 Kimono
(着物, kimono literally "something worn") - The
national costume of Japan. Originally the word "kimono"
referred to all types of clothing, but it has come to denote
a particular type of traditional full-length garment. The
original and exact word should be wafuku (和服, wafuku
literally "clothes of Yamato people").
Kimonos are T-shaped, straight-lined robes that fall to the
ankle, with collars and wide, full-length sleeves. Kimonos
are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over
the right (except when dressing the dead for burial) and
secured by a wide belt called an obi, which is usually tied
at the back. Kimonos are generally worn with traditional
footwear (especially geta, thonged wood-platform footwear;
and zori, a type of thong-like footwear) and split-toe socks
(tabi).
Today, kimonos are most often worn by women, and on special
occasions. Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of
kimono called furisode, which have floor-length sleeves, on
special occasions. A few older women and even fewer men
still wear kimonos on a daily basis. Men wear kimonos most
often at weddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or
very formal occasions. Kimonos are also worn by both men and
women in certain sports, such as kendo. Professional sumo
wrestlers are often seen in kimonos because they are
required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever
appearing in public.
Kimono hobbyists in Japan can take courses on how to put on
and wear kimonos. Classes cover selecting seasonally and
event-appropriate patterns and fabrics, matching the kimono
undergarments and accessories to the kimono, layering the
undergarments according to subtle meanings, selecting and
tying obi, and other topics. There are also clubs devoted to
kimono culture, such as Kimono de Ginza.
 The
earliest kimono were heavily influenced by traditional
Chinese clothing called hanfu through extensive cultural
adoptions between China and Japan, as early as the fifth
century ce. It was during the 8th century, however, when
Chinese fashions came into style among the Japanese, and the
overlapping collar became particularly a women's fashion.
During Japan's Heian period (794–1192 ce), the kimono became
increaslingly stylized, though one still wore a half-apron,
called a mo, over it. During the Muromachi age (1392-1573),
the Kosode, a single kimono formerly considered underwear,
began to be worn without the hakama pants over it, and thus
began to be held closed by an obi "belt". During the Edo
period ((1603-1867)), the sleeves began to grow in length,
especially among unmarried women, and the Obi became wider,
with various styles of tying coming into fashion. Since
then, the basic shape of both men’s and women’s kimono has
remained essentially unchanged.
Kimono for men are available in various sizes, but kimono
for women are typically of similar size, and are adjusted
for various body sizes by tucking and folding. An
ideally-tailored kimono has sleeves that end at the wrist
when the arms are lowered. A man's kimono should fall
approximately to the ankle without tucking. A woman's kimono
is longer to allow for the ohashori, the tuck that can be
seen under the obi.
Kimono are made from a single bolt of fabric called a tan.
Bolts come in standard dimensions of about 14 inches wide
and 12.5 yards (enough for one adult kimono), and the entire
fabric is used to make the kimono. The finished kimono
consists of four main strips of fabric: two panels covering
the body and two panels forming the sleeves, with additional
smaller strips forming the narrow front panel and collar. In
the past, the kimono was often taken apart for washing as
separate panels, and re-sewn by hand. Due to the fact that
the entire bolt remains in the finished garment without
cutting, the kimono can be easily retailored to fit a
different person.
The maximum length of the sleeve is dictated by the width of
the fabric. The distance from the center of the spine to the
end of the sleeve could not exceed twice the width of the
fabric. Traditional kimono fabric was typically no more than
36 centimeters (14 inches) wide. Thus the distance from
spine to wrist could not exceed a maximum of roughly 68
centimeters (27 inches). Modern kimono fabric is woven as
wide as 42 centimeters (17 inches) to accommodate modern
Japanese body sizes. Very tall or heavy people, such as sumo
wrestlers, must have kimono custom-made by joining multiple
bolts of fabric together or custom-woven. source
Traditional kimono are sewn by hand, and their fabrics are
also frequently hand made and hand decorated. Various
techniques such as yūzen dye resist are used for applying
decoration and patterns to the base cloth. Repeating
patterns that cover a large area of a kimono are
traditionally done with the yūzen resist technique and a
stencil. Over time there have been many variations in color,
fabric and style, as well as accessories such as the obi.
