Japanese Kimono

Archive for December, 2009

Question: Should i shorten my kimono or keep it long?

ok it is my Halloween costume and I am going trick or treating for the last time this year (i live in a big neighborhood and people go all out this holiday, like once i saw this guy as the headless horseman with a real freakin horse). So I get told a lot that I have nice legs, so I was wondering if i should shorten my kimono to knee length or keep it floor length. I think longer will look more traditional, but at the same time a shortened one will make it easier for me to walk from place to place with my friends. The kimono is white satin i believe with black trim and a green floral pattern on it. I'm making a black obi to go with it and I have a huuuuuge fan to carry with it as an accessory (i'm talkin like Temari from Naruto huge). So yeah.....

Answer: Well, like the first poster said, if you're going as a geisha you really should leave the kimono it's normal length. Geisha aren't prostitutes and the point isn't to look sexy and show off their bodies.

So, if you really want to shorten your kimono, I suggest skipping the whole geisha element of the costume and researching some Japanese street fashions that involve kimono. A traditionally-worn kimono would never be brought up to the knee like that even outside the geisha world, but I have seen some young women who are into different street fashions do it with their yukata. You might be better off doing that.

Also, you say you're not sure what the kimono is made of, so I strongly suggest that you do NOT cut into this thing unless you know for certain it's not a real kimono (i.e. not a satin kimono-style bathrobe). If you do cut into it or sew the hem up or anything like that you'll lose a lot of resale value. Instead, I suggest making it shorter by folding it at your waist. You actually have to fold kimono at the waist anyway to get the right look, you would just be doing a bigger fold or finding some way or doing a double or triple fold instead.

甚平の作り方１ How to make the jinbei (kimono)1

Question: Which costume kimono should I choose if I want to go as a geisha for Halloween?

My fiance and I are going as a samurai and a geisha for Halloween this year. We plan to participate in a costume parade, so we want to look good (and as inoffensive as possible). I am restricted in my budget, but I would like to be at least somewhat faithful to the tradition in terms of design and dressing to the season (autumn in New England). I can't spend hundreds of dollars, but I think I can afford these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Junoesque-Vintage-Yukata-Japanese-Haori-Kimono-Obi-/300595639160?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fce57378

http://www.ebay.com/itm/japanese-yukata-kimono-obi-cosplay-robe-geisha-dress-/290427403035?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item895fa1fa86

Any of these, but I like the purple and green one the best: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Kimono-Robe-prom-party-Nice-costumes-dress-/250844602495?pt=US_CSA_WC_Dresses&var=&hash=item8010aafdff

Thanks for any and all input. : )

Answer: if you like sewing

http://www.simplicity.com/p-2096-costumes.aspx

this one you buy

http://www.kimono-yukata-market.com/catalogue/pic/yukata/u/243/index.html

http://www.kimono-yukata-market.com/yukata-c/001/33/index.htm

http://www.kimono-yukata-market.com/catalogue/pic/kimono/b-100/134/index.html

hoped i helped you

日本の作務衣 About japanese work dress"Samue"