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?
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?
Answers:
1. What are the different types of kimono?
Kimono are usually separated into groups based on the length of the sleeves and the type of pattern. For women, the most common categories are: kakeshita/uchikake, hikizuri, tomesode, furisode, houmongi, tsukesage, iromuji, komon, yukata. You can read my post here for an explanation of what each kind of kimono is.
2. Are there different kimono for different ages?
Yes! Furisode is ONLY worn by unmarried women. Generally it is seen as a youthful garment for young girls. Even if you're unmarried but above 30, you might stop wearing furisode because of the overly youthfulness of the garment. In almost all cases, the short sleeve kimonos (basically everything else that isn't furisode) can be worn by anyone. The one exception are tomesode which are essentially the married woman's equivalent to the furisode. Therefore they have about the same formality level. Additionally, if you see a kimono with tucks (they look like a fold of fabric) on the shoulders or horizontally on the sleeves, this means it is a children's kimono and the seams are meant to be let out as the child grows up.
3. What size kimono do I need?
The general rule is you want a kimono that is the same height as you. But you can usually go about 10cm below your height and still wear it properly. There are also various ways to wear kimono far shorter than this, such as wearing it with stockings/boots, wearing it with hakama, or with a pleated skirt type garment underneath. The two other measurements you might have to consider are arm length (from your neck to your wrist) and body width (widest part). Many foreigners find matching sleeve length to be impossible, especially when buying antique. So you will see many people with short kimono sleeves. As for width, kimono usually come in one width, so if you wear larger sizes it can be difficult to find the right fit. I recommend looking at this guide from Kimono Yukata Market for detailed sizing suggestions.
4. How does seasonality work for kimono?
The flowers and patterns on a kimono will usually have a season they are associated with. Generally, the rule is to wear patterns that reflect the current season. Occasionally, people will wear a season a little early in anticipation of the season. Or, they will wear winter motifs in summer to give off a "cooling" atmosphere. But to wear a motif that doesn't fit these two exceptions just makes you look out of the loop. What are the seasons and motifs? There are A LOT, so I'll let someone else explain it better. But also you can do a search for "kimono motifs" and you'll find many other articles detailing them as well.
5. How formal are kimono and when can I wear them?
Many people not only struggle with figuring out when they can wear kimono, but what kimono to wear for what event. This is a bit complicated, as there are so many pieces, fabrics, motifs, etc to consider. So I'll link to an easier explanation here and a very in depth explanation here that really covers everything. To give you the basics, wear a komon for casual every day life, and save the furisode, tomesode, or anything with 5 crests for incredibly formal events.
6. Does color have any meaning with kimono?
Generally speaking, no. All white is for a bridal kimono, and all black is for funerals. But otherwise, there are very few rules involving color. One other important rule is that a black tomesode is more formal than any other color tomesode. But tomesode are already so formal, you will have very few occasions to properly wear one anyway. That being said, traditionally colors had many meanings in Japanese culture, and you're free to dive deep into that if you'd like. But for modern kimono, it is not really a consideration.
7. Do the motifs and patterns on a kimono have any meaning?
Yes, yes, yes! This is one of the very important parts about kimono! Every single pattern and motif on a kimono either has a meaning or a seasonality associated with it. Some are all season and just denote good luck, while others are for very specific time periods. It can be a bit harrowing at first to try and learn the seasonality of motifs, but the general rule is you wear the flower when it would be flowering in nature. Non-flower motifs are generally either year-round lucky motifs, or may have other meanings, and occasionally will have seasons associated with them as well (such as mist for March). I recommend you refer back to my earlier link for motif seasonality and you can check this site for some other non-season motifs.
8. What types of fabric are kimono made from?
The most common material for kimono is silk, of course. But there are many kinds of silk, and different silks will have different formality levels and seasons. Other fabrics used for kimono are wool, synthetic fibers, cotton, and linen. Key points to know: wool is casual and a winter fabric, cotton kimono are yukata and therefore are the MOST casual of all kimono, synthetic fabrics are often washable but can sometimes look cheap or don't breath well, summer weaves like sha or ra should only be worn in the summer and preferably with matching fabric obi. For more information, here's an AMAZING post detailing the different fabrics.
9. How do I clean a kimono?
Kimono made from natural fibers should generally be cleaned by a professional or very experienced kimono cleaner. They will completely take apart the kimono and wash it piece by piece. Lined kimono MUST be detached from their lining, as the fabrics are woven different and will shrink/expand at different rates. If washed together, colors may bleed and permanent wrinkling may occur. Synthetic fabrics are also known to bleed their color as well. Generally, it's very difficult and expensive to wash kimono. Therefore you should always do your best to keep them from ever getting dirty in the first place!
