Relaxing Kimono Dyeing Video

Long time, no post! I've been busy at work, but going back through my info to help someone out with some questions, I ran across this video again and wanted to share it here.

It's a lovely start-to-finish video (about ten minutes) of the traditional yuzen paste-resist process, one of the ways kimono are dyed and decorated. Get something warm to drink, relax and watch all of the incredible work that goes into making a classic yuzen kimono!

How To Sew Kimono: Construction Details for Sleeves and Body

This is an old tutorial I made a long time ago, but I don't think I ever added it here. Feel free to download it and use it as a reference sheet, and good luck with your sewing!

Important note: When I say the exact middle of the blue seam, I mean that in a horizontal sense: if you drew a line down your shoulder into your arm, the midpoint of that blue seam will be on that invisible line (as seen in the reference photo). Not that the seam itself should sit on top of your shoulder.

Also, the top inside corners of panels 5 and 6, the front overlap pieces, will get folded in and eaten up by the collar.

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.)

Spotting Fakes With Halloween Costumes

One of the requests I get most often, and can't grant, is photos of fakes, mostly due to permission issues and me not wanting to embarrass individuals.

The good news is that Halloween is a perfect time of year to test your kimono knowledge as the costume market gets flooded with knock-offs of varying quality and you can see them in-person in stores (or online if you're overseas). In all my years in America, I have yet to see a mass-produced costume that is even close to a real kimono, but it's interesting to see what gets "lost in translation" and what the designers keep.

Yesterday, I took this snapshot at a certain popular retailer. Test your knowledge: How much is wrong with this outfit? You can check your answers below.

The sleeves are wrong. There should be no contrasting hems, collars or trim. It appears to be a solid skirt on the bottom instead of one side folded over the other. The material is cheap, thin satin. The obi is also cheap satin and bunched up. They did actually get the total length and left-over-right part correct on the collar, however!

(As a note, I have nothing against people wearing these sorts of costumes for Halloween or any other costume event. :) The issue is when people assume real kimono look like the cheap costumes they've seen and get taken advantage of by unscrupulous sellers.)

Craft Tips for Using Kimono

The tradition of chopping up kimono to make into other things is a very old one, started in Japan itself as a kimono usually cycled from garment to eventual futon cover to pillows to cleaning rags to, finally, diapers.

I mention this to reassure any readers who might be nervous about using a secondhand kimono for crafts. If you want to, go for it! In my time over in Japan, I saw more than one case of this tradition being carried on, usually for clothing or crafty stuff. :)

If you've scored a deal on an old kimono or have a project in mind, here are six tips to help you avoid newbie pitfalls when shopping and working with kimono:

1. Cotton yukata tend to not be colorfast, so they need to be washed alone. You can put a whole yukata or the cotton it's made of in the dryer, usually, but it's probably going to shrink some.

2. Old, vintage kimono may be weaker and less forgiving when sewing. I made a short sheath dress out of a beat-up, vintage silk boy's kimono, and when I had to pull the threads from one line of stitching it left whitish marks on the black silk.

3. Those big, beautiful patterns across the entire bottom or side of some kimono are not a solid piece: they're painted or embroidered onto the kimono itself, which in the body is basically 6 narrow vertical panels about 12"-14" wide each (though the two in front are narrower and taper up into points to accomodate the curve of the collar). So be prepared for a number of vertical seams running through the design if you intend on lifting it whole and using it for something else.

4. Kimono, minus washable synthetics and cottons, can't be tossed in the wash, and may not respond well to handwashing or dry cleaning. They're basically spot treat as best you can, so don't use them for any projects that will need frequent cleaning.

5. Vintage silk kimono can sometimes smell musty or like mothballs, depending on how they were stored. The best way to deal with this is hang the kimono outside on a breezy, sunny day and let it air out for an entire day. If this doesn't work, I've used Febreze on the inside of the kimono only.

6. If parts of a design on a kimono look like a true white in a seller's online photograph, that's no guarantee they actually will be. I've been burned a few times myself with this one, so be prepared that you may get more of an aged cream than a true white and, I'd say, don't base your project around the whites of a kimono unless it's sitting in front of you already and you can verify the color in person.

