What is the name of the Japanese bride's belt? Japanese kimono: history, features and traditions. Princess style dress in bright colors

Translated from Japanese, the word "kimono" means "clothing". Moreover, initially all types of vestments were called this way. But over time, the term was assigned exclusively to “robes,” which are still worn by many Asians of all ages.

Traditional in shape japanese kimono very long (reaches the ankles) and looks like the letter T. But absolutely all the seams are straight. There is also a collar. The width of the sleeves is always of different lengths and can tell a lot about the owner of the kimono. For example, girls wear kimonos with long and wide sleeves. Moreover, the length can reach the floor, and the width can be up to half a meter.

How to tie and wear?

Japanese kimonos are wrapped so that the left end is on top of the right. In other words - to the right side. Both women and men dress this way. And on the left side it is wrapped exclusively on the deceased.

The soft and wide belt of the Japanese kimono is called obi. It is wrapped several times around the body and tied at the back with a complex bow. If the knot is in the front, it means that the girl wearing the kimono is a representative of the most ancient profession - joro. It should be noted that not all shoes are suitable for Japanese clothes (you should completely forget about modern ones), but only traditional ones. It is called zori or geta. And usually kimonos are worn in the “plural” form. That is, under the top one, which is the most richly decorated, several lower ones are put on, which look worse. They were called "nagajuban". Now you know how to tie a Japanese kimono and wear it. Let's move on.

History of origin

The Japanese kimono was modeled from the Chinese national costume Hanfu in the 5th century. n. e. Just at that time, cultural ties were actively developing between these Asian countries. Well, the kimono acquired its final form during the Heian era, which lasted from 794 to 1192. Since then appearance Traditional Japanese clothing remained unchanged.

All women's kimonos are made in the same size. Well, only then the owners themselves adjust the clothes to their figure, tucking them in the way that is comfortable for them. A Japanese suit is made from one piece of fabric, which in the old days was made by hand. It was also embroidered by hand, so it cost big money and was worn very carefully. Now in Japan, special fabric of a certain width and length is produced for sewing a traditional suit. It just needs to be cut into rectangles and stitched.

Washing

In ancient times, in order to wash a Japanese kimono, they ripped it open and then sewed it back together. Modern methods of cleaning fabrics have eliminated this need. Although in some places traditional Japanese costume continues to be washed the old fashioned way. To avoid unnecessary bruising, the appearance of wrinkles and tangling of the layers of Japanese clothing, it is washed away with loose and large stitches.

Feminine and masculine

Over the centuries, many of the most different options colors, fabrics and shapes of traditional Japanese costume. There are also different styles of kimono - from frankly frivolous to the most official. Degree of formality traditional women's clothing primarily determined by the model, fabric and color. The sleeves on a kimono for a girl are much longer, for an older Japanese woman. In addition, youth traditional clothing is much more complex in terms of embroidery.

The Japanese kimono (for men) has only one shape and is sewn exclusively from fabrics of muted colors. And the formality of clothing is determined by the color and type of accessories, type of fabric, and the number (or absence) of family coats of arms. The most desirable fabric for a Japanese suit is silk. He is the most official. Cotton confidently takes second place. And on the third is polyester, kimonos from which are quite rare.

Both men's and women's traditional costumes are now available for purchase. required size. Since Japanese kimonos are sewn from one roll of fabric, it is very difficult to find clothes large size. Well, sewing a large suit can be quite expensive. It is reliably known that all sumo wrestlers have clothes made to order.

Price

The cost of a traditional Japanese costume can easily exceed 10 thousand dollars. Well, the price of a complete set (strings, tabi, sandals, obi and underwear) sometimes reaches up to 20 thousand dollars. Even one belt, made in a single copy, can cost as much as a whole kimono.

However, many Japanese costumes owned by historical reenactors or collectors are cheaper. Activists make their own clothes: altering old ones or using standard ones as an example. Well, dyed silk is replaced with machine-woven fabrics. In the domestic market, such a worn kimono costs about 500 yen, and a women's obi made from a template costs 1,500 yen. Men's belts are short and narrow, so their price is much lower.

Operation

Kimonos have never been wasted in Japan. Old clothes used to make various things:

• Children's kimono.
• Haori.
• Large pieces of fabric are used to make handbags and other accessories.
• The fabric is also used to repair a similar kimono.

If a traditional Japanese suit was damaged below the waist, it could be worn with hakama - wide pants similar to a skirt. There were also craftsmen who managed to unravel a damaged kimono from threads and weave them into new fabric, equal in width to a man’s obi. This method of updating clothing was called saki-ori.

Modern period

Nowadays, kimonos are usually worn only on formal occasions and usually only by girls. Older women (and some men) wear traditional Japanese clothing on a daily basis. Professional sumo wrestlers also wear kimonos every day. In public outside the ring they are required to wear it. Kimonos are also worn for tea ceremonies, weddings, various sports competitions (kendo, etc.), New Year, farewell to the dead, national holidays, graduation from a university or school, etc. By the way, for a foreign tourist with a camera it is considered great luck to meet a Japanese woman (Japanese man) in a kimono on the street.

In the Country rising sun there are a lot of “kimonomaniacs” who love to wear traditional clothes and attend courses where they are taught how to do it correctly. The classes cover in detail the history of its origin, choosing appropriate clothing for the upcoming event and season, methods of tying obi, fabrics and much more.

Sources: http://youkata.livejournal.com/611.html
http://www.liveinternet.ru/community/2332998/post140658009/
http://costumer.narod.ru/text/japan-tradition-dress.htm
http://www.yoshinoantiques.com/newsletter_kimono.html
And very detailed and interesting here: http://maria-querrida.livejournal.com
+ various sources of images

This fully applies to the kimono, which gained great popularity in the world in the 20th century. The type of cut, silhouette, individual details and motifs were actively used in international fashion, but the kimono itself in its traditional form remains to this day one of the most difficult to understand areas of Japanese kimono culture for foreigners. Much has been said and written about the fact that a kimono actually visually corrects the proportions of the body, but it’s not just about creating the illusion of slimness. The kimono not only regulates the pattern and rhythm of movements, but is also a kind of focus of national psychology. A Japanese woman in a kimono embodies the standard of discreet grace, soft femininity and modest charm.
Any national costume in one way or another reflects the characteristics of the material and cultural life of the people, including the national character.

The decor of a kimono is always associated with the seasons and reflects the poetry and symbolism of natural phenomena.

Kimono still remains in the life of modern Japanese, although in a very limited way. Most often, the national costume is worn in connection with festive and special events. Elegant, bright kimonos with fur trim at the collar can be seen on modern girls on New Year's Day. The same beautiful kimono, but without fur, is worn by many to the official ceremony on Coming of Age Day, which is celebrated in January by 20-year-old Japanese.

The process of putting on a real kimono is a kind of creative act that reveals not a person’s figure, but the features of his character. The kimono wraps tightly around the body, instilling patience and submissiveness. Long hemlines, wide sleeves and a tightly tightened belt change a person’s movements, making them leisurely and soft, like a cat’s.

Wearing a kimono is a special science. The back is straight, the chin is slightly tucked in, and the shoulders are relaxed. Movements should not be sweeping or abrupt. Under no circumstances, even by accident, should you show legs or other parts of the body hidden under clothing. This is indecent. The wisdom of this rule lies in the fact that it equalizes young and old women, hiding the faded beauty of the latter and the attractiveness of the former. The Japanese believe that a woman acquires a different beauty over the years, and the kimono becomes a wonderful shell for this chest of spirituality. According to tradition, the art of dressing a kimono is passed down from mother to daughter, but in modern Japan, specialized kimono schools are engaged in preserving this ancient tradition, which provide various courses for mastering the difficult science of dressing a kimono.

