This post about cutting up the black and white kimono is sort of interesting... You can see the original kimono jacket that Tetsu's aunt was wearing at our engagement ceremony. Go check it out and have a laugh!
Kimonos are fantastically expensive things, all hand made. Most are made of silk though winter ones will be made of wool. The simple cotton summer kimonos are called yukata, not kimono. When I say fantastically expensive, I'm talking about hundredS of dollars. Hundreds and hundreds! A kimono is a lifetime purchase, something that will be worn for generations and generations, passed down and cherished.
Except if you have a foreign daughter-in-law... Well, actually very few young women wear kimono nowadays, except for an entrance ceremony or graduation. It is no longer considered everyday wear. Until the year that Tetsu and I were married (not long after his father passed away) Tetsu's mother still wore kimono daily. She said that Tetsu's father didn't like her wearing western clothes.
When Tetsu's mother gave me a box of her old kimono I knew I would never wear them as is and so I chose a few I especially liked, borrowed a sewing book from the library and started cutting and sewing. This is a great act of courage to cut up a kimono!!!!I have made two shirts and two vests.
One thing about sewing with kimono is that since it is so expensive you want to get the most out of the cloth. Another thing is that the designs are overall and it is nice to leave the fabric in as big a piece as possible to show of the original design. For that reason, my shirts are just long straight, square blocks with similar block sleeves. I liked the overlapping collar just because it reminds me of the original kimono.Now, these could be said to look like a sack I'd thrown over my head... No form, no body fitting darts and curves. Just straight. Well that is good for hiding extra flab... and the shirts are comfortable. Most people just notice that I'm wearing a remade kimono and will comment on that. I get a lot of comments when I wear my kimono shirts and I know it is not because of my great sewing, nor how fantastic I look in them. It is because this foreigner has cut up an expensive kimono!!!
A couple of other interesting things I've noticed about my kimono shirts is that when I wore them in America not one person commented nor asked about them. I felt very out of place like I was wearing a Halloween costume or something. What I wear in Japan does not always go over so well in the States (and vice versa). So I don't take my kimono shirts with me to the States when I visit anymore.Another thing about kimono shirts is that I know that they will remain in my closet for the rest of my life. Just like Tetsu's mother wouldn't consider throwing away a kimono (give them to Tanya) I will never be able to throw them away or take them to a recycle shop. They are valuable pieces of attire (whether they look good or not). For that reason, I hesitate to make more... I already have too many clothes in my closet! I don't need another kimono shirt that will live there forever!
Still.... I have some beautiful kimonos that could turn into great kimono shirts... Maybe I'll go take them out of the box and look at them again...
6 comments:
I loved the dark blue kimono shirt you wore the other day, in your post. It looks so comfortable and I really like the neck line of it.
I LOVE the shirts you made, especially the collar detail. I think they're fabulous! I can't believe nobody commented on them in the States. They're gorgeous!!!
I too, love the neckline in the shirts and of course, the fabric is beautiful. I would wear them!
Ah, I remember the lovely lavender/purple shirt w/o sleeves...seeing you wear that in pictures..and to me, it is just a sleeveless shirt..doesn't look like anything else but:) How nice that Mother gave you those expensive garments..I had absolutely no idea of their original cost; what a shock to my bargain-hunting ears..giggle.. You have made some really very beautiful pieces of clothing. We have a lady in our area who repurposes clothing. At an art festival last Sept., she was modeling a gorgeous jacket, 3/4 length,that she made from gentlemen's neckties. And she had a denim skirt, made from a pair of man's blue jeans, plus many other items of repurposed clothing..she considers it a "craft" not getting new clothes...about the only thing I've repurposed is to take a couple of blue jean legs, cut them to the shape I want, line them, making sure I use the parts of the legs, actually, the backseat, of the jeans, so I get a pocket on the outside..add straps and you have a denim purse. OH, & when I showed the girls at the museum the lovely obis I have, & said I thot I'd take the one w/ orange carnations, take 3 sections with the flowers, and have them framed to hang on the wall side by side...well, that was the very loud noise you heard about 3p.m., our time...my evening talking about cutting into those pieces sent 6 ladies into moaning, groaning, how could you, oh my goodness no, you can't do that..you have to frame the whole thing and put it on the wall of your home...giggle, again..don't think I have a wall long enough to put up such a thing, plus the cost of a picture frame would cause me to get a 2nd job...and I don't even have the 1st job...anyway, they were soooo enjoyed by everyone..and I probably will leave them in their original state..for my safety...hugs, Pat in IN.. PS..THANKS SO much for sharing your creations with us!!
I love those shirts you repurposed from the kimono. They look awesome and very comfy. What a MIL to give them to you. She must have trusted you'd do the right thing with them.
Back in the 70s, when I was expected to go to lots of formal receptions, I had several gowns made from kimono. All the other wives were in kimono back then and it was a better solution for formal wear as I do NOT have a shape to go with kimono. I have a friend who has dresses made partly with kimono panels and sleeves. They look really smashing (but on her, everything looks smashing)
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