Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Kimono Knowledge: Hitoe vs. Awase

There are a bunch of ways to categorize kimono: some terms cover areas of formality: 小紋 komon and 訪問着 houmongi are examples of this (casual, "small pattern" and more formal "visiting wear", respectively).

Some cover the physical construction of the kimono itself, such as today's terms, 単衣 hitoe and 袷 awase. Hitoe means "unlined" (single layer), and awase means "lined".

Hitoe kimono are worn from June through September, with awase worn the rest of the year. They're useful terms to know when shopping: if you're looking for kimono on the cheap, hitoe tend to go for less. If you're in a colder climate, you might want to stick with awase.

No comments: