Archive Editor

Even though the kimono is originally of Chinese origin, the Japanese have been wearing them for hundreds of years, and the kimono attained its height of beauty in 17th and 18th century Japan.

Traditionally, the cloth and color combinations indicated the wearer’s social or political standing and the colors of kimonos changed with the time of year. The kimono is no longer purely a traditional garment.

Traditionally, all Japanese girls had to learn to master the arts of making clothes and sewing. But sewing was simpler than in the west. The girdle, haori and kimono, and even the long-hanging sleeves, had only parallel stitches. The garments were, actually, taken apart for cleaning, and each piece, after being mildly starched, was stretched on a board for drying, before being stitched back together again.

There are many different types of kimono pattern: the long-sleeved, beautiful types worn by young girls or geisha, the formal kimono stamped with the wearer’s emblem and worn on formal occasions; kimono for men and kimono for children. A young woman would wear a kimono with long sleeves and an Obi, a wide silk or brocade band about twelve feet long and twelve inches wide. As the girl gets older, her kimono designs become smaller and the colors richer and deeper while the obi is worn lower and made narrower. Also, haori, a short knee length kimono, is often worn too. Nowadays, a kimono is usually only worn on special occasions and is primarily worn by women, but some men do still wear this garment. Both haori and kimono can be hung on a hard wood bar as wall art.

As an indulgence or ideal gift, kimono clothing is extremely versatile, and makes a welcome addition to anyone’s wardrobe.

Possibly the most popular color for a kimono is red, derived from safflower. The yukata has much in common with the kimono, only it is made of light weight cotton and is more casual.