The art of the Kimono

The kimono is a type of traditional Japanese clothing. The word kimono literally even means thing to wear. Today these beautiful garments are usually worn only on special occasions. The kimono is made from very elaborately adorned silk and can cost upwards of ten thousand dollars USD for a full outfit. Kimono for both men and women are fashioned from a single piece of cloth, called a tan, and come in one size for all. Shaped like a “T,” these garments are fitted by folding them in a certain way.

History

The kimono was first seen in Japan in the 8^th century A.D sometime between the Hein period and the Edo period. They were fashioned after the Chinese clothing of the time. The kimono went through many changes over its long life from the use of a kind of half apron to an obi.  Trousers were added to it and the sleeves grew in length.

Types

Both men and women wear a kimono though the men’s kimono is traditionally made from dark and somber colors and has much shorter sleeves. However, for both men and women, there are many different styles for various occasions. Unmarried women wear a furisode on formal occasions. The furisode has floor length sleeves, while Geisha generally wear a susohiki.

Wear

To dress in a kimono is an art in itself. Mothers traditionally taught their daughters how to dress in one, though today most hire a kimono dresser for special occasions.  For those who wish to learn this unique art, there are schools that teach it. Each layer of a kimono must be put on in a strict order and, when the accessories are included, this process can take hours to complete. The kimono itself for instance is always put on with the right side over the left as the other way of left to right is reserved for the dead. The hair adornments and obi are always last and the socks first as bending in a kimono is not easy or recommended.

To wear a kimono today is a rare art. There are still special occasions where one is required though most Japanese wear Western-style clothing. Sumo wrestlers are required to wear traditional dress at all times and Geisha and other traditional dancers also tend to wear them daily. However at most formal tea parties, weddings and a young girl’s coming of age ceremony are the only times they are seen.