Tips for Kimono Newbies: What is a Haori?

Inspired by questions I got at the kimono booth this weekend (I'm tired, but again it was another fun, busy day: thank you to everyone who stopped by!), our topic for tonight is haori.

What is a haori? A haori is a jacket worn over kimono. It is never meant to be worn as a top by itself, or crossed over in the front like a kimono. The collar is meant to hang straight down along your chest.

There are both men's and women's haori, and you can check which gender one is meant for just like kimono: look at the back of the sleeves. Women's will be open, where you could stick your hand in, and men's will be closed and/or sewn to the body of the haori itself. Below are two women's, followed by a man's.

I like wearing mine with Western clothes, as it's easier to work a jacket into your look rather than an all-out kimono ensemble: a black silk haori with subtle patterns can look really nice with a pair of dark jeans, dark top and heels, or worn with a nice dress for a night out at the symphony, etc.

Images copyright Ichiroya and used with permission.