10. How should I store my kimono?
Organic fabrics, such as silk, are very delicate and must be stored carefully. After wearing a kimono, it is best to air it out for a day. Then, return it to storage. Kimono need a little air to breath. BUT, they also will suffer a lot of damage if exposed to humid air. Traditionally, kimono were stored in wooden drawers called tansu. The wood helps to absorb extra moisture in the air to protect the kimono. In modern times, many people will use moisture absorbing packets to keep the air dry. It's also good to keep kimono out of the sun, as sunlight will bleach the natural dyes. It's also best to rotate kimono so the same kimono isn't weighed down at the bottom for years on end. Many people also choose to store their kimono in special acid-free papers, called tatoshi, to protect them even further.
11. How much do kimono cost?
A brand new, hand made kimono can cost anywhere up to tens of thousands of dollars (USD). But, you can find second hand kimono for only about $10 if you look carefully enough. In Japan, there are many 1000 yen sales at used clothing stores and temple/shrine flea markets. Online, there are some sellers who start the bidding for items at around $3 as well. Sometimes you can snag a kimono that looks as good as new around that $10 price range. It's up to you to choose what's more important, the quality of the kimono, or the price. There will be an endless amount of options along the spectrum for you to choose from. Check out my list of recommended online kimono sellers here!
12. What do I need to wear kimono?
This can vary a bit, based on what you're wearing, what obi knot you want to tie, etc. But GENERALLY, here is a list of things you will need to wear the most standard outfit: kimono, juban, eri shin, obi, obi ita, obi makura, obi jime, obi age, koshi himo, tabi, and zori. No idea what any of these are? Check out my blog post here for more information on what items you'll probably need (with pictures, yay). Or, check out my full kimono glossary (text only) or my easy picture glossary.
13. Are there any kimono meetup groups or online communities?
Yes, yes, yes! If you're looking for local groups, it's best to do some searching around on the internet. One resource is Kimono de Jack, an international kimono meet up group with chapters all around the world! As for online communities, my personal recommendation is Immortal Geisha. They have a facebook group here and forums here. It's an amazing community I've been a part of for years. They're VERY active and there are many knowledgeable people. There are also new people joining every day, so you'll never be left out, no matter your skill level.
1. What are the different types of kimono?
Kimono are usually separated into groups based on the length of the sleeves and the type of pattern. For women, the most common categories are: kakeshita/uchikake, hikizuri, tomesode, furisode, houmongi, tsukesage, iromuji, komon, yukata. You can read my post here for an explanation of what each kind of kimono is.
2. Are there different kimono for different ages?
Yes! Furisode is ONLY worn by unmarried women. Generally it is seen as a youthful garment for young girls. Even if you're unmarried but above 30, you might stop wearing furisode because of the overly youthfulness of the garment. In almost all cases, the short sleeve kimonos (basically everything else that isn't furisode) can be worn by anyone. The one exception are tomesode which are essentially the married woman's equivalent to the furisode. Therefore they have about the same formality level. Additionally, if you see a kimono with tucks (they look like a fold of fabric) on the shoulders or horizontally on the sleeves, this means it is a children's kimono and the seams are meant to be let out as the child grows up.
3. What size kimono do I need?
The general rule is you want a kimono that is the same height as you. But you can usually go about 10cm below your height and still wear it properly. There are also various ways to wear kimono far shorter than this, such as wearing it with stockings/boots, wearing it with hakama, or with a pleated skirt type garment underneath. The two other measurements you might have to consider are arm length (from your neck to your wrist) and body width (widest part). Many foreigners find matching sleeve length to be impossible, especially when buying antique. So you will see many people with short kimono sleeves. As for width, kimono usually come in one width, so if you wear larger sizes it can be difficult to find the right fit. I recommend looking at this guide from Kimono Yukata Market for detailed sizing suggestions.
4. How does seasonality work for kimono?
The flowers and patterns on a kimono will usually have a season they are associated with. Generally, the rule is to wear patterns that reflect the current season. Occasionally, people will wear a season a little early in anticipation of the season. Or, they will wear winter motifs in summer to give off a "cooling" atmosphere. But to wear a motif that doesn't fit these two exceptions just makes you look out of the loop. What are the seasons and motifs? There are A LOT, so I'll let someone else explain it better. But also you can do a search for "kimono motifs" and you'll find many other articles detailing them as well.
5. How formal are kimono and when can I wear them?
Many people not only struggle with figuring out when they can wear kimono, but what kimono to wear for what event. This is a bit complicated, as there are so many pieces, fabrics, motifs, etc to consider. So I'll link to an easier explanation here and a very in depth explanation here that really covers everything. To give you the basics, wear a komon for casual every day life, and save the furisode, tomesode, or anything with 5 crests for incredibly formal events.
6. Does color have any meaning with kimono?
Generally speaking, no. All white is for a bridal kimono, and all black is for funerals. But otherwise, there are very few rules involving color. One other important rule is that a black tomesode is more formal than any other color tomesode. But tomesode are already so formal, you will have very few occasions to properly wear one anyway. That being said, traditionally colors had many meanings in Japanese culture, and you're free to dive deep into that if you'd like. But for modern kimono, it is not really a consideration.
7. Do the motifs and patterns on a kimono have any meaning?
Yes, yes, yes! This is one of the very important parts about kimono! Every single pattern and motif on a kimono either has a meaning or a seasonality associated with it. Some are all season and just denote good luck, while others are for very specific time periods. It can be a bit harrowing at first to try and learn the seasonality of motifs, but the general rule is you wear the flower when it would be flowering in nature. Non-flower motifs are generally either year-round lucky motifs, or may have other meanings, and occasionally will have seasons associated with them as well (such as mist for March). I recommend you refer back to my earlier link for motif seasonality and you can check this site for some other non-season motifs.
8. What types of fabric are kimono made from?
The most common material for kimono is silk, of course. But there are many kinds of silk, and different silks will have different formality levels and seasons. Other fabrics used for kimono are wool, synthetic fibers, cotton, and linen. Key points to know: wool is casual and a winter fabric, cotton kimono are yukata and therefore are the MOST casual of all kimono, synthetic fabrics are often washable but can sometimes look cheap or don't breath well, summer weaves like sha or ra should only be worn in the summer and preferably with matching fabric obi. For more information, here's an AMAZING post detailing the different fabrics.
9. How do I clean a kimono?
Kimono made from natural fibers should generally be cleaned by a professional or very experienced kimono cleaner. They will completely take apart the kimono and wash it piece by piece. Lined kimono MUST be detached from their lining, as the fabrics are woven different and will shrink/expand at different rates. If washed together, colors may bleed and permanent wrinkling may occur. Synthetic fabrics are also known to bleed their color as well. Generally, it's very difficult and expensive to wash kimono. Therefore you should always do your best to keep them from ever getting dirty in the first place!
10. How should I store my kimono?
Organic fabrics, such as silk, are very delicate and must be stored carefully. After wearing a kimono, it is best to air it out for a day. Then, return it to storage. Kimono need a little air to breath. BUT, they also will suffer a lot of damage if exposed to humid air. Traditionally, kimono were stored in wooden drawers called tansu. The wood helps to absorb extra moisture in the air to protect the kimono. In modern times, many people will use moisture absorbing packets to keep the air dry. It's also good to keep kimono out of the sun, as sunlight will bleach the natural dyes. It's also best to rotate kimono so the same kimono isn't weighed down at the bottom for years on end. Many people also choose to store their kimono in special acid-free papers, called tatoshi, to protect them even further.
11. How much do kimono cost?
A brand new, hand made kimono can cost anywhere up to tens of thousands of dollars (USD). But, you can find second hand kimono for only about $10 if you look carefully enough. In Japan, there are many 1000 yen sales at used clothing stores and temple/shrine flea markets. Online, there are some sellers who start the bidding for items at around $3 as well. Sometimes you can snag a kimono that looks as good as new around that $10 price range. It's up to you to choose what's more important, the quality of the kimono, or the price. There will be an endless amount of options along the spectrum for you to choose from. Check out my list of recommended online kimono sellers here!
12. What do I need to wear kimono?
This can vary a bit, based on what you're wearing, what obi knot you want to tie, etc. But GENERALLY, here is a list of things you will need to wear the most standard outfit: kimono, juban, eri shin, obi, obi ita, obi makura, obi jime, obi age, koshi himo, tabi, and zori. No idea what any of these are? Check out my blog post here for more information on what items you'll probably need (with pictures, yay). Or, check out my full kimono glossary (text only) or my easy picture glossary.
13. Are there any kimono meetup groups or online communities?
Yes, yes, yes! If you're looking for local groups, it's best to do some searching around on the internet. One resource is Kimono de Jack, an international kimono meet up group with chapters all around the world! As for online communities, my personal recommendation is Immortal Geisha. They have a facebook group here and forums here. It's an amazing community I've been a part of for years. They're VERY active and there are many knowledgeable people. There are also new people joining every day, so you'll never be left out, no matter your skill level.
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