The kinds of kimono and the correct order in which to wear them
There are various kinds of kimono. They are not worn on alone like a T-shirt . The kimono which ordinary people wear is divided into the kinds shown on the lower figures . Other kinds kimonos are put on for a special event or a shrine ritual. Kimono has neither a zipper nor a button . It is fixed with string and belt unique for kimono . It is better to wear the special footwear for kimono, when putting on kimono. There are five kind of footwear . Basically , they are ‘zori’, ‘seeta’, ‘geta’, ‘waraji’, ‘jikatabi’. ‘Tabi’ are Japanese socks . Japanese footwear is more healthily than Occidental shoes , but whenever the foot is accidentally stepped on , it is painful .
About the correct order in which to wear it
1 First , put on the tabi , and then put on the underwear . There is an undergarment for the upper body and for the lower body. There is also a one-piece shape in the underwear for women. ‘Hada-juban’ is the underwear of the upper half of the body . There are two kinds of underwear for the lower half of the body and they are a wrapped skirt type and trouser type . ‘Momohiki’ is the trouser type underwear for men , it is also called ‘patch’ . Althought there is the trouser type for women , it is not called either ‘patch’ nor ‘momohiki’ , it is called ‘under-slacks’ . ‘Susoyoke’ is the wrapped skirt type of underwear . How to choose is purely a matter of personal taste ….。
2 A woman should put on a brassiere for kimono before wearing the underwear . A towel and gauze can be substituted although there is a foundation garment for kimono. A woman wraps a towel above the pelvis level . The towel wrapped over the female breast prevents deformation of the collar . A man wraps the towel around the upper part of the pelvis. A person who needs no foundation garment for kimono should not think it’s something to be proud of !
3 Next please put on ‘naga-juban’. Do not wear ‘naga-juban’ in front of people ., it’s not good manners .
‘Han-eri’ is worn over the top . There are various kinds of ‘han-eri’. It can be changed whenever you like .
If ‘han-eri’ becomes dirty or rumpled , it must be washed and changed.
4 ’Nagagi’ is kimono foundation. There are many people who call ‘nagagi’ ‘kimono’.
Here, the whole is called ‘Kimono’ for Japanese folk costumes.
The method of wearing ‘nagagi’ for a man and woman is different.
Therefore, the form is also different .The difference is published on another page.
The size of all the kimonos is decided on the basis of the size of ‘nagagi’.
All the other sizes can be known if the size of the nagagi is known.
5 Around the waist a fabric belt is worn.
There is a difference in length and width between a man and woman .
A woman is completed in this figure. The man calls this appearance 『 kinagashi 』.
This is the way it can be worn everyday.
6 There are three methods when a man goes out in public .
The first method is wearing a haori.
The second method is putting on a hakama.
The third method is wearing both a haori and a hakama.
‘Haori’ and ‘hakama’ are men’s formal attire . Of course , you may carry out these three figures everyday.
For the first time when a man buys kimono, a draper recommends buying ‘nagaju-ban’, ‘nagagi’, and ‘haori’ all together.
When going out , even in the hot time of summer, it is necessary to put on ‘haori .
A haori is safer than a hakama , because those who have not got used to a hakama will have trouble in a public lavatory , for sure !
6 Nowadays ‘hifu is hardly worn. Sometimes a girl wears it to celebrate being three years old. Even if a woman puts on ‘haori’, it doesn’t become ‘full dress’ like man , it is informal dress style. There is a historical background. ‘Hifu’ and ‘haori’for women can be worn anywhere except in a public place .
7 A coat is not formal wear or semi-evening dress . It is greatly different from ‘haori’. A coat is worn outside only , you should take it off in the room. Since a man rarely wear a kimono, there are rarely those who prepare a coat for kimono . The collar type of coat has many kinds . The name of those coats is the same as the collars name .
About ’han-juban’
‘Han-juban’ is the clothes style which is made when a hada-juban and a naga-juban are unite.
The material worn on the upper body is made from the cloth of ‘ hada-juban ‘.
There is both ‘ hada-juban ‘style and ‘ naga-juban’ style for the lower body..
The sleeve of the underwear is changed the sleeve of a naga-juban .
The collar of ‘hada-juban’ is remodeled like the collar of naga-juban , and is attached to ‘ han-eri’ . ‘Han-juban’ are the clothes for softening the summer heat.
About ’yukata’
‘Yukata’ is formally called ‘yukatabira’ . In earlier days , it was worn when going to a public bath, and it was like a pajama . Nowadays, it became ‘town wear’ which can be worn easily in summer. ‘ Naga-juban ‘ is not worn when wearing ‘yukata’. ‘Hanhaba-obi’ is worn when a woman wears a ‘yukata’ . This belt is easier to put on than other belts , which means this can be worn easily compared to other kimonos. When wearing a yukata, wooden clogs are worn with bare feet . The wooden clogs , in Japanese , are called ‘geta’
About the layered look
There was a custom of wearing kimono in many layers among aristocratic circles. They wore multiple layers of the kimono of a different color . The representation is ‘twelve-layered ceremonial kimono’ which the noble woman wore at the Heian Age.(794-1192). Livin in this kimono is difficult and serious . Althought I do not wear it , it is very heavy and wa can not walk . It has been heard of noblewomen having worn a maximum of 18 layered. The tradition of the layerd look is inherited by only formal wear and ceremonial wear nowadays. People of the Edo period (1603-1868) wore layers of four or three ‘Nagagi’ . People of the Meiji period (1868-1912) wore layers of three or two ‘nagagi’. As a time progresses, number of ‘nagagi’ became fewer. It is called ‘sanmai-gasane’ to wear layers of three ‘nagagi, . It is called ‘nimai-gasane’ to wear layers of two ‘nagagi’. The parts of ‘sanmai-gasane’ are called ‘upper garment’, ‘middle garment’and ‘under garment’ from the top. The parts of ‘nimai-gasane’ are called ‘upper garment’ and ‘under garment’ from the top. It became ‘nimai-gasane’ when it was in the Showa (1926-1988) . it is sewn with the fly front of the Japanese style nowadays. In formal wear , it is decided that the color of ‘under garment’ , the ‘han-eri’ and the ‘tabi’ will be white . Man also has to wear a haori and a hakama . ‘Nagagi’ is the name specified in a textbook which the Ministry of Education published at the Taisho Age (1912-1926). Almost Japanese do not know the word ‘nagagi’ , it hardly teaches about a kimono by compulsory education.
About the shape of the sleeve
The upper figures are kimono which ordinary Japanese people wear.
There is no ‘nagagi’ with half sleeves .
It worn with long sleeves even during a hot summer.
The kimono that the townspeople and the samurai class wore originated during the Edo Age.
There are also sleeveless haori and the kimono of tubular sleevese , this is worn over the top .