Even if the kimono originally came from China, they have been worn in Japan for hundreds of years, and the kimono attained its height of beauty in 17th and 18th century Japan.
Traditionally, the cloth and color combinations indicated the wearer’s social or political standing and kimono colors varied with the time of year. The kimono is no longer purely a traditional garment.
Traditionally, all Japanese girls learned to sew and make their own clothes. But sewing was less difficult than in the west. The kimono, haori and girdle, and even the long hanging sleeves, had only parallel seams. The clothes were, actually, taken apart for washing, and each piece, after being slightly starched, was stretched on a board to dry, before being stitched back together again.
There are many different types of kimono pattern: the long-sleeved, beautiful kinds worn by geisha or young girls, the formal kimono stamped with the wearer’s emblem and worn on formal occasions; kimono for men and children’s kimonos. A young girl would wear a kimono with long sleeves and an Obi, a wide silk or brocade band about 12 feet long and twelve inches wide. As she gets older, the kimono designs become smaller and the colors deeper and richer while the obi is worn lower and made narrower. In addition, haori, a short knee length kimono, is often worn. These days, a kimono is usually only worn on special occasions and is mostly worn by women, but some men also wear this garment. Both haori and kimono may be hung on a hard wood bar as wall decoration.
As an ideal gift or indulgence, kimono clothing is extremely versatile, and makes a welcome addition to anyone’s wardrobe.
Perhaps the most popular color for a kimono is red, derived from safflower. The yukata has much in common with the kimono, only it is made of light-weight cotton and is more casual.