Kimono and obis are traditionally made of silk, silk
brocade, silk crepes (such as chirimen) and satin weaves
(such as rinzu). Modern kimono are also widely available in
less-expensive easy-care fabrics such as rayon, cotton
sateen, cotton, polyester and other synthetic fibers. Silk
is still considered the ideal fabric, however, and is a must
for formal occasions.
Customarily, woven patterns and dyed repeat patterns are
considered informal; Formal kimono have free-style designs
dyed over the whole surface or along the hem. During the
Heian period, kimono were worn with up to a dozen or more
colorful contrasting layers, with each combination of colors
being a named pattern. Today, the kimono is normally worn
with a single layer on top of a slip style undergarment. The
pattern of the kimono can also determine in what season it
should be worn. For example, a pattern with butterflies or
cherry blossoms would be worn in spring. Watery designs are
common during the summer. A popular autumn motif is the
russet leaf of the Japanese maple; for winter, designs may
include bamboo, pine trees and plum blossoms.
Old kimono are often recycled in various ways: altered to
make haori, hiyoku, or kimono for children, used to patch
similar kimono, used for making handbags and similar kimono
accessories, and used to make covers, bags or cases for
various implements, especially for sweet-picks used in tea
ceremonies. Kimono with damage below the waistline can also
be worn under hakama to hide the damage. Historically,
skilled craftsmen laboriously picked the silk thread from
old kimono and rewove it into a new textile in the width of
a heko obi for men's kimono, using a recycling weaving
method called saki-ori.
Parts of a woman's kimono
Doura - upper lining
Eri - collar
Fuki - hem guard
Furi - sleeve below the armhole
Maemigoro - front main panel
Miyatsukuchi - opening under the sleeve
Okumi - front inside panel
Sode - sleeve
Sodeguchi - sleeve opening
Sodetsuke - kimono armhole
Susomawashi - lower lining
Tamoto - sleeve pouch
Tomoeri - over collar
Uraeri - inner collar
Ushiromigoro - back main section
Kimonos can be expensive. A woman's kimono may easily exceed
US $10,000; a complete kimono outfit, with kimono,
undergarments, obi, ties, socks, sandals and accessories,
can exceed US $20,000. A single obi may cost several
thousand dollars. However, most kimonos owned by kimono
hobbyists or by practitioners of traditional arts are far
less expensive. Enterprising people make their own kimonos
and undergarments by following a standard pattern, or by
recycling older kimonos. Cheaper and machine-made fabrics
can substitute for the traditional hand-dyed silk. There is
also a thriving business in Japan for second-hand kimonos,
which can cost as little as ¥500. Women's obis, however,
mostly remain an expensive item. Although simple patterned
or plain colored ones can cost as low as ¥1,500, even a used
obi can cost hundreds of dollars, and experienced
craftsmanship is required to make them. Men's obis, even
those made from silk, tend to be much less expensive,
because they are narrower, shorter and less decorative than
those worn by women.
Kimonos range from extremely formal to casual. The level of
formality of women's kimonos is determined mostly by the
pattern fabric, and color. Young women's kimonos have longer
sleeves, signifying their unmarried status, and tend to be
more elaborate than similarly formal older women's kimonos.
Men's kimonos are usually one basic shape and are mainly
worn in subdued colors. Formality is also determined by the
type and color of accessories, the fabric, and the number or
absence of kamon (family crests), with five crests
signifying extreme formality. Silk is the most desirable,
and most formal, fabric. Kimonos made of fabrics such as
cotton and polyester generally reflect a more casual style.
Women's Kimono
Many modern Japanese women lack the skill to put on a kimono
unaided: the typical woman's kimono consists of twelve or
more separate pieces that are worn, matched and secured in
prescribed ways, and the assistance of licensed professional
kimono dressers may be required. Called upon mostly for
special occasions, kimono dressers both work out of hair
salons and make house calls.
Choosing an appropriate type of kimono requires knowledge of
the garment's symbolism and subtle social messages,
reflecting the woman's age, marital status, and the level of
formality of the occasion.
Kurotomesode
(黒留袖): a black kimono patterned only below the waistline,
kurotomesode are the most formal kimonos for married women.
They are often worn by the mothers of the bride and groom at
weddings. Kurotomesode usually have five kamon printed on
the sleeves, chest and back of the kimono.
Furisode
(振袖): furisode literally translates as swinging sleeves—the
sleeves of furisode average between 39 and 42 inches in
length. Furisode are the most formal kimonos for unmarried
women, with colorful patterns that cover the entire garment.
