How Much? - Men's Formal Outfit

Notes and Disclaimers: If you're thinking about putting together a kimono look, to wear normally or for a cosplay or costume, you might be wondering how much you're probably going to spend. I've seen hideously overpriced items in my time collecting, and ones that are real steals. This ongoing series, "How Much?" will give you my highly subjective, personal experiences in Kimono Price Land on what is a good price, what you should snap up immediately and what you should pass on with raised eyebrows. ;)


Before I get started, and I'll repeat this in every entry for this series, it's not impossible to occasionally see a really high-priced item, due to age or rarity, etc. However, most of the time in my opinion you're more likely to see prices in this range. I pull my estimates from a long time spent on Ebay looking at vintage pieces, online with various vintage dealers, and a bit of convention-going thrown in. Brand-new kimono items, please note, will often be astronomically higher (thousands of dollars for a kimono-obi set).


The lowest price is the lowest price I've ever seen, and the highest I consider reasonable, give or take a few bucks, with both prices including shipping if you see this on an online site. Usually most pricing will fall around the middle.

Kuro Mon-tsuki (Men's Formal Kimono-Ensemble) 

For any guys reading, or cosplayers/crossdressers/interested women, tonight's "how much" installment will be for the most formal of men's outfits, the sort of thing you'd get married in or get photographed in for New Year's cards, etc.

The * indicates things that can be left out or faked in a pinch to lower the cost. (In truth, budget-minded costumers could, for once in kimono-land, sew an entire version of this outfit from scratch and have it come out pretty well as there's no dyed patterns you'd have to mimic beyond getting striped fabric for the hakama and finding a way to get the crests going up top.)

For the real deal or closer to it you'll need:

-a men's juban (underkimono, * - can be faked with a collar insert of plain fabric, which can also be added on top of the juban but under the top kimono as a faked layer) $20-$90
-men's 5-family-crest black kimono and matching haori jacket (sometimes sold as a set) $50-$150
-men's obi* (As you can see, this is hidden under the hakama for the most part so a stiff piece of fabric can be used in a pinch) $40-$80
-white/grey and black striped men's hakama pants $35-$100
-tabi socks $15-$30
-men's zori sandals $35-$80
-white "puffball" haori jacket ties* (basically two cords frizzed and teased out at the ends) $20-$40

How Much - Casual Komon Ensemble

Notes and Disclaimers: If you're thinking about putting together a kimono look, to wear normally or for a cosplay or costume, you might be wondering how much you're probably going to spend. I've seen hideously overpriced items in my time collecting, and ones that are real steals. This ongoing series, "How Much?" will give you my highly subjective, personal experiences in Kimono Price Land on what is a good price, what you should snap up immediately and what you should pass on with raised eyebrows. ;)

Before I get started, and I'll repeat this in every entry for this series, it's not impossible to occasionally see a really high-priced item, due to age or rarity, etc. However, most of the time in my opinion you're more likely to see prices in this range. I pull my estimates from a long time spent on Ebay looking at vintage pieces, online with various vintage dealers, and a bit of convention-going thrown in. Brand-new kimono items, please note, will often be astronomically higher (thousands of dollars for a kimono/obi set).

The lowest price is the lowest price I've ever seen, and the highest I consider reasonable, give or take a few bucks, with both prices including shipping if you see this on an online site. Usually most pricing will fall around the middle.


Casual Komon Ensemble

Yukata are sort of the gateway drug to wearing kimono: the obi needs no special ties or a pillow to hold its shape and no underkimono (juban) or zori sandals and tabi socks are required.

The next step above yukata is a nice balance between the relative simplicity of yukata and more formal kimono: the komon, kimono with small repeating patterns.

The komon requires a bit more than the yukata: you'll need an underkimono and either very formal geta with tabi socks (still sort of like wearing tennis shoes as geta are usually very casual) or zori. However, with komon you don't have to take the plunge into the at-first intimidating otaiko drum knots (the boxy knot you see tied on the back of many kimono) if you don't want to. That's because komon can, basically, be worn with either a simple half-width obi, a la yukata, or the more formal and wider Nagoya obi.

