What men's hot-weather garment am I looking for?

August 2, 2022 8:57 AM

What's the men's version of a housedress or caftan? It could even be a housedress or caftan, but I'm in search of something that'll fit a 6'1" man with a medium-large frame. It should be: good for hot weather, so of thin or breathable fabric; not have too many constrictions like buttons or elastic; go in the washing machine; orderable online; something you just pull over your head and wear all day.
posted by BlahLaLa to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (24 answers total)

Caftans for men are a thing! Or a nightshirt, with sleeves shortened for summer.
posted by esoterrica at 9:17 AM on August 2, 2022 [1 favorite]

Or the middle eastern version of a MuMu, the Djellaba.
posted by Bigbootay. Tay! Tay! Blam! Aargh... at 9:23 AM on August 2, 2022 [5 favorites]

Outlier's Grid Linen Hoodie and Beach Thing may be of interest, but requires a bottom.
posted by dobbs at 9:23 AM on August 2, 2022

Also called Thobe or Dishdasha, and that page also includes Kurtas, which is a tunic and pants set.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:25 AM on August 2, 2022 [3 favorites]

I was also coming to recommend a kurta. More examples here.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 9:27 AM on August 2, 2022 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Men's nighshirt. It's been a while since I looked but LL Bean, Eddie Bauer and Land's End should have them too (assuming they still exist as retailers.) There are really nice linen ones for summer or for winter too, and these longer lengths may be more what you're looking for.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:48 AM on August 2, 2022

I apologize if I'm missing something, but is there a reason a giant t-shirt (maybe in a tall size?) wouldn't work in this situation?
posted by kevinbelt at 9:59 AM on August 2, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Just happy for an excuse to link to Chris Pine in a caftan.
posted by rdnnyc at 10:09 AM on August 2, 2022 [6 favorites]

Search Men's Clothing India and there are so many options.

In the Phillipines, it's called a barong, and goes over pants.

In Mexico and a lot of Central America, it's a guayabera, again, pants needed.

There's a Middle Eastern/ Muslim equivalent.

There are African versions, but that's a huge category. Search Men Clothing %Equatorial %Tropical %Country. Jakartan batiks are gorgeous, for instance.
posted by theora55 at 10:09 AM on August 2, 2022 [3 favorites]

T-shaped tunics or shifts used to be the base layer in cold climates, too, so there are historical remakes. Mm, linen. (Which can go completely transparent when wet, nb.)
posted by clew at 10:21 AM on August 2, 2022 [1 favorite]

My father's "comfy around the house" outfit was a white undershirt and a sarong. He wore it in hot weather and always looked comfortable.
posted by PussKillian at 10:27 AM on August 2, 2022 [2 favorites]

Maybe more indoors (or more Tony-Soprano-vibe) than you have in mind, but there's always the bathrobe.
posted by box at 10:34 AM on August 2, 2022

Best answer: The Ace Hotel Palm Springs will sell you one of the very nice pullover robe/caftan things they have for guests.
posted by caek at 10:51 AM on August 2, 2022

Much as I'd like to link more pictures of Chris Pine - I'll just say that I, a non-surfer, have window shopped surf ponchos for quite a while now.
posted by rdnnyc at 12:10 PM on August 2, 2022

Response by poster: Thanks for the links so far. I'm definitely looking for something breezy and slouchy -- a lot of the suggestions are rather tailored. Not just a shirt, has to go far enough down that you could, say, go out to the mailbox without neighbors being like "he's only wearing a shirt." The surf ponchos are a no-go because they're too warm-looking.

Basically yes I want Chris Pine's cafatan and also the Ace Hotel's offering (except it's really expensive). So far, DarlingBri's men's nightshirt is the closest candidate.
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:23 PM on August 2, 2022

amazon has lots like this, this etc, this one is viscose, probaby nice and cool
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:51 PM on August 2, 2022 [1 favorite]

I adore my Jinbei from Muji - it is durable, super comfortable and I've been pretty much been living in them during the summer. It's a traditional summer outfit from Japan, which gets brutally hot and humid. Bonus it doesn't use any elastic, and takes all of the abuse I heap on it...
posted by rambling wanderlust at 2:01 PM on August 2, 2022 [6 favorites]

Can't vouch for this Amazon item, but: Haseil Men's V-Neck Kaftan Robe Roll Up Long Sleeve Linen Solid Long Gown Side Split Thobe
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:22 PM on August 2, 2022

Lots of schlubbly Ace-Hotel-like options on eBay if you search "men's caftan" or "men's caftan linen", e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4.
posted by caek at 2:24 PM on August 2, 2022

Etsy has some nice options
posted by mcgsa at 2:53 PM on August 2, 2022

You might ask the men's fashion forum on Reddit also. There are a couple of guys there who wear this sort of thing and post occasionally.
posted by liminal_shadows at 11:24 PM on August 2, 2022

Going to a different part of the world, perhaps a yukata would suit? They're can be out-and-about wear, worn in public at relatively traditional occasions, and would certainly be fine for home use even with occasional visitors.

Jinbei might also work but I'm less familiar with them.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 12:03 AM on August 3, 2022

I wear a summer nightshirt from the Vermont Country Store at night. Technically, it meets your spec, but I wouldn't wear it to go out to the mailbox, even if also wearing my light cotton bathroom.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:16 AM on August 3, 2022

Best answer: We ended up finding a seersucker bathrobe at a thrift shop. Solved!
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:41 PM on September 1, 2022