Kimono for the unwed
The kimono for the wedded. Note the blaring difference?
Single = flashy
Married = boring
Take away from it what you will.
A traditional wedding kimono.
The kimono master with Rina-san
Mikami-sensei tying an obi
Tada! The finished product. This was the longest kimono they had. And sadly no, it was not mine to keep.
Kimono teacher, Rina-san, and me
I was fortunate enough to try on an INSANELY gorgeous kimono during my year in Japan. The photos above are from a kimono class that my Japanese tutor, Mikami-sensei took me to.
Everything about this way of Japanese dress is amazing, from the stunning fabrics to the obi. There's even a specific way to fold your kimono, when putting it back into the box. No detail is overlooked.
My experience below is retold in layman's terms and it was at least a year ago so bear with me if some details are incorrect:
1) You put on this cotton-filled, almost blanket-like first layer to smooth out the natural curves on a woman's body. The padding goes around the waist to give the effect of a long, cylindric shape. Since my hips are ginormous by Japanese standards, they used a lot.
2) The next layers on the body are a white cotton piece, the collar, and finally the colorful outer garment. Putting the outer garment on took forever because precision is everything. There was a lot of tucking and folding to make it appear tailor-made to my exact proportions.
3) Next was the obi. This was by far the most time-consuming. I had trouble breathing because I was vain, and didn't want to look like a giant mass of silk fabrics, so I sucked in more than I should have. They gave me the choice of oxygen or looking thin and delicate. I chose the latter.
This next thing was un-ladylike to bring up, but it is just where my mind often goes, so I asked, "How do you pee in this?" I think they all politely (and rightfully) ignored me, so I came to my own conclusion that, that's why squatters were invented.
Definitely one of the best dressing experiences to date.
