Modesty's Costume Closet

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 t...

This should round out the things you can make or acquire for your kimono ensemble. This is not an exhaustive list but there are a few things I wanted to cover. Tabi  Geta or Zori Korin Belt Haori Himo Haori/Nagabaori Kanzashi Hair Pins Fans and Bags Footwear Tabi are socks made to be worn with sandals. Although, based on construction, Tabi can also be slippers or proper shoes themselves! It all depends on how it is made.  Knit Tabi Socks are a modern version of tabi that behaves just like a sock. It's stretchy because it's knitwear. And as you know, I've knit my own tabi , so you can learn how to knit your own too !  Sewn Tabi are a bit more like making clothe shoes if you are familiar with the process. The outer sole of the shoe may be a fairly thick or leather-ish material because these can be used as indoor shoes and may need that extra protection to last longer. The outer and inner material can be made from stretch or non-stretch fabric.  Pattern for Tabi Zori an...

The obi is supporting actor of a kimono ensemble. They can be equally as extravagant in design motifs and materials. Any design motifs can be woven, embroidered or painted onto the obi. Silk painting being the most formal.   Types of Obi  Kaku Obi - This is typically the Men’s Obi but women can wear it too. Consider it gender neutral. It has a width of 9 - 10 cm (3.5 - 4 inches) and a length between 3.6m - 4m.  Hanhaba Obi - Informal Female Obi, which translates to Half Width because it is half the width of a formal obi. Hanhaba obi are 15 cm wide and 3.6m - 4.5m long (Suggested: 3.80 - 4.20m) (4m - 4.40 m for wider waists). Nagoya Obi - Semi Formal Obi made of stiff fabric or reinforced with a fabric stiffener/interfacing. There are a few ways to make a Nagoya obi (named after the region.) One way is to make the entire obi all one uniform width for the full length. But there are some that are pre-folded to make an Otaiko musubi. So it is half-width for a few yard...

There are a few things you can do to increase the formality of the kimono. Most of these things you should consider in the PLANNING phase before you start measuring and cutting.   Fabric Fiber Choice One of the hallmarks of a formal kimono is the fabric type. You will not find a formal cotton kimono. All formal kimono are silk. And usually a NICE silk too. Silk with "shlubs" like silk dupioni are a less formal silk even in polyester form. A nice silk is smooth or has a purposeful design in the weave. However, even if you have a nice silk if it has a komon pattern it's not considered formal...it's just a very nice informal outfit.  Sleeve Height (Feminine Only) Furisode sleeve heights vary which affects the occasion and formality level.  Ko Furisode has a height of 75 - 80 cm long when finished. This type of furisode was worn as a school uniform back in the early 1900s, so it's good for that kind of historical outfit and some cosplay. In modern day, this is only wo...

Finally getting around to writing about putting things together. By this point, your kimono panels should be cut and marked with the tailoring points mentioned in the previous post. It's also recommended to put on any design motifs you intend to put on before sewing things together. (Especially if you are painting the fabric. There's a lot less risk of paint dripping on parts you don't intend to have paint on. 😓 She says from experience.) I'll make another post about painting or printing or other methods of putting designs on the kimono. For now here's what this post will attempt to cover:  Sewing Methods Hems and Seams Construction method Further Resources Sewing by Hand or Machine🧵 You can sew your kimono by hand or machine. There are pros and cons of each method.  Sewing by hand is more traditional and offers more control which is very helpful when attaching the collar. The method of hand-sewing developed especially for kimono is called unshin . It takes time t...

This is the primary benefit to making your own kimono, having it tailored to you! In this post, I will go over the following:  Body Measurements you need Names of the Panels and their dimensions Calculating Fabric needs Tailoring points And a few tips and resources With measurements there are major and minor measurements. Focus on the major measurements for calculating fabric amount and the size and shape of the panel pieces. The minor measurements are mostly for construction so you put the pieces together correctly and they fall in the right place for your body. Lets start with the measurements you need to take on the body.  Body Measurements There are only 3 body measurements for kimono, although they will differ slightly between a masculine and feminine kimono. You need:  Yuki  - a measurement taken from the spine at the base of the neck to the shoulder joint, then to the wrist while holding the arm at a 45° angle. (You CAN T-Pose it but it is a little less accura...

The intention here is to help you plan and prepare to create a feminine kimono ensemble for either an original design or character recreation.  For the feminine style kimono planner, we will cover:  Identifying Feminine Kimono Formality Customs Design Planner Resources, Tutorials, and Patterns  The key feature of a feminine kimono is the opening under the armpits and down the body side of the sleeve. The opening on the body is called Miyatsuguchi. Other identifying features are very rounded marumi on the sleeve corners or just very tall sleeves. When worn, there should be a fold underneath the obi called Oshori. The hem should be just over your toes and the collar is worn off the back of the neck instead of against it so there is some subtle shape differences compared to a male collar. But the obvious indicator is the open sleeves and miyatsuguchi.  Formality Customs Female formality customs can be a rabbit hole of learning. Things change over time and in some cases ...

This post is hopefully going to give you some ideas on how to plan and prepare to make a masculine style kimono ensemble. This will help both with original designs and cosplay.  We will cover:  Identifying a Masculine Kimono Formality Customs The Design Process Resources and Tutorial References Masculine Kimono The quickest way to identify a masculine kimono is to look at how the sleeves are attached. There will be no opening under the armpit on a masculine kimono. The sleeves also tend to have a sharper corner. The collar is generally all one width. Lastly, the bottom hem of the kimono reaches the wearer's ankles. However, since people vary wildly in height the most accurate and obvious identifier is the lack of an opening under the sleeves. (The opening is known as Miyasuguchi ).  Formality There are only a few identifiers that make a kimono more or less formal for men. These include material, the number of family crests (Kamon), Colors, and what other clothes you wear ...

The purpose of this post is to give you some baselines and cultural common knowledge about kimono as well as the bare bones needed to make one.  What you Need to Wear a Kimono  Kimono is just a part of a whole outfit, just like a jacket is part of a tuxedo. These are the different things typically worn with modern kimono:  Hadagi/Nadajuban/Modern Underwear The first "layer" of this is undergarments. A Nadajuban looks similar to a kimono, except it does not have a wide collar. A Hadagi is a "shirt only" option worn with a wrap skirt. It is the first layer of protection against your skin/sweat/oils. This is even worn with Yukata. You can consider this an optional layer as Modern day underwear serves the same purpose.  🖉NOTE : You can wear a slip or shorts instead of the susoyoke (wrap skirt).  Juban/Nagajuban/Hanjuban The under kimono or Juban is the part you see peeking from the collar worn directly under the kimono. The Nagajuban is a single piece that looks ve...