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.

Tips for Newbies: Halloween Geisha Costumes

If you're thinking of doing a geisha outfit this year for Halloween and are new to geisha or kimono, here are a few of the biggest mistakes newbies tend to make and mass-produced costumes tend to feature.

I'm not going for the strict, hardcore "OMG your seasonal kanzashi hair ornament is for APRIL, not MARCH!" level of critque, but rather eliminating the common elements of the ubiquitous and borderline offensive "geisha girl" costume to make it closer to reality.

1. Chopsticks in the hair - Japanese people don't wear chopsticks in their hair, nor do they wear ornaments in the giant X pattern you seem to see on a lot of the lower quality costumes.

2. Random multiple buns of hair piled on the head (you've seen this wig, you know you have!) - Honestly, the actual wig geisha wear is a complicated piece of work, but it definitely doesn't resemble a human-hair snowman. Aim for one higher-placed bun toward the back of your head and leave it at that.

3. Cheongsam - The cute satin dresses with slits up the side, high collars, and usually a diagonal line of buttons across the chest are Chinese, not Japanese. Wearing one with whiteface and calling it a geisha costume gives the impression you don't know or don't care that China and Japan are two very separate and very distinct countries and cultures.

4. Bad "geisha" makeup - Quarterback-heavy black eyeliner, defined red circles on the cheeks, or even kanji (characters) written on the face are not flattering on just about anyone or in the right ballpark for geisha. If you do whiteface, skip the grease paint red circles and instead apply a simple subtle pink blush on your cheeks, as you would do with your normal make-up, over the whiteface, and apply a bit to your eyes as well. Keep the eyeliner thin, just enough to define your eyes. For lips, red done in a smaller pout than usual is good but don't make the red, for example, only a half-inch across.

Cosplay: Can You Use Real Kimono for Bleach Characters?

So lately I've gotten sucked into the anime Bleach. Yes, I'm amazingly late to the party, but you'll have to forgive me. I have a soft spot for stubborn heroes with giant swords (my favorite series ever is good old Berserk).

Now that I've seen a few episodes, I better understand some of the questions I've gotten from people at conventions and festivals about using kimono with Bleach characters. If you're curious, here's a quick breakdown of the differences between what your average Shinigami is wearing compared to traditional clothing.

 Main character Ichigo Kurosaki in the standard Shinigami uniform.

Kimono (top half visually): The collar and drape are similar to a real black men's kimono, but the entire front of the sleeve is open. On non-martial arts kimono the hole is only long enough for the hand to stick through, and is sewn shut the rest of the way down. The white you see along the sleeves and collar in the outfit is likely intended to be the underrobe (juban).

Hakama (bottom half, pants): These look to be largely the same, but traditional hakama ties are the same color and material as the rest of the hakama. The Shinigami have contrasting ties.

Tabi (socks) and straw zori (sandals): These look to be the same as traditional versions.

Captain's Coats (the white ones): The coats appear to be based on men's haori (kimono jackets) as they hang down the front rather than fold over, but the designs along the hems are not traditional, and the sleeves are wholly open again when normal ones are sewn shut below the wrist, like the above-mentioned kimono.

So, could you use traditional clothes to create a basic Shinigami costume? I think so. Here's what you'd need:

1. Black men's kimono and white juban (men's or women's, as women's are easier to find online in all white)- Use a seam ripper on the sleeve hole opening of the kimono and resew the hem along it to make it completely open.

EDIT (9/26/10): Having seen a few more episodes, it looks like the back of the sleeves are open too! Long story short, that means a woman's kimono is more accurate to the costume because men's sleeves and the body's side seams are sewn shut. In women's they're open (the side seam several inches), where you could physically stick your hand into the side of a woman's kimono under her arm and also into her sleeve from the back (the wider women's obi types normally cover up the side seam opening in normal kimono wearing).

Juban, the underkimono, shouldn't need any resewing as the sleeves on juban are normally open in the front, but you'll need a long, inch-wide strip of soft, non-slick fabric to tie it shut before you put the kimono on over it. Anything thinner will cut into your skin over the course of a day.

