Real or Fake? Super-Short Kimono

If you see a kimono on Ebay or elsewhere and the measurements tell you it'll hit you about the knees or midcalf, is the kimono a fake?

This one is a little trickier to answer because it might be or it might not. If it's cheap, shiny polyester or very shiny satin, it's a fake. If it has belt loops, pockets, or geisha/pagodas/cranes cheaply printed all over it, it's a fake. If it's sold by Legg Avenue, it' s a fake. ;)

On the other hand, if it looks like a regular, nice quality kimono (cotton, silk, or high-grade matte synthetic) it's probably either a little girl's or boy's kimono, or a kimono for babies to be wrapped up in for their first shrine visit.

Here are a few legitimate kids' kimono from online dealer Ichiroya, two for girls and then two for boys. As you can see, they're basically mini versions of adult kimono in terms of designs and quality, though, moreso than adult kimono, the motifs tend to be very feminine for girls and very masculine for boys.

Images copyright Ichiroya and used with permission.