Yukata
Summer light cotton kimono with a printed pattern. Yukata is worn by both women and men. This is the simplest of all kimonos.

Furisode - girl's festive kimono. Previously, furisode could only be worn by a virgin or a girl under 20 years old, after which it was necessary to change the type of kimono. In modern society, furisode is the clothing of unmarried girls, regardless of age.

Ushikake - wedding cape Today's ushikake (uchikake, uchikake) is a luxurious long cape worn over a kimono, trimmed along the bottom with a roll of scarlet (less often gold) fabric to glide more gracefully across the floor. Currently, the term ushikake is only used for the bride's outer kimono. Before the Edo era, ushikake was worn as casual and formal wear (depending on the decoration and material) by nobles and women from samurai families. At the end of the 19th century, ushikake also began to be called the outer kimono worn at the wedding ceremony. Ushikake is made of brocade or silk, lined with cotton wool, has long sleeves (more than 1 meter), is not tied with a belt, is not tucked, using the entire length of the dress. In ancient times, a kimono could be tied with a belt, picked up, and several ushikake could be worn at once. There were also male varieties of ushikake, not inferior to female ones in the splendor and brightness of their decor. Such costumes were worn by courtiers or at receptions in the imperial palace until 1870.

Tomesode - married woman's kimono
A formal kimono with short sleeves, usually black, with wide stripe pattern along the hem and five family coats of arms. It is worn at family formal celebrations.
The colored tomesode is called "iro-tomesode", it is less strict and solemn.

Tabi: high socks (to the ankles) with a special compartment for thumb, usually worn with a zori.

Zori: cloth, leather or straw sandals. Zori can be richly decorated or very simple. Such shoes are worn by both men and women. Straw zori with white straps are the most formal shoes for men.

Geta: wooden sandals worn by men and women with yukata. Geisha also wore geta, but they had a different shape.

Obi: belt for kimono and yukata. It is about 30 centimeters wide and occupies the space from the chest to the waist. it is wrapped several times and tied with a decorative knot at the back. It has a decorative function; under it there is also a belt that holds the kimono.

And a little about the rules of wearing a Kimono. A lot, complicated in Asian, but very interesting:
From the blog http://maria-querrida.livejournal.com/39337.html
+ slightly supplemented with pictures

Everything about the hierarchy of the kimono and the rules for wearing it is very complicated, but if you understand them, everything turns out to be quite logical. The most important aspects on which the art of wearing a kimono is built are as follows:

Gender of the wearer
- age
- living person / dead person
- event (wedding, funeral, anniversary, etc.)
- time of year
- class affiliation \ personal taste

These are the main milestones to build on. For example, how living people dress and how they dress dead people are two big differences, and for example, if we see a person in a pure white kimono and obi, then it can only be an actor in the role of a ghost. Living people never dress like that. Or if a lady over 40 dresses in a bright furisode, this will only cause bewilderment.
The main means of expressing the language of kimono are fabric, color, pattern and shape. For example, than younger man, the brighter the colors and the higher the pattern extends from the hem to the waist. Sleeves indicate gender and age, the color and pattern of the hem indicate the degree of formality, and wearing a collar demonstrates a person's taste. All this together and a bunch of other nuances create a complete picture.

Gender and age differences

Here the main role is played by the sleeves, their length and shape. For men they are short and with an acute angle, for married women they are slightly longer and with a rounded angle, for girls they are very long and with a round angle, for children they are short and with a slightly rounded angle. The degree of sharpness of the angle, as it were, determines the social status. For men it is the highest, for girls it is the lowest. In this sense, children are, as it were, higher in the hierarchy than girls, because they are forgiven a lot of what is unacceptable for adult girl or a teenager. The second is obi. Men's obi are narrow, women's are wide, and men's and women's obi are tied differently. Also, women's kimonos are sewn longer than the person's height and the excess is tucked into the waistband, while men's kimonos are always sewn according to the person's height without excess. As for shoes, everything is the same as with sleeves: men have geta with square corners, women have round ones.

For men

for women

for girls

for children

Dead people, or how a living person should not dress

The only people who can be seen wearing a pure white kimono are brides and the dead. The difference is that brides wear gold or silver obi or colored capes over a white kimono. This similarity has its own deep meaning, because... both of them seem to end one life and move on to another. Also, if people usually wear a kimono with a wrap from left to right, then on a deceased person they only wear a kimono with a wrap from right to left.

Formality

The most complex and confusing aspect of the modern kimono. In Japanese society, there are many different degrees of formality for a particular event, and each has its own clothing. In general, the kimono itself is formal clothing, not very casual. But even among kimonos there are many subclasses and differences in the degree of solemnity. To put it bluntly, a kimono can be haregi (formal) or fudangi (relatively informal). Fudangi is divided into street wear and informal wear. Informal kimonos are usually worn at home and are made of wool, cotton, and satin. Street kimonos can be made of crepe, wild silk or thick cotton; the only colors allowed are printed kimonos.

Kharegi is divided into two large groups: ceremonial kimonos and formal ones. The degree of formality within each subclass is determined by the color, the presence/number of crosses and the type of their application, the type of ornament and its placement. Among formal kimonos, the main distinction is the presence/absence of crosses.

Crosses are such badges that are placed on the back below the neck (one cross), on the back upper part of the sleeve (already three crosses) and on the front part of the sleeve in the area of ​​​​the collarbones (five crosses). In general, crosses are family coats of arms by origin. They can depict a stylized gender sign, or they can simply be a cross in a circle. In modern Japan, it doesn’t matter what the cross represents, the main thing is that there is one)) In the Heian era, personal belongings were marked with crosses; in Kamakura, samurai sculpted them onto banners and weapons to distinguish their own from their enemies. Initially, crosses were worn only by noble nobles or Kabuki actors, for whom crosses served as the calling card of their profession. Today, crosses are an important indicator of the formality of a kimono. There are over 8,000 cross designs.

Formal kimonos come in three grades: without crosses (tsukesage or oshare homongi colors), then with one embroidered (!) cross (yuzen tsukesage or iro muji colors), and the most formal among the formal (hehe) is with one drawn (! ) cross (colors of yuzen tsukesage or iro muji). That is, if there is only one cross on the kimono, then it is formal, if more, it is already ceremonial.

Ceremonial kimonos are divided into full (seiso) and incomplete (reiso). Incomplete ones are either homongi with three crosses, or iro tomesode with three and five crosses, respectively. Full (seiso) are divided into seiso for unmarried girls and for married ladies. For girls it is only furisode, and the formality is determined by the length of the sleeve. The longer, the more formal, and there are only three degrees: almost to the floor, a little higher and even higher. There are no crosses on furisod. The seiso of a married lady is only a black tomesode with three or five crosses.

Now let's figure out what makes a kimono formal.
Firstly, the material. A formal kimono can only be made of shiny silk. Matte silk and any other fabric are informal.
Secondly, the colors. Basic rule: the smaller and more often the pattern is located, the less formality
As for the choice of design motifs, for formal clothing they use traditional Japanese motifs of nature, objects, scenes from classical literature, and on more informal kimonos you can see a variety of patterns

In addition to everything previously described in the definition of formality, the kimono is very important color. In ancient times, the color of an outfit was especially important. For example, red and purple robes signified belonging to the imperial family and were prohibited for others. Now there is a big difference between black and colored kimonos. Reiso (partial ceremonial) can be colored, but seiso (full ceremonial) can only be black. The most formal women's kimono is a black tomesode with a pattern only on the hem and with five crosses (mons). A slightly inferior option in terms of formality - everything is the same, but in color (iro tomesode). For example, at a wedding, the bride's immediate family should wear black, while her married friends may wear iro tomesode. For girls, the degree of formality is indicated by the length of the sleeves; color does not play such a role here.

