More kimono practice.
This is actually an inexpensive washable kimono. It has nifty built-in ties to make it easier to put on. I like the pattern, which looks just like
same (pronounced sah-may). Same is ray skin, which is used on sword handles. I don't like the fabric. A lot of the pleasure I get from the kimono is tactile, and this just doesn't cut it. If you would like this kimono to come live with you, drop me a line. It's yours. No, you can't have the obi. The obi rocks.
I absolutely love the obi. It has
shishi (Foo dogs) on it and stripes. The stripes give it a
Victor Vasarely feel. Eiko-san's
danna (husband), Aizawa-san, found it for me. It was hiding in a bale of other, not-so-great obi. Did I mention I absolutely love this obi! Foo Dogs!
FOO DOGS!
Check out the drum knot. I told you it was a cool obi. Shishi are not a common motif and the obi was in mint condition. I mangled it a little during practice, so now it's slightly-less-than-mint. Oops.
My most recent aquisition. This is a Taisho Era (1912 - 1925) kimono. It has the narrow
eri (collar) and the bold designs are typical of the era. Taisho and early Showa period are my favorites. I really like Western clothes from the 1920's and 30's, too. In Western Art, Art Deco is one of my favorite styles along with Futurism. In case you were wondering, this is my favorite sculpture, ever:
Sculptural Construction of Noise and Speed It is much, much better in person, so if you're ever in Washington, DC visiting the Smithonian, stop by the Hirshhorn Museum and visit it. An ex-boyfriend once remarked that my fascination with something entitled "Noise and Speed" didn't suprise him in the least. Blppptttt. Back to the kimono.
Another shot of the kimono. This is one of those kimono that are uuuuugly when folded up or even laid out flat. Chris wouldn't say so, but when I showed it to him while it was still folded up, I could tell he throught it was craptacular. It really came to life once it was put on. The obiage is actually a modern, cheap-ass scarf from the BX. But it looks great!
The silk for this kimono is
rinzu, which has a woven pattern in it. I believe we call it "damask" in English. The vintage fabric is wonderfully soft and has a lovely, flowing hand. Some of the appeal of the old fabrics is that they just can't reproduce the silk nowadays (different farming techniques for silkworm, different dyes, etc).
A shot of the obi, before it is tied up. I need to ask Eiko-san how to deal with this kind of pattern on an obi, because when I tie it up, most of it disappears. You can see my Tansu (kimono chest), stuffed full of kimono, in the mirror. I've left the doors open, like a total slob!
The "treasure ship" motif is lucky. The tomato-looking things are actually
tachibana (flowers of the bitter orange tree). The same pattern is featured in the kimono.
A close-up of the
mune (chest area). It really is a lovely, lively design. There are also
Nadeshiko (Sweet William),
Botan or Kiku (Chrysanthemum) and
Ume (Plum) blossoms, in addition to the Tachibana.
A brighter shot, so you can see how vivid the colors are. I love the use of yellow and teal in the color scheme. The bits of white is what really makes it, though.
This is actually an inexpensive washable kimono. It has nifty built-in ties to make it easier to put on. I like the pattern, which looks just like same (pronounced sah-may). Same is ray skin, which is used on sword handles. I don't like the fabric. A lot of the pleasure I get from the kimono is tactile, and this just doesn't cut it. If you would like this kimono to come live with you, drop me a line. It's yours. No, you can't have the obi. The obi rocks.
I absolutely love the obi. It has shishi (Foo dogs) on it and stripes. The stripes give it a Victor Vasarely feel. Eiko-san's danna (husband), Aizawa-san, found it for me. It was hiding in a bale of other, not-so-great obi. Did I mention I absolutely love this obi! Foo Dogs! FOO DOGS!
Check out the drum knot. I told you it was a cool obi. Shishi are not a common motif and the obi was in mint condition. I mangled it a little during practice, so now it's slightly-less-than-mint. Oops.
My most recent aquisition. This is a Taisho Era (1912 - 1925) kimono. It has the narrow eri (collar) and the bold designs are typical of the era. Taisho and early Showa period are my favorites. I really like Western clothes from the 1920's and 30's, too. In Western Art, Art Deco is one of my favorite styles along with Futurism. In case you were wondering, this is my favorite sculpture, ever: Sculptural Construction of Noise and Speed It is much, much better in person, so if you're ever in Washington, DC visiting the Smithonian, stop by the Hirshhorn Museum and visit it. An ex-boyfriend once remarked that my fascination with something entitled "Noise and Speed" didn't suprise him in the least. Blppptttt. Back to the kimono.
Another shot of the kimono. This is one of those kimono that are uuuuugly when folded up or even laid out flat. Chris wouldn't say so, but when I showed it to him while it was still folded up, I could tell he throught it was craptacular. It really came to life once it was put on. The obiage is actually a modern, cheap-ass scarf from the BX. But it looks great!
The silk for this kimono is rinzu, which has a woven pattern in it. I believe we call it "damask" in English. The vintage fabric is wonderfully soft and has a lovely, flowing hand. Some of the appeal of the old fabrics is that they just can't reproduce the silk nowadays (different farming techniques for silkworm, different dyes, etc).
A shot of the obi, before it is tied up. I need to ask Eiko-san how to deal with this kind of pattern on an obi, because when I tie it up, most of it disappears. You can see my Tansu (kimono chest), stuffed full of kimono, in the mirror. I've left the doors open, like a total slob!
The "treasure ship" motif is lucky. The tomato-looking things are actually tachibana (flowers of the bitter orange tree). The same pattern is featured in the kimono.
A close-up of the mune (chest area). It really is a lovely, lively design. There are also Nadeshiko (Sweet William), Botan or Kiku (Chrysanthemum) and Ume (Plum) blossoms, in addition to the Tachibana.
A brighter shot, so you can see how vivid the colors are. I love the use of yellow and teal in the color scheme. The bits of white is what really makes it, though.
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