Kimono Hime

Inspired by Kimono Hime. I dressed in my lilac antique iro tomesode. I love this kimono, it’s a wonderful shade of lilac, long sleeves as was the fashion before the world war, beautiful tachibana family crests and a very subtle yuzen painted pattern at the hem with a little embroidery. I think this kimono was meant for a lady a little bit older then me, because the pattern is so low and so subtle. But, I have seen old pre war pictures of women in their thirties wearing kimono like this. So maybe this is a more modern rule. Never mind that I thought to make it younger. The kimono is lovely, but (maybe too old) too short and not wide enough… so I decided to try and wear the kimono in the kimono hime style
This book or magazine shows a new kind of kimono fashion, it is meant for young girls/women to promote kimono wear. Very often antique kimono are used and combined with funky new things and dressed in a surprising style, I love the books they are a great inspiration.

So I tried… I dressed in a long sheer white dress instead of a hadajuban and susojoke over that I wear a beautifully patterned ro silk vintage nagajuban. Then the hitoe iro tomesode with a black ro silk obi and red accessories. The purse and zori are pink (like the nagajuban) and the sole has almost exactly the same warm red color as the obi age, funny and cool,

I feel I could go shopping in this combination!

The way I dressed today is pretty bland, almost boring compared to what you see in the book. Maybe I’ll try later, but I must say, this almost decent way feels more save to me ^_^ Even so, it might be fun to try and be a little more bold…

This kimono is formal, of course with the five family crests I would look quite overdressed in the city center for some window shopping, but, I thought by dressing down so much, using a western dress as handajuban-susoyoke and the non orthodox obi and accessories combination… the whole dress would become informal, the crests just decoration.