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Kimono Series: Wearing the Kimono (Kitsuke)

To wrap up this series of blog posts, I'm going into how to dress in a kimono. 
Learning how to dress yourself and others in a kimono is called Kitsuke. You can be certified to practice as a teacher! The style and way you wear a kimono has a lot of dependencies that take years to comprehend. So...I've only done this for a year, so I'm no expert, but I know where to learn from!

☝Basic Tips: There are schools, fashion trends, and cultural expectations. These things CHANGE over time and vary based on location. For cosplay, observe the character's presentation and try to mimic that. For everyday wear, do your research. For special events, reach out to a consultant. 

A Kitsuke Kit

These are items you need to wear your kimono and obi ensemble. 
  • Bare Minimum Requirements: 
    • 2 - 3 ties (himo)
    • Juban: Hanjuban (paired wrap skirt/susuyoke)  or Nagajuban
    • obi ita (feminine only)
    • eri shin (feminine only)
  • Common for Masculine Kimono
    • 2 ties/himo. One for the juban and one for the kimono
    • Obi
    • Juban
  • Common for Feminine Kimono
    • 3 ties/himo. One for the juban, one for the oshori fold at your hips, one at your waist to close the kimono
    • Juban
    • Eri Shin
    • Obi Ita
    • Obi
    • Obiage
    • Obijime
    • Obi Makura

Where to Learn

For short-term wear or cosplay, you can find written and video instructions online. You do want to make sure it is appropriate for your kimono type. I will link to a few videos below. 

For something more serious, you can take kitsuke classes. You may find a few enthusiast groups in your area which have people who are looking to learn and practice together. I'm part of an online school for kimono specifically for English speakers.  

Undergarments and Padding 

There are "ideal shapes" for kimono that are quite different than what you might expect. 
For feminine kimono, you should look like a column. A Masculine kimono lets you have a little bit of belly puff.
The more nuanced stuff is surrounding how the collar sits. 
The art of padding is know as Hosei. It helps you achieve the ideal kimono shape. 

For cosplay it may not be as important (aside from the usual padding and things we do for crossplay), but for traditional or fashion wear, it helps. This also helps the obi from sliding around. Padding can be personalized and it may be best to speak with a kimono teacher to get an evaluation. 

You can purchase kimono padding or kimono bras, but you can also use towels, leftover fabric and ties. 
Some padding Videos and Resources: 

Tying an Obi

Obi knots or Obi Musubi are many and can vary in elaboration. (Some are so fancy it may require extra hands.) For women, the most common casual obi musubi are the Otaiko and Bunko/Cho. For a more formal musubi, try the Ginza. You can find a lot of resources for feminine obi musubi. Here are some of my favorites: 

Men's most common musubi is the Ronin. There are not as many variations as feminine musubi but people are creative. Here is a website for masculine obi musubi.

Hakama

Personally, I love pairing my kimono with hakama, even for my feminine kimonos. I love that look! 
There are a few ways to wear a hakama based on gender. 

For now this concludes my series on Kimono! I'll come back and add more to it over time, but I'm itching to write about other things! 
Thanks for reading!

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