The kimono is the national costume of Japan. Originally the word “kimono” literally meant thing to wear (ki wearing and mono thing). Eventhough it is the traditional dress of Japan, nowadays it is worn on formal occassions.

A kimono clad young lady…

Kimono is sometimes accused of an impractical form of dress, but it has the advantage of giving the wearer a graceful and elegant apperance. Now in Japan special courses on how to put on and wear kimono are available. Also to reinforce its culture and public relations and to introduce foreign vistors to it a number of Kimono shows are conducted. A few shots from one such Kimono show are posted here.

With the famous Japanese Fans…

Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes that fall to the ankle, with collars and wide, full-length sleeves. Kimono are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial) and secured by a wide belt called an obi, which is usually tied at the back. Kimono are generally worn with traditional footwear and split-toe socks.

Today, kimono are most often worn by women, and on special occasions.
The young lady is wearing a number of layers of beautiful kimonos amounting to a weight of 15 kg!

Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of kimono called ‘furisode’ which have floor-length sleeves, on special occasions. A few older women and even fewer men still wear kimono on a daily basis.

Men wear kimono most often at weddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or very formal occasions. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in kimono because they are required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever appearing in public. They commonly wear the kind of casual Japanese attire that is referred to as ‘yukata’, which is of plain unlined cotton.

Men wearing Kimonos….(This photo is from internet).

Here comes a group of models wearing the colouful, beautiful and elegant Japanese Kimonos….

 

http://swapnashree.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/07/a-fashion-show-from-japan.htm