They stand apart mourning kimonos- mofuku. There is also a whole hierarchy here, depending on the closeness of the person’s relationship with the deceased and the proximity of the funeral date. Funeral kimonos are also divided into ceremonial and formal. Ceremonial mourning is worn by relatives of the deceased, formal mourning is worn by friends and colleagues. In terms of the degree of mourning among the ceremonial ones, the most formal is a black kimono with 5 crosses + a black obi. This is the deepest mourning possible. For example, a wife wears it to her husband’s funeral. Ceremonial semi-mourning is worn by the relatives of the deceased. It could be anyone dark color without a pattern with 5 or 3 crosses + black or colored obi. In general, the more black there is in the outfit, the closer the relationship this person had with the deceased. Drawings of contrasting colors (even white and gray) are not allowed in the mofuku ensemble. Thus, by varying the degree of mourning, a person expresses his closeness to the deceased.

Mourning also changes over time. For example, a wife wears all black on the day of her husband’s funeral, i.e. complete mourning. But at the wake on the 49th day after death, she can already wear, for example, a burgundy kimono + black obi, that is, semi-mourning. The secretary of the late husband would dress like this just for the funeral itself, since she was in a more formal relationship with the deceased. The degree of mourning of a monochrome colored kimono varies with accessories - shoes, belt, obi. The more black they contain, the more mournful they are. A black obi belt on a colored kimono is the last remnant of mourning, when it is replaced with a colored one, this means that the mourning is over.

About obi .
The basic rule is that expensive brocade or painted obi only go with formal kimonos, while using an obi can either increase or decrease the formality of the same kimono. The most formal obi is the maru obi, which is 4 m long and 70 cm wide. Due to the pain of tying it and its inconvenience, this type of obi is rarely used. The most common type is fukuro obi (the next most formal) with a width of about 30 cm. It is easier to wrap. But the most comfortable one is the nagoya obi (the next most formal after the fukuro), which is already sewn along the long side to a “wearing” width, so it is very easy to put on. Depending on the material and design, this obi can be worn with a formal kimono or even with the lower ranks of a ceremonial one. The obi also comes with accessories - a scarf and a cord. The scarf is tucked under the obi, so that the edge sticks out. And the cord is tied directly to the obi.
maru obi fukuro obi

nagoya obi

Shoes.

In general, everything is simple here. There are two types of shoes: geta and zori. Geta are wooden with two stumps, zori are round with a flat sole and often covered with fabric. Zori is formal, geta is informal. Zori are worn only with white tabi socks, geta most often without socks, although some expensive geta can, in principle, be worn with socks to an informal kimono. Geta are only worn on the street, and in some hotels, restaurants and high-end stores it is even prohibited to wear geta because they make a loud clicking sound. In the dawn you can appear anywhere. The degree of formality of the zori is determined by the material from which they are made, as well as the height of the platform. The higher the platform and the more expensive the material, the more formal it is.

One more element women's wardrobe, which at one time was borrowed from men, is the haori jacket. It can be worn over a kimono. Haori sets a serious tone for the kimono, very formalizes it, just like the jacket of a European suit. A black haori with a plain kimono can serve easy option mourning

Age differences.

So, first, let's look at what age categories there are. The main age stages are as follows: infants and children up to 10-11 years old, teenager from 11 to 17, girl\bride - 17 (after finishing school) - 23 (before marriage), young woman (from marriage to the birth of the first child), adult woman (somewhere until the age of menopause), and then all elderly people, regardless of gender, fall into the category of nenpai no kata, that is, simply elderly.

Babies and young children are dressed almost the same regardless of gender. A girl becomes a teenager by undergoing the Juzan Mairi ritual of “entering the temple” on April 13 of the year she turns 13. On this day, she wears furisode for the first time with an adult obi and if her mother chose not very children's drawing, then she will be able to wear the same kimono until she is 20 years old. At the age of 20, a girl undergoes the seijin shiki coming of age ritual, after which she officially becomes an adult. The ideal girl is innocent, submissive, obedient, reserved and cheerful. These qualities are traditionally expressed by furisode

In terms of formality, furisode is equal to the female black tomesode, so it also has common features with it. For example, furisode also has a basic base color for the background (hot pink, acid green, bright blue, red) + an asymmetrical pattern over the shoulder at the hem (homongi). The subjects also correspond to youth - butterflies, flowers, spirals, birds. For girls, the pattern jumps along the top and bottom of the kimono, and the older the lady, the closer to the hem the pattern goes. Another marker of age is the collar, or rather the way it is worn. The girl should wear it close to her neck, so that it extends from the base of the neck no more than the width of a fist, because the back of the head is an erotic part of the body among the Japanese, and decent girl shouldn't show it off. The front of the collar should be folded wide and high towards the neck, forming a wide "V".
As for the obi, there are also possible different colors and patterns. The main difference is that while women almost always wear an obi with a standard taiko knot, girls can tie it in any way they want - with a butterfly, wings, a turtle, or even a propeller, as long as it looks like a wrapped gift. Youth is, after all, the time of matchmaking and weddings, so you need to have a “marketable” appearance, so that when looking at the girl, the potential groom will have a desire to unwrap the “packaging” and see what’s inside.)) The higher the obi is tied, the younger the owner, although the height of the obi - not really an indicator of age, but rather of sexual experience. Let's just say that the lower the obi, the more experienced the woman is. An unmarried girl’s scarf peeks out from under her obi, and the cord is also tied high.

After marriage, a girl enters the category of women (regardless of calendar age). Bright furisodes are becoming a thing of the past forever; a woman will never wear it again. Now she can only wear iro tomesode or black tomesode. The colors of the tomesode are more restrained, the sleeves are less rounded and shorter. Calm, discreet, elegant, respected, full of dignity - these are the characteristics of the ideal woman, expressed in her outfit. In young women, the pattern can be bright and rise high to the waist from the hem, and with age, the older the lady, the closer the pattern is to the bottom. In general, everything goes lower - the collar, the front neckline, the obi, the cord and even the scarf. All this expresses her sexual maturation. For young women, the cord is tied somewhere in the middle, the neckline is lowered slightly, forming a narrow “V”, the scarf is almost invisible from under the obi. For older ladies, the neckline is even narrower, the obi is lower, and a cord is tied at the bottom of the obi.
According to the rules, a woman can dress a little “older” than she is, but she cannot dress “younger.” However, many try to “knock off” their heels with the help of clothes, although this is very difficult. After all, if the discrepancy is noticeable to others, it will look funny and indecent. Such things))

Often those of modern women who does not get married until age 30, makes a career, etc. choose the opposite tactic - they dress a little older than they are, and thus get a decent and comfortable outfit for themselves.

