Kimono Sleeve Construction Tips

I am hoping to have some truly exciting news to share with y'all late May, but for now here's a quick and dirty rundown of sleeve construction in women's kimono, as per a request by a reader. :) (For men's kimono, you would sew shut the "body vent" and back of the sleeve.)

Harajuku Kimono Snap and Tokyo 135°

Mayu, the girl in the cute Harajuku snap above (thank you, Tokyo Fashion!), is wearing a great example of the relaxed, modern style of kimono catching on with some younger women in recent years. Focusing more on kimono as fun daily wear, they pair vintage or homemade kimono with Western accessories like hats and homemade pieces like Mayu's obi-dome (the brooch worn on top of the thin obi-jime cord around her waist).

For more details and close-ups of her outfit visit Tokyo Fashion's page.

Mayu works at Tokyo 135°, a new and secondhand kimono shop with locations in Tokyo and Osaka that follows the same school of thought when it comes to kimono: relaxed, modern, and fun. I haven't had a chance to visit their shops myself yet, but if I do in the future I promise a review.

Until then, if you'd like to read more check out this 2008 English-language review from Japan News.