In Japan, the traditional costume is, of course, kimono. This thing symbolizes the sun and its sunrise, and the country is famous for the strict observance of all traditions. There are two types of national costume: formal and casual. Every Japanese must have at least one kimono in his wardrobe.
Japanese costume feature
Externally, the Japanese costume looks like an ordinary bathrobe, the length of which varies. In this case, the belt is an obi, a special bandage that ties a kimono to the waist. Buttons are missing, there are only twine and straps. The Japanese national costume differs from the dressing gown in that its sleeves are much wider than the arm.
The fabrics used to make kimonos do not stretch well. For the manufacture of obi used cloth.
The Japanese make rectangular patterns, unlike the Europeans, who like rounded shapes. This helps to save material, because its residues can be used again on the farm.
Historical perspective
A modern Japanese traditional costume can be identified with one of three words:
- kimono, or just an outfit;
- wafuku, or Japanese clothing;
- gofuku, or the Chinese version of clothing.
Kimono is the oldest option. This word denoted any attribute of the wardrobe in the middle of the 19th century in Japan. In the 16th century, the Portuguese reported in their reports that the Japanese use the word "kimono" to denote clothing. And they began to use it in many countries. In the Land of the Rising Sun, kimono is a universal concept of clothing. Europeans, by this word, meant precisely Japanese.
By the end of the 19th century, most Japanese adopted the western style of clothing. But the Japanese costume was significantly different from the European, so people had to select this attribute from the designation "kimono". As a result, the term wafuku appeared.
Modern residents of the Land of the Rising Sun wear a Japanese costume most often on holidays and special days.
Aesthetic question
A distinctive feature of the kimono is that it hides the flaws of the human figure. In Europe, clothing emphasizes body parts, while in Japan, only the waist and shoulders stand out. European style is characterized by relief in clothes, and Japanese - by uniformity. Such a love for planar forms is due to the fact that the Japanese follow a rule that says about the unattractiveness of the bulges and the beauty of the plane.
For example, European women wore a corset to narrow the waist, but for a kimono, the ideal figure is not significant. It is much more important to have well-groomed skin on the face, because the beauty of the body is not visible anyway.
Stylistics
Japanese costume can be casual and festive. Formality of clothing is in colors. Young women can wear daily kimonos with long sleeves, bright colors with many prints, but for older ladies more restrained models are provided.
Japanese costume for men is presented in a single form and in dark colors. In addition, the formalities of kimonos can be judged by accessories and family crests. On the official suit you can see 5 family emblems. Celebratory kimono is created from silk, and everyday - from cotton fabrics.
Women costume
Now it’s difficult for Japanese women to put on a Japanese women's costume on their own , because they do not have the proper knowledge. The standard kimono consists of 12-15 parts, hence difficulties arise. Even geisha, clearly following all the rules and traditions, can not do without the help of outsiders. Specialists in the field of “dressing” people can be called to their homes or found in beauty salons.
There are several types of female kimono in Japan. Each costume has its own name.
- A female suit with a figure below the waist is called a kurootomesode. Most often, this black kimono is the official clothing of married Japanese women. Often, such a robe can be seen at wedding ceremonies; adult women are dressed in it. Sleeves, a back are decorated with family crests of families.
- Kimono with very long sleeves is called furisode. For unmarried girls, this is the most suitable option for formal wear.
- The traditional plain Japanese costume with a pattern below the waist is called irotomesode. Less official option, having from three to five family emblems.
- Kimono for official receptions has the name Homong. The humeral part is painted. All women are allowed to wear such clothes, regardless of position.
- Tsukesage, or kimono with a slight ornament, located below the waist.
- The costume for the traditional tea ceremony was called iromuji. Often the dress is decorated with a jacquard pattern, and the attire itself is plain.
- Komon, or a suit painted with a small pattern. This outfit can be worn at least every day for a walk, in a restaurant and even at an official meeting, you just need to tie a suitable obi.
- Kimono in peas is called komon edo. In past centuries, this was the traditional attire of Japanese samurai. Now this outfit can be compared to a homongi, where there are family crests.
Kimono for men
Unlike the female, the Japanese men's suit looks much more modest and simpler: it includes 5 parts, which include shoes. Men's kimono has sleeves sewn to the side seam. As a result, only 10 cm of sleeves remain free.
The main difference between a men's suit and a female is the coloring. For sewing kimonos, fabrics of green, black, brown and blue are used, that is, dark. Most often matte material is selected. A light kimono with a regular or printed pattern is worn only on weekdays. In a sports environment, burgundy-purple suits are worn by sumo wrestlers.
Age and gender differences
Each woman wears a certain version of kimono, it all depends on age and status. This also applies to men whose suit has short sleeves with sharp corners. Married ladies wear robes with elongated sleeves and rounded corners. Young Japanese women should wear long-sleeved clothing with a round corner. And the children put on a kimono like a man’s. By the sharpness of the corners, one can judge the status of a person. Men have the highest status, while girls have the lowest.
It turns out that in Japan, even in children, the status is higher than in adolescents. Children can forgive a lot, but can not be said about young girls.
Obi are also different. Men tie the outfit with a narrow belt, but women, on the contrary, wide. And the method of setting is different.
For sewing a women's suit, you have to use more fabric, and all because it is sewn not in height, but much longer. In the case of the male version, everything is simpler: all sizes correspond to the parameters of the owner.
Do-it-yourself kimono
Kimono is clothing that does not have a certain size, so when sewing, only the length of the product is important. If you want to hide a fold of fabric under your belt, then it is advisable to choose a wider obi. To create a collar, you must use rectangular strips of fabric. The collar can be hidden under the belt, or you can leave it hanging. The length of the sleeve should be at least 54 cm, and the width should be up to 75 cm.
So, how to make a Japanese costume with your own hands? First you need to cut a rectangular strip for the back. First, cut out the "back" - a rectangle. For the front, you need the same strip, but cut in half. On the blank for the back, we cut a neck with a diameter equal to the half-circumference of the neck. To create the sleeves, you need to take 4 long rectangular parts and sew them into two wide pipes (2 parts each). The front strips are sewn with the back along the line of the shoulder edge - the neck. Sleeves must be attached to the received side seams. To the back and front of the suit you need to sew on the "pipes", which are folded in half. Then you can sew the back and front under the sleeves. The result is a bathrobe, the same as the sketch of the Japanese national costume below.
To the front are attached extensions with rectangular sections for the passage of the collar. This kimono detail can be made of two strips that are stitched together (6 cm is the optimal width). The middle of the collar is sewn to the neck, and then to the cuts on the extensions. The width of the belt should be at least 70 cm.
Even Europeans appreciated the practicality and convenience of the Japanese national costume.