Geisha clothing stands out. In general, geisha are like the last stronghold, the keepers of kimono traditions and the only ones who wear kimonos both at work and just at home. Since geisha are special creatures, their clothes are a strange mixture of different characteristics. Basically, the outfit of a maiko (geisha in training) is similar to a young girl's furisode. He also has long sleeves that reach the floor, bright colors with a pattern all over the field, which emphasizes youth. The neckline of the collar is wrapped high at the neck, the scarf peeks out strongly from under the obi, the cord is tied just above the middle. But at the back of the collar it is pubescent almost to the beginning of the shoulder blades (which is terribly sexy in their opinion). Also maiko is only worn full version obi - maru obi with a very large knot.

Seasonality.

This is a very interesting aspect of wearing a kimono. Everything here is also very complicated, but in short, wearing a kimono according to the seasons not only reflects the needs of the weather, but also has an aesthetic meaning. Each season has its own fabric and its own designs. All kimonos are divided into simple (hitoe) and lined (awaze). Hitoye is worn from June to September, the rest of the time - avaze. Previously, there was even a special ceremony of koromogae - a change of wardrobe, when clothes from one season were put away and others were taken out.
Next comes the material and color, and lastly, the design. Each season (a couple of months) has its own pattern, and general rule this: the type, fabric and color of the kimono should correspond to the month of wear, but the pattern should be from the next month, should always, as it were, anticipate the coming season. If this is not the case, then this is an indicator of emotional poverty and poor taste of the carrier. All this together allows you to adapt to specific weather. For example, if October (autumn month) turned out to be hot, then you can continue to wear a hit, but then you should choose darker colors and a clearly autumn pattern (leaves, geese, orchids). Or if May (spring) is hot, then you can start wearing smart clothes ahead of schedule, but it should be made of thick crepe, because... It's not time to wear silk yet.

Seasonal designs:
January\February - pine, plum, bamboo

March\April - cherry, butterflies, Viseriya

May\June - iris, willow, birds

July\August - shells, waves

September\October - grass, maple, chrysanthemum

November\December - bamboo in the snow, pine needles, ginkgo.

The combination of obi and kimono is also determined by seasonality, and it is impossible for both to have the same motif. The motives should be different in appearance, but combined on a more subtle level. For example, a kimono with cranes + an obi with a tortoiseshell pattern (the turtle and the crane are symbols of longevity), or a kimono with flowers + an obi with waves, or a kimono with a river wave + an obi with stylized water irises.

Of course, today only geishas or kimono fans can have a whole wardrobe to dress in such a variety. The bulk is limited to a pair of kimono and obi for special occasions. Maybe that’s why solid-colored kimonos are more popular now, as they can be more easily varied by formality and seasonality with the help of an obi and get an outfit that suits the occasion every time.

The history of the Japanese kimono goes back a good one and a half thousand years. During this time, it changed more than once, although the essence remained the same. Thanks to this, we can say that the traditional Japanese kimono is a layer of culture, an integral important part image of Japan.

But first you need to understand what is meant by the word “kimono”.

Initially, this was what clothing in general was called. And after a long time, closer to the 19th century, when Western culture began to win the hearts of the Japanese, the concept shifted towards traditional clothing (the word “wafuku” - “Japanese clothing” is also often used, although it became synonymous with “kimono” relatively recently). The change in meaning was necessary so as not to confuse “foreign” and “native”.

And that’s why today a kimono is a colorful type of national clothing, a specific loose robe, often in the colors of birds of paradise. When putting on a kimono, you need to remember that it matches your gender, age, status, situation (settings, event), and time of year. This is very important.

Of course, a kimono is not a “working suit” for geishas, ​​especially since geishas appeared only in the 18th century  Although it turned out that cinema and popular culture intensively popularize geishas and forget about everyone else who wore other equally beautiful clothes.

However, there was a period in Japanese history when only geishas and prostitutes were bright and beautiful on the streets. Apparently, this is where the identification of bright, beautiful kimonos and geishas began.

Why are such rich colors, embroidery, and symbolic patterns chosen? The Japanese are quite superstitious, they have a strong belief in ghosts, demons, spirits, symbols and amulets... And this belief could not but be reflected in national costume. Therefore, nothing in a kimono is accidental: neither color, nor cut, nor decoration.

Types of kimono

The concept of “kimono” is too broad to not be subdivided into anything. Therefore, the types of this clothing are divided not only into men's and women's (differing in length and color), but also according to events and status.

In addition, in Japan, the kimono is wrapped on the right side; for Europeans this is “manly.”
Among the female ones, the following types are distinguished:

Yukata is a casual cotton robe for the warm season and for wearing at home. The coloring is quite simple, but not impersonal. Light floral motifs, an abundance of pastel colors, and “romantic” colors are allowed. Everyone wears it, regardless of age and position.

Iromuji is an everyday plain kimono without any special decorations for ceremonies, arts or “non-dirty” crafts.

Komon is an everyday ornate kimono for any woman. Painted with “related” patterns. Great for visiting.

Tsukesagi is a “light” version of a kimono for going out. Plain color, no decorations. Suitable for all women.

Homongi - kimono for going out, for social events, parties with dignitaries. Richly decorated, suitable for all women.

Furisode is a kimono with an abundance of patterns, rich colors and decorations. Has different lengths sleeves (short, medium and long). Mostly, unmarried girls wear it for important events: graduation, coming of age ceremony, at a wedding as a bridesmaid, etc.

Irotomesode - kimono mainly for visiting Shinto shrines and ceremonies in them. Richly decorated below the waist, plain at the top, and has short sleeves. Worn by all women, no matter what their status or position.

Kurotomesode - a black kimono, lavishly decorated with expensive and labor-intensive patterns below the waist, with short sleeves. Mostly these clothes are worn by married women to important events.

Men's kimonos are divided into:

Samu - everyday kimono for physical labor, made of black (gray) material.

Jinbei is an analogue of yukata, a kimono for wearing at home or in the warm season. Consists of a cotton jacket and simple shorts.

Tanzen is a kimono with coat functions. Sewn from thick cotton fabric, tied at the chest. Tanzen is usually bright and colorful.

Hupp is a universal cotton jacket with narrow sleeves.
Understanding these points will save you from when you don't match the place and time in your outfit. This is very important for the Japanese.

obi belt

If the kimono has so many types, then the obi belt cannot be just a strip of fabric.

Maru obi is a festive belt for wedding events (worn by the bride). Made from a strip of fabric approximately 65 cm (folded in half and stitched), both sides are richly decorated with embroidery. Length – 3.6-4.5 meters.

Darari obi is a maiko belt with the seal of an okiya (house where geisha and maiko live). Richly decorated and embroidered. Length – up to 6 meters.

Fukuro obi is the most common and used type of formal belt. It can consist of either fabric folded in half or two sewn parts (where the lower one can be made of thin, cheaper material). Used in clothing for ceremonies, it has largely replaced the maru obi. As a result, the fukuro obi measures 30 cm by 3.6-4.5 meters.

It is divided into three types according to cost and pattern covering:

1. Brocade belt with a rich pattern over the entire surface;

2. Brocade belt, covered with a pattern on 2/3;

3. Brocade belt with a pattern only in places that will be visible.

Kobukuro obi is a non-rigid belt with no lining, 15-20 cm by 3 meters.

Kyo-bukuro obi - like fukuro obi, only used to decorate an everyday kimono. 30 by 350 cm.

Fukuro Nagoya obi, or Hassun Nagoya - a folding belt, but stitched where the knot is tied. Length – 3.5 meters.

The Nagoya obi is the most common belt today. It differs from the others in that one end is stitched and the other is straightened (this is necessary to simplify tying). Usually has a pattern only on the demonstrated part of the assembly. 30 cm by 3.15-3.45 meters.

