KIMONO!
October 14th 2008 04:32
KIMONO!
The parts of a Kimono
The Kimono is undoubtedly one of the great clothing creations of the world.
Its Heian prototype has wide large sleeves and the sleeves vary from short to long. There's a cotton summer version the yugata and a short over robe / jacket called haori!
It can be embroidered and dyed by a variety of methods and made of many fibers, cotton, hemp, ramie, and silk.
Here's a modern example made outside of Japan :
modern kimono
One criticism made of kimono is that the full "traditional" version requires help to get all the layers and knots bound properly and can be as tight as a corset and inflexible.
This "traditional" form only dates back to the 18th century as far as I can see and was probably only worn by upper class women and the wealthier members of the merchants and sex workers classes in urban areas. The dividing line between Geisha "art person" and Tayu and Oiran tended to waver!
You may have seen the Utamaro version from the very end of the Eighteenth Century which however beautiful probably was rather tight.
Here's one depicted by Moronobu in a painting from an earlier era before the "tube" look became fashionable!
Moronobu Painting
Moronobu was a Ukiyo-e print designer who also did paintings.
Long ago and faraway when I was much younger I managed to require a couple of kimono!
If there's one retro antique ethnic clothing item you should have try to get a good kimono!
Not one of the cheap tourist version ones!
If you are lucky enough to have friends or relatives in Japan ask them to keep an eye out for the annual depato sales of rental kimono which may be stained but will be much cheaper!
Kimono are an investment buy! A simple elegant garment modifiable to a variety of body shapes and sizes though for us gaijin I would recommend trying to acquire a simple plain summer or men's style obi that doesn't require elaborate padding and cords!
The kimono has been one of the world's great "fashion" success stories and I have no doubts that altho obi styles and sleeve shape and length will change to looser more practical easier to put on styles the basic kimono shape will endure!
What do you think of kimono?
I invite other fashion bloggers to comment on thei favorite kimono!
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