This may not be a combo for everyone's tastes ;) but I'll toss it up to show a random example of each: a komon and hanhaba obi.

Out of respect for the budget-minded, today we'll tally up what you will likely spend putting together a komon ensemble using the simpler halfwidth (hanhaba) obi like the one you see above.

What You Need (most important items):

1. komon kimono: ~$25-$90, barring higher prices on antique ones in great condition

2. nice (sometimes called "oshare", meaning stylish), higher-end hanhaba obi: ~$35-$65

3. juban (underkimono): $15-$75

Don't Forget! You'll also need:

4. Sports/minimizer bra

5. Kimono underwear or a white tanktop and white skirt or leggings/shorts

6. basic under-accessories kit or homemade substitutes (koshihimo ties or strips of fabric, obi ita board or posterboard cut to shape, etc.)

7. tabi socks

8. very nice geta (sandals), or zori (sandals)

Photos are copyright Ichiroya and used with permission.

How Much - Furisode Ensemble

Notes and Disclaimers: If you're thinking about putting together a kimono look, to wear normally or for a cosplay or costume, you might be wondering how much you're probably going to spend. I've seen hideously overpriced items in my time collecting, and ones that are real steals. This ongoing series, "How Much?" will give you my highly subjective, personal experiences in Kimono Price Land on what is a good price, what you should snap up immediately and what you should pass on with raised eyebrows. ;)

Before I get started, and I'll repeat this in every entry for this series, it's not impossible to occasionally see a really high-priced item, due to age or rarity, etc. However, most of the time in my opinion you're more likely to see prices in this range. I pull my estimates from a long time spent on Ebay looking at vintage pieces, online with various vintage dealers, and a bit of convention-going thrown in. Brand-new kimono items, please note, will often be astronomically higher (thousands of dollars for a kimono/obi set).

The lowest price is the lowest price I've ever seen, and the highest I consider reasonable, give or take a few bucks, with both prices including shipping if you see this on an online site. Usually most pricing will fall around the middle.

Furisode Ensemble (Formal Young/Unmarried Women's Kimono)

What You Need (most important items):

1. furisode kimono: ~$80-$200, barring higher prices on antique ones in great condition

2. very nice Nagoya or fukuro obi, depending on the formality of the furisode: ~$60-$120

3. juban (underkimono): $15-$75

4. obi-jime cord: $10-$25

5. obi-age scarf: $20-$45

Don't Forget! You'll also need...

-Sports bra

-Kimono underwear or a white tanktop and white skirt or leggings/shorts

-under-accessories kit (koshihimo ties, obi makura pillow, obi ita board, etc.)

-tabi socks

-zori sandals

Image copyright Estemi

How Much? Yukata

If you're thinking about putting together a kimono look, to wear normally or for a cosplay or costume, you might be wondering how much you're probably going to spend. I've seen hideously overpriced items in my time collecting, and ones that are real steals. Another ongoing series, "How Much?" will give you my highly subjective, personal experiences in Kimono Price Land on what is a good price, what you should snap up immediately and what you should pass on with raised eyebrows. ;)

Before I get started, and I'll repeat this in every entry for this series, it's not impossible to occasionally see a really high-priced item, due to age or rarity, etc. However, most of the time in my opinion you're more likely to see prices in this range. I pull my estimates from a long time spent on Ebay, online with various dealers, and a bit of convention-going thrown in.

The lowest price is the lowest price I've ever seen, and the highest I consider reasonable, give or take a few bucks, with both prices including shipping if you see this on an online site. Usually most pricing will fall around the middle.

Yukata Look (Casual cotton summer outfit)

What You Need (the absolute basics):
1. yukata kimono: ~$20-$100, the $100 for excellent-condition unused ones, as new ones can at times sell for $150-ish in Japan)
2. simple (one color, synthetic) hanhaba obi: ~$20-$60

Don't Forget!
-Sports bra
-Kimono underwear or a white tanktop and white skirt or leggings/shorts
-2 koshihimo or long cords or strips of fabric to tie the kimono shut and set the hem and collar
-1 obi ita board or stiff piece of posterboard to keep the obi flat in front
-cute footwear (geta ideally, but I've seen cute low heels and sandals worn by Japanese girls)