The naked obi becomes festive or everyday thanks to the material from which it is made. However, it is not suitable for very formal and important events, since historically it was for daily wear.

Hanhaba obi is an unlined belt that should not be worn on holidays and ceremonies. Most often worn with a yukata and allows you to play with tying knots. 15 cm wide, 3-4 meters long.

Chuya obi (Hara-awase) is an informal belt, distinguished by the fact that it has 2 different designs, a kind of “2 in 1”. Usually one side is colored, variegated, light shades, and the second - dark tones, with a modest pattern. Often worn by geishas and popular with collectors. 30 cm by 3.5-4 meters.

Heko obi is also an informal belt that was previously worn by men and children. And now women too, but only with equally informal kimonos or yukatas. Heko obi for an adult: 20-30 cm wide and 3 meters long.

Hitoe obi is a very rigid belt in one layer that does not require lining. Worn with an everyday kimono or yukata. 15-20 cm wide, 4 meters long.

Odori obi is a purely stage belt, or any belt used in a dance performance. As a rule, it is quite long and wide, with a simple large pattern. 10-30 cm by 3.5-4.5 meters.

Tenga obi is a belt suitable for holidays and made from more expensive fabric. Symbols of prosperity or the motive of the event are chosen as a pattern. 20 cm wide, 3.5-4 meters long.

Tsuke obi is a set of the belt itself and an already tied knot. Very popular in modern Japan. The belt is secured with ribbons. The Tsuke obi cannot be worn to formal events, but for an informal setting it is perfect. Usually worn with a yukata.

There are several more purely domestic types of obi, which we did not consider due to their “prosaic” nature.

Features of a modern kimono

The cut of the kimono implies versatility of size and practicality. Therefore, the basis of the pattern is a rectangle; scraps of fabric are easy to use again. Although there may not be so many of the latter, because the length of the sleeve can be quite long - it depends on several parameters (age, event, etc.).

This is a standard modern outfit. As you can see, there are no complex shapes, bends, grooves or anything else. Everything is extremely simple. But this is the point: to create beauty not by the temptation of body shapes, but by the beauty of the costume. Moreover, the Japanese are sure that a beautiful woman is one whose clothes do not stick out and do not fit her natural curves. And kimonos from a multi-layered outfit of different solid colors turned into 2-4 layers, where only the top one is decorated, which greatly simplified life for women.

Of course, now there are many variations of the cut in non-traditional colors (including exclusively for ignorant Europeans), pseudo-geishas and other things that spoil the impression of the beauty and deep symbolism of wafuku. Here is one of the fashion shows where kimonos were made from synthetic fabric with padding polyester:

But here are cheap kimonos for the mass consumer. They are distinguished by their particularly bright colors, sometimes eye-catching colors are used:

But don’t pay attention to them, they have nothing to do with real wafuku, and dedicated people easily distinguish one from the other. And the Japanese themselves treat such “variations” calmly and even coolly.

Cutting and sewing a kimono

Let's proceed to the actual creation of the kimono. Here is the yukata pattern in a spread, in cm:

Choose a fabric that is wrinkle-resistant or does not wrinkle easily, because a wrinkled kimono is an unattractive kimono, regardless of the richness of colors and patterns.

Procedure

1. Measure the required amount of fabric based on the length from the shoulder to the desired mark, multiplied by 2.

2. In the presented pattern, the kimono is sewn with a shelf (so that the pattern can be easily combined). If it is not needed, bend the extension to the front one and sew 0.5 cm from it.

3. So, sweep up the resulting product (both the back and the sides), try it on. Leave the armholes at 25 cm. If everything is fine, you can sew it.

4. Fold the fabric measured for the sleeve in half, you can round the corner. Sew, but be sure to leave room for your hand. Next, you should connect the sleeve and kimono and sew.

5. Tuck up the free edge of the sleeve and the “pocket” in it. Process the bottom of the kimono. Tuck and stitch the vertical lines of the floors.

6. Fold and baste one edge of the collar onto the “face” of the yukata, starting with the finished edge. Fold and hem the second edge. Then fold the collar lengthwise, hide the seam allowance in it, and baste it. If all is well, sew it up.

Kimono care, washing, storage

If possible, of course, it is better to store the kimono on special racks in a straightened form. If it is especially beautiful, you can put a large painting in the room as decoration.

If not, just fold it carefully without bending it too often. It is advisable that each outfit be in a separate box and lined with paper, and the closet must be treated with an anti-moth agent.

It is better to wash in specialized dry cleaners. But if you are not in Japan, you will have to make do with careful hand wash(if the kimono is made of cheap fabric and without expensive decorations and patterns, it can be machine washed on a gentle cycle).

In conclusion

In Japan, many things are divided into “male” and “female”, even women’s are different from men’s. But this is even good; without this, the culture of Japan would not be so rich and self-sufficient. And we still have a lot to learn.

If you want to go to Japan and stroll through its streets in a real kimono, first take our master class “ “.

But what do you already know about Japan and its people? What specific features of language, clothing, life, ceremonies have you learned? It will be interesting to read in the comments.

Many couples want to make their wedding special, unusual and extraordinary, so they arrange themed holiday. Choosing a Japanese style of celebration guarantees that it will be original and bright. But for this, the bride and groom need to think through everything thoroughly in advance, prepare a lot of accessories, and choose the bride’s outfit according to the theme of the holiday. What types of Japanese wedding dresses are there? What to look for when choosing clothes for a bride in the style of the land of the rising sun?

Traditional Japanese bridesmaid dress

For a Japanese-style wedding, a kimono is perfect as a bride's outfit - it is made from a solid piece of fabric. On traditional wedding In Japan, the newlywed must change outfits several times during the holiday:

• on ceremonial part for weddings she wears a white kimono;
• at the banquet the bride dresses in colored clothes, and black Japanese clothes are also appropriate for the newlywed;
• For the final part of the holiday, the girl dresses in a European outfit with a veil.

White kimono decorated with pearls and flowers

A bride in a kimono will look beautiful and impressive at a Japanese wedding white with embroidered buds and pearls. It is called shiro-maku (flawless, white). Each pattern on the fabric of this oriental outfit has a specific meaning:

• the image of ume plum flowers or bamboo leaves denotes love of life and perseverance,
• figures of cranes - fidelity, happiness,
• turtles, pine trees - longevity.

A woman's kimono is put on by wrapping it to the right and girding it with a special expensive obi belt.

Red and white dress embroidered with silver and gold

A colored wedding kimono is called an uchikake. It is worn after the official part of the wedding. Fabrics can be used to sew kimonos different colors, but a popular shade for wedding wear is red. A scarlet outfit symbolizes life and youth. Silver and gold embroidery make the kimono festive and give it a luxurious look, while emphasizing the beauty of the newlywed’s skin.

Styles of modern wedding dresses in Japanese style

European outfits stylized in Japan are very different from the traditional kimono. They play with one or more details from an oriental dress. For example, the Japanese theme can be seen in dresses with wide sleeves, straight cuts and stand-up collars. It’s easy to turn wedding clothes with an open top and pleated skirt, a “Mermaid” silhouette, and a high waist into an oriental outfit. To do this, add a Japanese-style accessory to the dress, or choose fabric with a traditional kimono pattern for sewing it.

The material of the bride's clothing should be light, so silk will the best option to create oriental wedding clothes. To sew it, fabrics of different colors can be used, but red, pink, blue material is more often used for this purpose. Small flowers on wedding clothes, combined with a plain belt, will create a mysterious Japanese image of the bride. You can make a hint of the oriental theme of the celebration by decorating the dress with national embroidery of the land of the rising sun. But a lush or too short (above the knees) outfit cannot be styled like Japan.