They are usually worn at coming-of-age ceremonies (seijin
shiki) and by unmarried female relatives of the bride at
weddings and wedding receptions.
Irotomesode
(色留袖): single-color kimonos, patterned only below the
waistline. Irotomesode are slightly less formal than
kurotomesode, and are worn by married women, usually close
relatives of the bride and groom at weddings. An irotomesode
may have three or five kamon.
Hōmongi
(訪問着): literally translates as visiting wear. Characterized
by patterns that flow over the shoulders, seams and sleeves,
hōmongi rank slightly higher than their close relative, the
tsukesage. Hōmongi may be worn by both married and unmarried
women; often friends of the bride will wear hōmongi at
weddings and receptions. They may also be worn to formal
parties.
Tsukesage
(付け下げ): has more modest patterns that cover a smaller
area—-mainly below the waist-—than the more formal hōmongi.
They may also be worn by married women.
Iromuji
(色無地): single-colored kimonos that may be worn by married
and unmarried women. They are mainly worn to tea ceremonies.
The dyed silk may be figured (rinzu, similar to jacquard),
but has no differently colored patterns.
Komon
(小紋): "fine pattern". Kimonos with a small, repeated pattern
throughout the garment. This style is more casual and may be
worn around town, or dressed up with a formal obi for a
restaurant. Both married and unmarried women may wear komon.
Edo Komon
(江戸小紋): is a type of komon characterized by tiny dots
arranged in dense patterns that form larger designs. The Edo
komon dyeing technique originated with the samurai class
during the Edo period. A kimono with this type of pattern is
of the same formality as an iromuji, and when decorated with
kamon, may be worn as visiting wear (equivalent to a
tsukesage or hōmongi).
Uchikake
Uchikake is a highly formal kimono worn only by a bride or
at a stage performance. The Uchikake is often heavy brocaded
and is supposed to be worn outside the actual kimono and
obi, as a kind of coat. You therefore never tie obi around
the uchikake. It is supposed to trail along the floor and
this is also why it is heavily padded along the hem. The
uchikake of the bridal costume is either white or very
colorful with red often as the basis color.
Susohiki / Hikizuri
The susohiki is mostly worn by geisha or by stage performers
of the traditional Japanese dance. It is quite long,
compared to regular kimono, because the skirt is supposed to
trail along the floor. Susohiki literally means "trail the
skirt". Where a normal kimono for women is normally 1,5-1,6
m or 4,7-5,2 ft long, a susohiki can be up to 2 m or 6,3 ft
long. This is also why geisha and maiko lift their kimono
skirt when walking outside, also to show their beautiful
underkimono or "nagajuban".
Men's Kimono
In contrast to women's kimonos, men's kimono outfits are far
simpler, typically consisting of a maximum of five pieces,
not including footwear.
Men's kimonos have sleeves which are attached to the body of
the kimono with no more than a few inches unattached at the
bottom, unlike the women's style of very deep sleeves mostly
unattached from the body of the kimono. Men's sleeves are
less deep than women's kimono sleeves to accommodate the obi
around the waist beneath them, where as on a woman's kimono,
the long, unattached bottom of the sleeve can hang over the
obi without getting in the way.
In the modern era, the principal distinctions between men's
kimonos are in the fabric. The typical kimono has a subdued,
dark color; black, dark blues, greens, and browns are
common. Fabrics are usually matte. Some have a subtle
pattern, and textured fabrics are common in more casual
kimonos. More casual kimonos may be made in slightly
brighter colors, such as lighter purples, greens and blues.
Sumo wrestlers have occasionally been known to wear quite
bright colors such as fuchsia.
The most formal style of kimono is plain black with five
kamon on the chest, shoulders and back. Slightly less formal
is the three-kamon kimono. These are usually paired with
white undergarments and accessories.
Almost any kimono outfit can be made more formal by adding
hakama and haori.
Nagajuban
(長襦袢, or simply juban) are kimono-shaped robes worn by both
men and women beneath the main outer garment. Since silk
kimonos are delicate and difficult to clean, the nagajuban
helps to keep the outer kimono clean by preventing contact
with the wearer's skin. Only the collar edge of the
nagajuban shows from beneath the outer kimono. Many
nagajuban have removable collars, to allow them to be
changed to match the outer garment, and to be easily washed
without washing the entire garment. While the most formal
type of nagajuban are white, they are often as beautifully
ornate and patterned as the outer kimono. Since men's
kimonos are usually fairly subdued in pattern and color, and
the nagajuban allows for discreetly wearing very striking
designs and colors.