2. Men's obi-  This is worn over the kimono but under the hakama pants and is what keeps your kimono shut. The knot you tie in the back also helps create the bump seen under the pants in the back. As this isn't really seen except as a tiny line above the hakama ties (if you want to be traditional about it rather than hide it entirely), this could easily be faked with a cheaper substitute made of stiff fabric.

3. Men's black hakama- Cut off the normal ties and use them as guides to sew your own out of the white fabric of your choice.

4. Captain's coat- This gets trickier as men's haori don't often come in white. You'd probably be better off making your own than trying to find a vintage haori and altering it.

5. Tabi and zori- Check Ebay and online dealers for these as they're ready to go as is. Straw zori can be a bit tougher to find, however, as well as larger sizes.

If you assemble all or some of this down the road and would like to know how to traditionally put it on, there are some good videos on Youtube for dressing in kimono and hakama with a lean toward the martial arts angle (which I think the Shinigami definitely fall under!). My favorite is an easy-to-follow series by an Iaido practioner, which starts with this video on clothing basics and continues on with Part 2 (hakama), and more if you're interested in how to wear a katana. etc.

The sharp-eyed of you will immediately note he has white ties on his hakama, but he explains early on that he switched them out to a different color to make them easier to see. ;)

Kimono images courtesy Ichiroya and used with permission.

Transparent Kimono with Lines in It - Real or Fake?

My economic situation in college encouraged a lot of thrifting, which is where I picked up my first few kimono. One of them, I decided, was a fake or underwear because it had open lines running through the weave of the fabric that made it half-transparent.

Years later, after throwing it away (doh!), I learned that's just "summer weight" weave and is completely kimono-legitimate. There are few specific kinds of summer weight weaves, one of the most common being "ro" weave, where you can see through lines to the layer underneath.

Here are a few examples of summer-weight pieces:

"Ro" men's formal haori jacket detail (family crest)

Look carefully at the first maiko's collar and the sleeve of the second one to see the telltale lines in their kimono. Bottom two photos by Onihide and used with permission.

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

Kimono Shopping Online: Two Words to Watch Out For

When shopping online for kimono, you're likely to run across a host of Japanese terms, two of which can lead to an unpleasant surprise if you don't know them: "karieba" かりえば and "karinui" かりぬい.

These words mean the same thing: a kimono that has been basted into the final shape but has not actually been sewn. If you buy a karieba/karinui kimono, you'll have to sew it together yourself or find a seamstress to do it for you.

A visual giveaway for a karieba kimono is that the sleeves will often in photos seem very square down along the bottoms, rather than the more rounded edges you see on women's kimono and the very rounded edges you see on furisode, young women's kimono. Below is a karieba furisode followed by a finished one: take a look at the sleeve bottoms to see the difference.

Photos copyright Ichiroya and used with permission.

Yukata Project Results

My "yukata from scratch" experiment is finished! I don't feel confident enough to create a pattern for others to follow, but I will say that it can be done. :) In lieu of that I'd recommend Folkwear's kimono pattern. The fabric is a Japanese-print cotton I picked up on sale at JoAnn's, and the yukata took 4 yards at $6 per yard.

The final result is a yukata that I feel would be ok for a costume or possibly Japanese festival, but the cotton is smoother and drapes more than traditional yukata cotton. So to a trained eye, it's apparent the yukata is a homemade one and can't truly pass for a real one. However, for costuming purposes it's not a bad deal at the $24 I spent on it.

Courtney grabbed a few snapshots of me in the finished product, which I'm mostly happy with in terms of sewing save the wobbly collar. The adorable doggy is our neighbor's: he's single-handedly converted me to future Shih Tsu ownership.

Yukata Sewing Project: Wish Me Luck!

For my latest personal sewing challenge, I've decided to take a shot at sewing my first kimono, a cotton summer yukata, using no pattern and working out my own instructions as I go along. If it works out well, I'll post my instructions and pattern here.

The idea is to use locally available, affordable fabric to create a yukata that is a good fit and as accurate as possible, for either nice costumes/cosplays or summer festivals, along the way creating simple, customizable instructions even beginning sewers can follow. I know there are several patterns out there already, but me working it out for myself will be part of the challenge.