Straight dress with stand-up collar

Straight wedding dresses in the Japanese style with a stand-up collar look impressive on girls. Such dresses can be of different shades, but festive clothes made of red fabric, decorated with embroidery in the form of flowers, cranes, and peacocks are a popular option among brides. The stand-up collar goes well with the straight silhouette and gives the outfit a bright oriental style. Silk or lace fabric is widely used to create Japanese dresses, and they are decorated with multi-colored stones and gold embroidery.

A-line with wide sleeves

Give wedding dress with an A-line silhouette, oriental notes are easy. To do this, it must be supplemented with details that resemble elements of a kimono. A white A-line outfit goes well with a colored bolero with wide sleeves and a corset-belt, reminiscent of the Japanese obi. The ethno design of wedding decorations looks original and will make the newlywed an exotic beauty.

Princess style dress in bright colors

A wonderful collection of lush Japanese wedding dresses was created by designer Yoko Ogura. The variety of colors, finishes and textures of his models is amazing. Light and multi-layered yellow and blue skirts with flounces will help create a sophisticated and airy image of the newlywed. And decorating the outfit with artificial flowers, which are arranged as if they were scattered across the fabric, looks unusual and romantic.

Effective with fluffy dress combined with a transformed obi belt, which is used to encircle the kimono. In some models by designer Yoko Оgura it is located in the form of a huge bow on the hip, while in others it wraps a narrow strip around a thin waist. Wedding clothes look bold and extravagant when parts of the overskirts are made of checkered or polka dot material. This style will suit a bride with a doll-like figure and appearance.

Accessories for a bride's dress in Japanese style

To create an oriental style for the newlywed, be sure to use traditional Japanese accessories: a fan, an umbrella, a flower on the neck with a ribbon. These details of the bride's image will effectively emphasize the theme of the celebration.

1. A fan is a mandatory attribute of a Japanese bride. It is made and painted in the same manual way as 5 centuries ago. To create a fan, 3-, 5-, 7-layer washi paper is used, and the frame of the product is made of bamboo. Expensive products are decorated precious stones, ivory.
2. A bright umbrella is an important accessory for a newlywed at a Japanese wedding. It will help create a unique oriental flavor in the image of a girl.
3. The bride's hairstyle should also be specific. Japanese newlyweds traditionally do complex shimada hairstyles. This hairstyle is complex and unusual: it looks like an exotic flower. To create styling, ribbons, combs, bows, and long hairpins are used. Previously, Japanese women used tortoiseshell hair accessories at wedding ceremonies. They were decorated with beautiful national ornaments.

Nowadays, metal, wood, and bone long hairpins and combs are used for oriental-style hairstyles. The Japanese obi belt can add an oriental flavor to a European dress. This important part of the kimono is 4 m long and 30 cm wide, and weighs about 1 kg. The belt on a traditional wedding dress is tied with a huge decorative bow at the back. It is made of silk and decorated with gold embroidery or painting. In modern bridal wear, a belt with a hint of “obi” is used, but it still gives the dress a bright oriental flavor.

Photos of Japanese wedding dresses

If you decide to stick to the Japanese style at your wedding, then first of all you will have to choose special decoration for the bride. This is easy to do because there are many options for matching dresses. You can choose a wedding kimono or festive decorations with Japanese-style elements. Charming oriental motifs the land of the rising sun in a bride's dress will look advantageous and unique. They will emphasize the sophistication and originality of the newlywed and will enchant everyone around at the celebration.

Until the end of World War II, this word became the main word for defining Japanese attire. However, in post-war times, under the influence of the American “understanding” of Japanese reality, the universal term "kimono" began to be used as one of the synonyms "wafuku".

Accordingly, in modern Japanese "kimono" got two meanings. In a broad sense, this is a general term for any clothing, and in a narrow sense, it is a variety wafuku.

Archaeological finds in the Japanese archipelago support the thesis that the earliest Japanese wore simple hemp clothing at the end of the Jomon era. At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e., under the influence of continental fashion, a suit of the Korean-Manchu type came to Japan.

The earliest kimonos, which appeared around the fifth century AD, were very similar to hanfu, traditional Chinese clothing. In the eighth century, Chinese fashion made the collar collar part of modern women's clothing. During the Heian era (794-1192), the kimono became highly stylized, although many still wore a train mo on top of it. During the Muromachi era (1392-1573), kosode- kimono, previously considered underwear, it began to be worn without hakama pants over it, so the kosode had a belt - obi. During the Edo period (1603-1867), sleeves grew in length, becoming especially elongated for unmarried women. The Obi became wider, various ways tying a belt. Since that time, the shape of the kimono has remained almost unchanged.

The revolution in Japanese clothing was brought about by the Westernization reforms of the Meiji period in the second half of the 19th century. European fashion began to supplant Japanese traditional costume. This process was gradual and superficial until 1945, affecting only the leading layers of society. However, the democratization and “Americanization” of the lifestyle of ordinary Japanese led to the fact that the Japanese kimono was forced out of everyday life.

Today, Japanese traditional costume is used mainly only during holidays and formal events.

Smell

Both women's and men's kimonos are worn with a wrap to the right.

At the funeral, the body is dressed in a kimono with a wrap to the left, they say, “The world after death is the opposite of our world.”

Features of kimono

The kimono resembles a T-shaped robe. Its length may vary. Clothes are secured to the body with a belt obi(帯), which is located at the waist. Instead of European buttons, straps and twine are used. Characteristic feature kimono are sleeves sode(袖), which are usually much wider than the thickness of the arm. They have a bag-like shape. The sleeve opening is always less than the height of the sleeve itself. Because Japanese traditional attire is robe-like, it does not have an open collar like European suits. In general, it is comfortable and does not hinder human movements.

The fabrics from which kimonos are made are generally inelastic. Cloth is used for the belt. Patterns for clothing are usually rectangular and differ from their European counterparts, which have complex rounded shapes. Thanks to this, savings and almost complete recycling of matter are achieved. Its rectangular remains can be reused on the farm.

For sewing kimonos, predominantly soft threads are used, which reduce the risk of fabric tugging. However, such a careful attitude towards matter, which was in short supply in traditional japan, negatively affects the preservation of the design of clothing. If it is damaged, the kimono can be remade from the same fabric.

Kimono and Japanese aesthetics

Unlike traditional European clothes, which emphasizes the structure of the human body, the kimono highlights only the shoulders and waist of the wearer, hiding the flaws of his figure. Western clothing emphasizes relief, while Japanese clothing emphasizes uniformity and flatness. This is due to the traditional Japanese idea of ​​an ideal constitution - “the fewer bulges and irregularities, the more beautiful.”

For example, in Europe, women's corsets were used to narrow the waist, and to look beautiful in a kimono, the “ideal figure” was not enough. " Perfect face” and makeup were considered an integral part of the ambiance. In the late Middle Ages, the standard of “Japanese beauty” was established. The face should have been flat, and its oval should have been elongated. Slanted eyes with narrow and high eyebrows were considered beautiful. The mouth was supposed to be small and resemble a small red flower. Only the nose protruded relatively strongly from the low-profile face. A woman’s skin had to be as white as snow, which is why Japanese women have long whitened their faces and other body parts protruding from under the kimono. This ideal of a beauty is successfully depicted in Japanese prints of the 17th-19th centuries.

