Kimonos have been an important part of Japanese tradition for many centuries. Worn for weddings, birthdays, graduations and special occasions, Japanese kimonos are more widely used in Japan than Western clothing. This article talks about the kimono and how to wear it.
Some rules for wearing the kimono
The kimono is a traditional Japanese garment worn by the majority of Japanese men and women, there are some rules to adopt in order to properly wear Japanese kimonos. To know these rules, discover this.
If you want to wear a kimono, you must first cross the left side over the right side. In fact, the left side must be on top of the right side. It is important to make sure that you do not cross your kimono in the opposite direction, since when you cross it in the opposite direction it implies that you are dead. So, avoid putting the right flap over the left flap, as this is synonymous or a symbol of death. Secondly, white tapi socks should be worn with kimonos. One of the basic rules of wearing a kimono is to wear it with white tapi socks. It is also very important to wear the obi knot in the back. In the 1600’s the obi knot could be anywhere on the kimono, either in the front, back or sides, but since 1700, the norms have changed making it mandatory to wear the knot in the back of the kimono, more precisely in the back. Finally, wearing the yukata. Moreover, the yukata is generally reserved for informal events. Note, however, that the yukata is another version of the kimono, more casual and quite light.
Some pieces that go with the kimono
The Japanese kimono is a fairly complex garment, so to wear it, you need to have the right pieces to go with it. Firstly, you need to have a knowledge of the pieces that cover the visible parts. Indeed, as we so well pointed out above, white tapi socks are very important when you want to wear a kimono to avoid being barefoot. However, if it is a yukata you are wearing, it is better to stay barefoot or to wear a coloured sock as the tradition wants. Secondly, the shoes that accompany kimonos are the zori or geta. Thirdly, the underwear is also important. Underwear is usually white.