Hadajuban
(肌襦袢) are thin garments similar to undershirts. They are
worn by women under the nagajuban.
Susoyoke
(裾除け) is a thin petticoat-like garment worn by women under
the nagajuban. Sometimes the susoyoke and hadajuban are
combined into a one-piece garment.
Geta
(下駄) are wooden sandals worn by men and women with yukata.
One unique style is worn solely by geisha.
Hakama
(袴) is a divided (Umanori) or undivided skirt (Andon) which
resembles a wide pair of pants, traditionally worn by men
but now also by women in less formal outfits, and is also
worn in certain martial arts such as aikido. A hakama
typically has pleats, a koshiita (a stiff or padded part in
the lower back of the wearer), and himo (long lengths of
fabric tied around the waist over the obi. Hakama are worn
in several budo arts such as aikido, kendo, iaidō and
naginata. Hakama are also worn by women at college
graduation ceremonies. They can range from very formal to
visiting wear, depending on the pattern.
Haori
(羽織) is a hip- or thigh-length kimono coat which adds
formality. Haori were originally reserved for men, until
fashions changed at the end of the Meiji period. They are
now worn by both men and women, though women's kimono
jackets tend to be longer.
Haori-himo
(羽織紐) is a tasseled, woven string fastener for the haori.
The most formal color is white.
Hiyoku
(ひよく) is a type of under-kimono, historically worn by women
beneath the kimono. Today they are only worn on formal
occasions such as weddings and other important social
events.
Kanzashi
(簪) are hair ornaments worn by women in the coiffured hair
style that often accompanies kimonos. These may take the
form of silk flowers, wooden combs, and jade hairpins.
Obi
(帯) An obi is a sash worn with kimonos by both men and
women.
Obi-ita
(帯板) is a thin, fabric-covered board placed under the obi by
women to keep its shape. It is also called mae-ita.
Datejime
(伊達締め) is a thin, stiff sash worn under the obi to keep its
shape.
Koshi himo
(腰紐) are thin sashes tied to keep the kimono in place while
getting dressed.
Tabi
(足袋) are ankle-high, divided-toe socks usually worn with
zori. They also come in a boot form.
Waraji
(草鞋) are straw rope sandals which are mostly worn by monks.
Yukata
(浴衣) is an informal unlined summer kimono usually made of
cotton, linen, or hemp. Yukata are most often worn to
outdoor festivals, by men and women of all ages. They are
also worn at onsen (hot spring) resorts, where they are
often provided for the guests in the resort's own pattern.
Zōri
(草履) are cloth, leather or grass-woven sandals. Zori may be
highly decorated with intricate stitching or with no
decoration. They are worn by both men and women. Grass woven
zori with white straps, called hanao, are the most formal
for men. They are similar in design to flip-flops.
Care of Kimono
In the past, a kimono would often be entirely taken apart
for washing, and then re-sewn for wearing. This traditional
washing method is called arai hari. Because stitches must be
taken out for washing, traditional kimono need to be hand
sewn. Arai hari is very expensive and difficult and is one
of the causes of the declining popularity of kimono. Modern
fabrics and cleaning methods have been developed that
eliminate this need, although the traditional washing of
kimonos is still practiced, especially for high-end
garments.
A new custom-made kimono will be delivered to the customer
with long, loose basting stitches placed around the outside
edges[citation needed]. These stitches are called shituke
ito. They are sometimes replaced for storage. They help to
prevent bunching, folding and wrinkling, and keep the
kimono's layers in alignment.
Like many other traditional Japanese garments, there are
specific ways to fold kimonos. These methods help to
preserve the garment and to keep it from creasing when
stored. Kimonos are often stored wrapped in paper.
Kimonos need to be aired out at least seasonally and before
and after each time they are worn. Many people prefer to
have their kimonos dry cleaned, although this can be
extremely expensive, it is generally less expensive than
arai hari and may be impossible for certain fabrics or dyes.
Information source: “Kimono.” wikipedia.org. Article date:
10 Feb. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 12 Feb. 2008 <Kimono>.
Video - The following is of 宮沢りえ, Miyazawa
Rie at a 2006 kimono show. |
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