Production

Men's kimonos come in different sizes, while women's kimonos are generally the same size and are adjusted using pleats. An ideal kimono has sleeves that end at the wrist. A man's kimono should fall to the elbow without forming folds. Women's kimono is longer so that it can be made into ohashiori (Japanese: おはし折), a special fold that peeks out from under the obi. Very tall or fat people people, such as sumo wrestlers, order kimonos for themselves, although usually in finished product There remains a whole piece of fabric, with which you can easily alter it to almost any figure.

A kimono is made from a single piece of fabric. A piece of fabric is usually about forty centimeters wide and eleven and a half meters long. This is enough to sew one kimono for an adult. The finished kimono contains four strips of fabric: two of them cover the body, and the remaining ones are used to form sleeves; in addition, additional strips are used for collars and the like. In the past, kimonos were often ripped open before washing and sewn by hand afterwards.

The traditional kimono is made by hand, and the fabric is also often made and painted by hand. Repeating patterns are applied in this case using a stencil. Over the years, many trends have changed in the style of kimono and accessories, type and color of fabric.

Kimonos and obi are traditionally made from silk, crepe silk, satin; modern kimonos are made from cheaper and more practical material, crepe satin, cotton, polyester and other synthetic threads. Silk is still considered an ideal material for formal settings.

Typically, woven patterns or small designs are worn in informal situations; in kimonos for formal situations, the designer's design runs along the hem or across the entire surface. During the Heian period, up to ten contrasting layers of clothing were worn under a kimono, and each color combination was strictly defined. Today, under a kimono, they most often wear another, thin one. By the pattern you can determine the season it is worn, for example, a pattern with butterflies or cherry blossoms will be worn in the spring, water patterns are common for summer, Japanese maple leaves are a popular autumn motif, and colors with pine trees and bamboo are suitable for winter.

Old kimonos are recycled in different ways, haori and kimonos for children are made from them, similar kimonos are repaired, and bags or accessories are made from them. A kimono with a damaged bottom is worn under the hakama to hide the bottom. Experienced textile workers used to remove the threads from kimonos and reuse them into fabrics.

Kimono structure

Components of a kimono base

• Body part (Japanese: 身頃 migoro) - the main part of the kimono, which covers the largest areas of the body. It is divided into right front (右の前身頃) and left front (左の前身頃), as well as right rear (右の後身頃) and left rear (右の後身頃) parts. By modern rules cut, the left and right parts of the kimono are made from two separate pieces of material. The front and back of the left are connected at the shoulder. The same is true for the right side.
  • Front body part (Japanese: 前身頃 Maemigoro) - the front part of the kimono is sleeveless, covering the chest. Divided into left and right parts;
  • Back body part (Japanese: 後身頃 atomigoro) - the back of the kimono is sleeveless, covering the back. Divided into left and right parts. Made from one or two pieces of fabric.
• edges (Japanese: 衽 okumi; can be written with 袵) - thin and long pieces of fabric that are sewn along the front part of the body from the collar at the top to the floor of the garment at the bottom. Divided into left and right parts;
• Top side (Japanese: 上前 uwamae) - the left front part of a sleeveless kimono, which designates the left front body part, the left edge, as well as the left part of the collar. All people, except the dead, wrap their kimonos to the right, so the left side of the outfit is on the outside. That is why the left edge and the left front part of the body are called “upper”, that is, outer.
• Bottom side (Japanese: 下前 shitamae) - the right front part of a sleeveless kimono, which designates the right front body part, the right edge, as well as the right part of the collar. As a rule, kimonos are wrapped to the right, so the right part of the outfit is under the left and, accordingly, closer to the body. That is why the right edge and the right front part of the body are called “lower”, that is, internal.

Sleeve components

• Sleeves (Japanese: 袖 sode) - parts of a kimono that cover both arms. As a rule, they have a bag-like shape.

It is believed that in a woman's kimono there are "eight holes", the so-called "yatsukuchi". This is an open space in the neck and legs area, and corresponding paired (right and left) armholes, holes miyatsukuchi And furyatsukuchi. In men's kimonos, there are no miyatsukuchi and furiyatsukuchi holes.

• Sleeve holes
  • Sleeve hole (Japanese: 袖口 sodeguchi, hole in the sleeve near the wrist);
  • Sleeve cut (Japanese: 袖刳り sodekuri, a hole in the body part of the kimono to which the sleeve is sewn);
  • "Axillary" hole (Japanese: 振り八つ口 furiyatsuguchi, sleeve opening, in the part close to the armpit). Sometimes called "furikuchi" (振り口). Present only in women's suits; (2)
  • Body hole (Japanese: 身八つ口 miyatsuguchi, hole on the body part in the armpit area). Present only in women's suits. (1)
• Sleeve train (Japanese: 袂 tamoto, hanging part of the sleeve).

Main measurement points

• Shoulder fold (Japanese: 肩山 Katyama) - a bend in clothing in the shoulder area, which is formed when the kimono is flattened.
• "Edge of the Sword" (Japanese: 剣先 kensaki) - the highest point of the edges okumi, where the collar and front part meet kimono.
• Edge (Japanese: 裾 suso) - 1) the edge (points) of the body part of the kimono closest to the ground, 2) the edge of the sleeve train closest to the ground.
• Center of the back (Japanese: 背中心 sethu:sin) - a vertical line or seam on the back of the kimono that runs along the back. Sometimes called senu (Japanese: 背縫, "dorsal seam").
• Front ends (Japanese: 褄先 tsumasaki) - the angle formed by the edges okumi and edge suso
• Dead end of the body hole (Japanese: 身八つ口どまり miyatsuguchi domari) - lowest point of the hole miyatsuguchi.
• Side line (Japanese: 脇線 wakisen) - vertical line or seam from armpit to hem suso.

Basic measurements and lengths

• Okumisagari (Japanese: 衽下り okumisagari) - the length from the point where the collar and shoulder fold meet to the “sword” point. Usually 19 - 23 cm.
• Shoulder width is the length from the center of the back to the border of the back body and sleeves. Usually 30 - 32 cm.
• Kimono length (Japanese: 着丈 kitake) - total height of the kimono from collar to hem suso.
• Kurikoshi (Japanese: 繰越 Kurikoshi) - length from the center point of the shoulder fold to the back point of the collar. In the case of a woman's kimono, the latter is pulled back somewhat, exposing the neck.
• Sleeve hole (Japanese: 袖口 sodekuchi) - length of the sleeve opening at the wrist. As a rule, it is 20 - 23 cm.
• Sleeve height (Japanese: 袖丈 so this way) - the total height of the sleeve from the shoulder fold to the edge of the sleeve. Typically twice the length of the sleeve opening. In men's kimonos, this height is 49 - 51 cm.
• Sleeve opening (Japanese: 袖付 sodetsuke) - the length of the sleeve notch, the place where the sleeve is sewn to the body part of the kimono. Divided into front and back length according to the division of the body part into front and back. Typically, the armhole dimensions are smaller than the sleeve height dimensions. In a woman's kimono, this length is about 23 cm, and when wearing a high belt it is even shorter. For men - about 40 cm.
• Sleeve width (Japanese: 袖幅 sodehaba) - the length between the points where the sleeve is sewn to the body part and the sleeve opening. On average it is 35 cm. In the Western tradition it is called “sleeve length”.
• Intercept width (Japanese: 抱幅 dakihaba) - the width of the front body part of the kimono without taking into account the width of the edges okumi and collar. IN men's clothing reaches 40 cm, in women's - up to 30 cm.
• Height without collar (Japanese: 身丈 mitaka) - the height of the kimono from the shoulder fold to the hem suso. In case women's suit corresponds to a person’s height, since an “ohashiori” fold is formed in the waist area, which is held in place by a belt.
• Shoulder and sleeve length (Japanese: 裄丈 Yukitake) - distance from collar to sleeve opening. Includes shoulder width and sleeve width.

