I know new people always have a lot of questions about kimono when they first start.  So I thought I would just write out some answers to some of the most common and useful questions newbies have.

Questions:

1. What are the different types of kimono?

2. Are there different kimono for different ages?

3. What size kimono do I need?

4. How does seasonality work for kimono?

5. How formal are kimono and when can I wear them?

6. Does color have any meaning with kimono?

7. Do the motifs and patterns on a kimono have any meaning?

8. What types of fabric are kimono made from?

9. How do I clean a kimono?

10.  How should I store my kimono?

11. How much do kimono cost?

12. What do I need to wear kimono?

13. Are there any kimono meetup groups or online communities?

For beginners, it can be very hard to pick up all the vocabulary associated with kimono.  So today I'm going to show you pictures and descriptions of some common kimono related terms and names.

Many kimono sellers, both online and physical stores, will sell what I like to call "tourist kimono." These garments look similar to authentic Japanese kimono, but often are a cheaper interpretation of kimono that are missing many key elements of a genuine kimono. For many people just starting out in the kimono world, it can be very difficult to tell the difference. Many kimono sellers will stock "tourist kimono" and call them authentic. Sometimes, these cheap tourist kimono will be the primary way the business makes money. In addition, if you try to search for the word kimono on ebay or other shopping websites, you have to wade through more fake kimono than real kimono! But for those looking to buy only authentic historically correct kimono, this guide will help you to pick out the differences. I'm not saying you should never wear or buy these tourist kimono. I just hope this guide will help you understand what you may or may not be wearing. Then you can make the decision for yourself. Knowledge is power!

Material

Most tourist kimono are made of two types of material, cotton or satin. The satin "kimono" are much easier to spot. But sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between a cotton tourist kimono and a real yukata because they are both made of the same material. So let's take a look at some touristy satin kimono first.

Everyone eventually has to start somewhere when they decide to get into the addictive world of kimono.  You may have already bought your first kimono and wondered how the heck to put it on.  Well, I'm going to walk you through some of the basics to get you on your way to looking like a star.

First, you should familiarize yourself with some of the tools you will need to get dressed.  It is much simpler to start with yukata instead of kimono, but I will go over both.  But before we can even get started putting on a kimono or yukata, we need to start with the proper undergarments.

Here we have a very basic overview of the different types of kimono.  This list starts with the most formal and goes down to the most casual.