My local JoAnn's had this lovely cotton print that isn't far off from traditional yukata designs, which often feature clumps of patterns set on empty backgrounds, and exactly enough yardage left for what I need. I'll take it as a good sign for the project. :)

Kimono Sewing Tips: Fabric and Pattern Check

If you decide to make your own kimono and get a good sewing pattern (Folkwear's is your best bet from the ones I've seen), you're halfway to a great kimono.

The other half of the battle is getting fabrics that are appropriate for what you're trying to make. While it can be tough to find exactly what you're after, you can at least get in the ballpark with fabrics from local shops or on the Internet. You can also get actual kimono bolts (called tan or tanmono) at Ebay and other places online.

Kimono, depending on formality, are made of either 100% cotton, wool, high-grade polyester (not the cheap shiny stuff you see on bathrobes), or heavy and matte silk.

If you want to be traditional, make yours as following:

summer kimono (yukata) - cotton

small pattern for casual wear (komon) - wool, polyester, silk

visiting wear (tsukesage/houmongi)/most formal married women's (kurotomesode)/formal young women's with long sleeves (furisode) - silk

If you're not interested in getting the exact fabric traditionally needed and just want to make a kimono for a simple costume or cosplay, there are a lot of great cotton bolts out there that are Japanese-y enough to do the trick. Just make sure the pattern is actually Japanese and not Chinese (one of the biggest mistakes folks new to kimono make).

A good general rule is that "hard", geometric characters in circles, etc. are usually Chinese, as are lots of dragons, and anything made of shiny satin brocade.

Here are some samples of Japanese-themed cotton fabrics from Legacy Studio, found at my local JoAnn's a couple of weeks ago.

Yamatoku Classic on Ebay - $20 Ko-Furisode

While looking through Ebay listings tonight, I saw kimono dealer Yamatoku Classic has posted 160 ko-furisode with $19.99 Buy It Now prices.

There are different sleeve lengths one can get with a furisode, with ko being the shortest and most casual. The fact they have multiple kimono of the exact same pattern, plus the material's listing as synthetic and the unique sleeve only patterns, make me think these are probably stage costumes of some kind.

However, if you're looking for a fun cosplay or Halloween costume, this would make a great accurate alternative to all the satin-bathrobe versions out there.

EDIT: It turns out most of them are meant to be worn with hakama for graduation ceremonies, which would explain the lack of patterns along the bottom as you wear the hakama pants over them. I learned something today, to quote South Park. ;)

Kimono Knowledge: Yukata FAQ

As we move more and more into yukata season, here are some questions I've seen and heard about this fun and casual kimono type.

What is a yukata? ゆかた、浴衣

It's an unlined cotton summer kimono, worn mostly to festivals and firework shows in the months of July and August (you see some in June, but most of the summer festivals are in those last two months).

Who can wear yukata?

Anybody! There are yukata for women, girls, and men, though men don't wear them as often or opt for "jimbei" 甚平 (a matching shorts and shirt combo) instead, which is what little boys wear as well.

What do I need to wear one?

For women or men, a yukata, a hanhaba (half-width) obi 半幅帯 (women) or kaku obi 角帯(men), tank top and leggings, shorts or a plain short skirt to wear for underwear as yukata are a bit thin, and for women two long strips of cloth to tie the yukata in place and an obi-ita or piece of posterboard to tuck in the obi front to keep it smooth. For shoes, wooden geta are traditional but in recent years guys and girls have also started wearing Western-style sandals (nicer than flip flops).

How do I put one on?

Beyond the very basic "left over right" rule, check out Youtube, which has a bunch of entries for "how to wear yukata". I'm partial to the previously-linked Ichiroya's for thoroughness and clarity, but you'll notice if you watch my list above is a stripped-down version of their "what you need" and I skip the towel-padding, for a couple of reasons: Texas heat and I have a bit of padding naturally. ;)

Is it OK for foreigners to wear yukata?

It's pretty much ok for foreigners to wear any kind of kimono in Japan, save religious garments or kimono worn sloppily/disrespectfully, but yukata are a great starting point for any foreign kimono wearer, as it's the easiest kind to collect and put on and is more "trendy" and open to stylistic interpretation than other kinds.