Sewing a kimono

A kimono is made from cloth rolled into a scroll. Its width is usually from 36 to 72 cm, depending on the type of clothing, and its length is from 4 to 26 m. For one women's kimono, a scroll 36 cm wide and 12 m long is used. About 9-12 m are used for one kimono fabrics. When sewing, soft threads are used.

Price

Kimono is an expensive pleasure. A women's kimono can easily cost more than 300,000 rubles, and a complete set including the under kimono, obi, tabi, shoes and accessories can cost more than 600,000 rubles. One obi can cost more than thirty thousand. However, most kimonos kept by hobbyists or people practicing traditional arts are much cheaper. People in the entertainment industry wear standard kimonos, non-customized kimonos, or second-hand kimonos.

The material can also make a kimono cheaper. Hand-painted silk is often replaced with factory prints and more. plain fabrics. There is also a developed business in Japan for the resale of used kimonos, which can cost about 500 yen or 150 rubles. Thus, the obi becomes the most expensive item of clothing because it requires a skilled textile worker to produce it. Simple samples cost about 1,500 yen (500 rubles). Men's obi, even silk ones, are much cheaper due to their smaller size and less decorative effect.

Today, kimono clubs are common in Japan, where people learn to choose and wear them.

Styles

A kimono can be very formal or casual. The level of formality of a woman's kimono is determined by the colors. Young girls have long sleeves, indicating that they are unmarried, and are more heavily decorated than the similar kimonos of married women. Men's kimonos have only one basic shape and usually more dark colors. The formality of a kimono is determined by the type and number of accessories, fabric, and the number of family coats of arms. The most formal kimono has five coats of arms. Silk is most preferred, while cotton and polyester kimonos are considered more casual.

Women's kimonos

Many modern Japanese women have lost the skill of putting on a kimono themselves: a traditional kimono contains twelve or more separate parts, so if necessary, they often turn to specialists in this field - otokoshi (Japanese 男衆, male servant) and Onagoshi (Japanese: 女子衆, female servant) or onnasyu (Japanese: 女衆 onnasyu:, female servant). Geishas also dress with the help of such professionals. Dressers are usually called into homes only for special occasions, which is why they work in hairdressing salons.

Choosing the right kimono is difficult due to the need to take into account the symbolism of traditional costume and social messages such as age, marital status and the level of formality of the event.

• Furisode (Japanese: 振袖): The word furisode literally translates as “flying sleeves”: furisode have them about a meter long. This is the most formal kimono for an unmarried woman and is worn by bridesmaids at weddings and maikos.
• Homongi (Japanese: 訪問着 ho:mongi) : translated as clothing for receptions. It features a pattern along the shoulders and sleeves, a slightly higher style homongi than the similar tsukesage. It is worn by both married and unmarried women.
• Tsukesage (Japanese: 付け下げ): The ornaments are more modest than those of the Homonga. Their main part covers the space below the waist.
• Tomesode (Japanese: 黒留袖): The most formal kimono of a married woman with a design on the hem only. Has two varieties:

Kurotomesode (Japanese: 黒留袖): black kimono. This is the most formal kimono for a married woman. It is also often used at weddings - the mothers of the bride and groom wear it. Kurutomesode often has five kamon crests on the sleeves, chest and back. Irotomesode (Japanese: 色留袖): A one-color kimono, painted from the waist down. This type of kimono is slightly less formal than kurotomesode. Irotomesode may have three or five kamon.

• Iromuji (Japanese: 色無地): It is worn by women at tea ceremonies. Sometimes iromuji has a jacquard rintsu pattern, but the fabric is always one color.
• Komon (kimono) (Japanese: 小紋): “small drawing.” Komon have a small pattern, so they can be worn both while walking around the city and in a restaurant, but with a more formal obi.

Parts of a woman's kimono

1. Doura is the upper inner part.
2. Eri - collar.
3. Fuki - hemmed bottom.
4. Furi - sleeve above the elbow.
5. Maimigoro - front shelf.
6. Miyatsukuchi - hole under the sleeve.
7. Okumi - inner front part.
8. Sode - sleeve.
9. Sodeguchi - hole in the sleeve.
10. Sodetsuke - sleeve.
11. Susomawashi - lower inner part.
12. Tamoto is a pocket in the sleeve.
13. Tomoeri - outer collar.
14. Uraeri - inner collar.
15. Ushiromigoro - back.

Men's kimonos

Unlike women's kimonos, men's are much simpler; they usually consist of five parts (not including shoes). For men's kimonos, the sleeves are sutured (sewn) into the side seam so that no more than ten centimeters of the sleeve remain free; In women's kimonos, their deep sleeves are almost never sewn in this way. Men's sleeves are shorter than women's also in order not to interfere with the obi. In women's kimonos, the sleeves do not touch the obi precisely because of their length.

Now the main difference between women's and men's kimonos is the color of the fabric. Typical colors are black, dark blue, green and brown. The fabrics are usually matte. Printed or regular pattern, light colors used in more casual kimonos. Sumo wrestlers often wear fuchsia (burgundy-purple) kimonos.

The most formal are black kimonos with five coats of arms on the shoulders, chest and back. A slightly less formal kimono with three coats of arms, a white under kimono is often worn underneath.

Almost any kimono can be made more formal by pairing it with hakama and haori (see below)

Kimono and accessories

• Nagajuban (Japanese: 長襦袢)- (or simply juban, 襦袢) is an undershirt, similar to a kimono, worn by both men and women so that the outer silk kimono, which is difficult to clean, does not touch the wearer’s skin. Only the edge of the nagajuban gate peeks out from under the kimono. Many juban have interchangeable collars so that they can be worn to match the color of the outer kimono and so that only the collar can be washed and not all at once. The most formal nagajuban are white and often have small patterns on them, similar to those on the outer kimono. Although men's kimonos have very limited colors, juban can be very unusual in both color and style.
• Hadajuban (Japanese: 肌襦袢)- thin underwear like a T-shirt. Worn under the nagajuban by women.
• Sasoyoke (Japanese: 裾除け)- thin pantaloons that women wear under nagajuban. Sometimes sasoyoki and hadajuban are combined together.
• Geta (Japanese: 下駄)- wooden sandals worn by both men and women, usually accompanied by a yukata. Eat special kind geta, worn only by geisha.
• Hakama (Japanese: 袴)- a skirt or bloomers made from divided or sewn very wide trousers, traditionally worn by men (and more recently by women) in informal settings, by Shinto priests, and also as a uniform in some martial arts, for example, aikido, kendo, naginatajutsu. Traditionally, separate hakama in the form of bloomers are worn by men, while women's hakama is closer to the skirt. The hakama has long folds, koshiita(hard back) and chemical(long and short ribbons that keep the hakama from falling off). Hakama is often worn by women at graduation ceremonies. The level of formality of the hakama depends on the fabric and color.
• Haori (Japanese: 羽織)- an outer jacket that adds formality to the outfit. Previously, only men wore haori, but since the end of the Meiji era, fashion has allowed women to wear them too. The difference is that the women's haori is longer. The modern men's haori has only the lining painted, while the women's haori is usually made of patterned fabric.
• Haori-himo (