Introduction

You might have asked yourself-- Just how does someone NOT Japanese learn about real kimono when all we know are the mass produced satin lingerie type made in Taiwan?? Or the only references we have are the Hollywood portrayals of Geisha? Heh, I know I was lucky. I stumbled in the right direction! Not that my interest was a whim, ya know... ^.^

I think the first instance I really wanted to wear kimono was receiving a postcard for a kimono show in New York City in 2001. I knew nothing about it, and I had a few months 'til the show, so I got myself a copy of The Book of Kimono. ALOT of information, but I found it too vague for any practical use. Went to the show. Totally overwhelmed. After skimming the racks for several hours, I found a few I liked and could probably wear, although I really didn't know what I was doing! o.O I definitely needed more information.

So I surfed the net for more info. Searched Ebay. It's funny, I did learn quite a bit about the types and and patterns of kimono from the Ebay sellers. Just by browsing the listings you can become very familiar with the types and variations. Sometime later I discovered these books (in Japanese, mind you) that actually showed you how to put on kimono and tie obi. My heart leapt! I could actually learn this stuff for real! Just needed to find these books. Auctions for these books are fairly rare and the bidding can be maddening. At least I learned what I needed to ask for, so I hopped over to a Japanese bookstore and asked for them. It's really amazing what you can learn just from photos!

 

The NOW!

Just a year later, there I was, wearin' kimono whenever I get the chance. ^_^ I've noticed kimono is getting fairly popular at cons lately, but frankly, most people are wearing them wrong. Granted, there are several anime characters who wear kimono or variations thereof (e.g.. Kenshin, Miyu, Kaito Jeanne), and they've been cosplayed for a while-- they usually get worn accurately to the character-- but I'm referring to non-costume kimono wearers. Either people are wearing them incorrectly, or they're wearing the wrong type! Now, I realize that proper wear is largely unknown and misunderstood, thanks to the enormous lack of accurate information here in the western part of the world.

I've been thinking about doing a workshop actually for a while, but I knew I still needed more practice and do more research. Recently, I've been given the opportunity to hold a workshop. While I certainly don't know everything there is to know about kimono, I know enough to help others get started, avoiding the mistakes I've made and missed opportunities. I think the time is right-- there's enough genuine interest to set all this up this soon for me.

OKAY!! Here we go!!

 

Mission Impossible?!

Okay, what I'm looking to accomplish is to give you a little introduction-- a little history, the types of kimono, the fashion end of it, etc. A lot of this information can be obtained from books and websites (here too), so I don't really want to spend a lot of time on that. I'm going to need the time to show you want you REALLY want to know-- how to put the darn things on right and where to get them! I will be using pieces from my own (though limited) collection for demonstration, so I'll only be able to show women's kimono. HOWEVER, for you dudes who willing to sit in a room full of gals, the techniques are similar (actually simpler <evil glare>) for men's kimono. <You may actually learn something> Plus, think of the brownie points you can win with your girlfriend by helping her put on *her* kimono! <and taking it.... um... never mind... let's keep this to a G rating, 'kay?>

 

Got kimono?

If you have a kimono of your own, BRING IT! It will so much more worthwhile to actually learn to put on your own kimono than to just watch me dress some poor soul. It will make more sense. It made more sense to me once I actually attempted to put it all on. Plus, you'll be able to show it off around the con! Of course, you'll need to have all the trappings to put it on, including an obi. Sorry, but I don't have enough to share, nor can I lend you anything. This is what you'll need:

 

My Schedule

These are the conventions I'll be hosting workshops. Just note that the times given can change.

CONVENTION	DATE & LOCATION	DAY & TIMES
AnimeNEXT	June 18 - 20, 2004 Secaucus, New Jersey	TBA

See you there!

If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to email me!

 

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