) I made was in a slippery viscose, and If I can do it, so can you. Then the second one (pale blue with mustard and red stripes) was a polyester blend. And my third is in a cotton Indonesian batik:
I made View C in a size 2 – the maxi with the gathered front with ties at the waist, but opted for the higher sleeves instead.
And here’s us last year at our favourite tavern in Crete, so blissed out that I didn’t even give two hoots about the spinach stuck in my teeth. Yassou!
