Tuesday, July 9, 2013
The Japanese tea ceremony, also called as Chanoyu, is a Japanese ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea, called Matcha. Wearing a Japanese kimono to a Japanese tea ceremony is one way of showing your respect to the host, so here are tips on how to choose the ideal kimono to wear on such special occasion:
Which Type of Japanese Kimono Robe?
Every Japanese tea ceremony is centered around the aesthetic or thought of preparing a fresh cup of tea from the heart. For this reason, it is highly preferred to wear a clean, stain-free, and simple-designed Japanese kimono to avoid distracting anyone's attention inside the tearoom.
An Iromuji, which is a solid-colored kimono, matched with a delicately-hued obi sash or belt typically makes for a fine choice for the Japanese tea party host, assistant to the latter. For the guests, but for formal and important Japanese tea ceremonies, married women surely won't go wrong wearing a Houmongi, while the single women a Furisode, or the colorful Japanese kimono with very long arms.
Kimono Color to Choose for a Japanese Tea Ceremony
In general, the Japanese tend to choose the kimono color that corresponds to their wearer's age. Pink, as a renowned youthful color, for instance, are considered a beautiful choice of color for the kimono of a young women, while kimonos with a darker hue, like maroon, are often considered fit for a matured individual.
Silk kimono would always make for a very fine choice, although it is sometimes considered practical and acceptable to wear kimono robe other than silk, like the Japanese yukata, which is made of cotton, for tea ceremonies during the summer.
Choosing Between a Lined and Layered Kimono.
It is always ideal to wear a lined or layered kimono to a Japanese tea ceremony, including the warm summer months, which considers the Yukata, or the casual and staple Japanese kimono for summer.
Obi-Belt Color and Style
Complement your Japanese kimono with an equally subdued-colored obi belt, or you can go for printed obi belt that feature designs that match the season or the occasion for which the Japanese tea ceremony is celebrated. Again, like the Japanese kimono itself, it is best to shy away from brightly-hued obi belts, or one which can distract anyone during the Japanese tea ceremony.
Kimono Length and Size
Choose a Japanese kimono that is high enough to give you an Ohashori, or a fold beneath the obi sash, and ensure that the kimono is of a sufficient size, so that it will not show your legs when seated on the floor or when you stand.
Enjoy being a part of a Japanese tea ceremony and make it one of the most memorable occasions that you have been into.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Your silk kimono robes and kimono-style robes can definitely keep their elegant sheen, vibrant color, and investment piece-quality with these best-kept secrets on how to care for silk robes:
Hang your silk kimono robe after every use on a hanger and air-dry in a cool and shady place. Be sure to check for sharp edges on the hanger or close to the hanging surface, especially while on travel, so as to avoid touching the robe onto the same, which may cause it to run or rip.
Dry-clean your silk robe using a gentle and biodegradable dry-cleaning agent that is suitable for silk. Ideally, test the strength of your dry-cleaning agent by dotting just a small part of the reverse side or inside of the robe that will not be visible when the robe is worn, should staining might occur.
If you must have to wash your silk robe, use cold water that has been diluted with gentle, biodegradable fabric soap. Rinse several times to remove the soap suds and never wring nor tumble-dry your silk robe in order to remove the excess water. Rather, just let the excess water drip naturally. Again, hang your silk robe on a hanger that has a smooth surface and is not prone to staining and let it dry it on a shady spot to avoid its color from fading.
While not actually necessary, iron your silk robe on its inner side and over low-heat to avoid its color from easily fading. Again, to prevent damage on the visible areas of the robe, test the heat of the iron on a small area of the inside of the robe so that if any damage might occur, such will not be visible from the outside of the robe or when the robe is worn.
When not intending to use your silk robe for a long time, store it in an acid-free environment by placing sheets of acid-free paper in-between the folds and outside the finish-folded silk robe to prevent its fabric from oxidizing, which can cause the yellowing of the fabric or the formation of brown stains. If an acid-free paper is not available, you can also surround your silk robe with silica, which helps to absorb the excess moisture from the environment.
Image: Touch of Europe, Amazon.com
To remove stains from silk robes, remember to avoid scattering the stain to the other areas of the fabric and to exercise proper precaution when attempting to remove the stain, considering that silk is a very delicate fabric, so any mistake can possibly result in a mess.
With fresh liquid stains, blot the stain with tissue paper and dilute lemon or vinegar on a basin of water. Dip the stained area immediately onto the same to remove the stain or use a gentle stain remover. If possible, bring your silk robe immediately to a professional cleaner to avoid incurring further damage to your special clothing.
Article Source: Best-Kept Secrets on How to Care for Silk Robes
Friday, June 28, 2013
Japanese Kimono. Originally, the term kimono translates to "clothing", but now, it refers to the silk, straight-cut, ankle-length, wrap-around style garment that is tied at the waist with a thick sash, or obi belt. It is typically worn over at least one (1) inner garment, called the nagajuban, and features long and wide sleeves, which distinguishes it from other kimono-style clothing.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Furisode, which translates to swinging (furi) sleeves (sode), is the type of Japanese kimono robe with long, flowing sleeves that hang down from the arms up to the calves or ankles and which is sewn onto a small part of the kimono as compared to other types of kimono, thus its tendency to sway or flutter.
Let's step into the colorful world of the Japanese kimono robes with a brief history of the evolution of its design through the ages.
What started out as a Japanese kimono?
In the olden days, the Japanese term, kimono, literally translates to 'something to wear' and encompass the different types of clothing that were normally worn by the Japanese, but now, it has come to encompass the various types of clothing with a wrap-around design, including the traditional Japanese clothing, bathrobes, and modern-style dresses that is closed at the front in an overlapping style.