Can I wash the yukata?

Yes. Most yukata are machine washable (while other kimono are definitely not). However, mine always bleed color like nobody's business so wash yours on gentle by itself, with nothing else in the machine. As an experiment I also dried mine on low and had it not shrink, but it's definitely best to air dry them. (In Japan, most homes air-dry clothes, so not much comes "pre-shrunk" and safe for Western dryers.)

Can I wash the obi?

Tough call. I've never washed mine, but you should be able to spot treat with mild bath soap and water. Test a small area on the back side first if you're going to try.

What are some shopping pitfalls?

Watch out for satin, polyester, etc. Yukata are cotton only. Never buy any that has a matching belt of the same material as those are fakes. Make sure it's an adult size and not a kid's (usually your first hint is the lower price). If it's white with small blue patterns, it's usually a bathrobe type and not meant to be worn out of the house (especially if it comes with a very thin belt in dark blue or red).

Where can I wear them?

Any Japanese gardens, festivals, cultural events, or just a picnic with your friends. If you put one on and really like it, trust me: you'll find a place to wear it!

What's that little bag/purse thing called you see people carrying around while in their yukata?

It's called a "kinchaku" 巾着. Usually they're perfectly sized for a cellphone, bit of cash and a make-up compact, with men's being more subdued.

Do men really use fans in Japanese summers?

Yes, sometimes. There's nothing more attractive than a good-looking guy with nice hands fanning himself. Or maybe that's just me...

Are you just making up questions at this point?

I could be. Hey, look! It's people in yukata!

Photos by Corpse Reviver, Wikimedia.

Kimono on a Budget: Part 3

Today's post (really I ought to rename this series "Ebay and Kimono on a Budget") focuses on another way to keep the American shopper's kimono costs down: tracking down the elusive "authentic kimono seller who lives in the US" on Ebay.

Domestic sellers mean much cheaper shipping rates, which can save you quite a bit as you can at times pay just as much for shipping things like a cheap obi from Japan as you spent buying it. I know for me most of my obi from Japan were 50% cost ($18-30) and 50% shipping (another $20-$30).

The quickest way to narrow down your search: once you go to Ebay and log in, click "advanced search" on the right on the home page. Enter your desired keywords and then scroll down until you see "Location". Click that radio button and then click the button that says "Located in United States". Scroll down to the bottom and hit "Search". Then choose "Cultures and Ethnicities" on the left to narrow things down further.

You'll notice a lot more mislabeling and fakes, as American sellers tend to not be as knowledgeable about kimono as most Japanese ones, but good deals can occasionally be found. Right now, for example, a gorgeous black kimono with red lining (I believe that's an old wedding one, not a geisha one, but I could be wrong) is up for $0.99, with only $15 shipping. Another US seller has several yukata starting at $0.99 with $15 in shipping.

If you'd like to check out other entries in this series, search the blog for "kimono on a budget" and happy shopping!

Pattern Review (Lite) - Folkwear #151

A friend of mine is making kataginu (the super-wide shouldered vest samurai would wear over their formal kimono at times) as part of a costume. As he's new to sewing, I went over to help him get started, and got a peek at Folkwear Pattern #151 ("kamishimo", the matched set of kataginu and hakama pants worn with kimono).

From the Folkwear site:

"Since the Hakama is simply a large rectangle of fabric that is pleated to fit your body, the pattern does not have a large rectangle pattern piece (waste of paper!). Instead, there are complete instructions for measuring, cutting, and pleating the traditional Hakama skirt/pant in any size. The pattern does include actual pattern pieces for Small, Medium-Large, and Sumo-Size Koshiita (Backboard) and Koshiita Triangles. For contemporary sportswear, pattern also includes instructions for optional side panels to fill in the side-seam gaps that expose the underlying kimono in traditional wear.


The wide-shoulder Kataginu can be made to match the Hakama for a traditional samurai appearance or as a contrasting wearable art accent. Easy to pleat and sew, it completes a dramatic outfit."

The pattern was clearly labeled and the instructions were easy to follow: the pattern looks like a nice starting point for a good samurai costume. I may have to order it for myself!

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.