History of the Kimono

The modern kimono began to take shape in the Heian period (794-1192). Since then the basic shape of both men's and women's kimono has remained essentially unchanged.

Traditionally, all women's kimono were basically one size. Tucks and folds in the fabric accommodated different body heights and shapes. Kimono were made from a single bolt of kimono fabric. The bolts came in standard dimensions, and all the fabric was used in the making of the kimono. All traditional kimono are sewn by hand, and the fabrics from which they are created are also frequently hand made and hand decorated. Various techniques such as yuzen dye resist (made with a rice paste), shibori, as well as hand-painting are incorporated into the kimono which governs where the pattern is distributed and if it is a singular or a repeating pattern. Repeating patterns that cover a large section of the kimono are traditionally done with the yuzen resist technique and a stencil.

In the past, a kimono would often be entirely taken apart for washing, and then re-sewn for wearing. Modern fabrics and cleaning methods have largely eliminated this practice. "Basting stitches"—long, loose stitches—are sometimes placed around the outside edges of the kimono for storage. They help to prevent bunching, folding and wrinkling, and keep the kimono's layers in alignment.

Over time there have been many variations in colour, fabric and style, as well as accessories such as the obi.

There are styles of kimono for various occasions, ranging from extremely formal to very casual. The level of formality of women's kimono is determined by the shape (mostly the length of the sleeves), pattern and fabric, and also the colour. Men's kimono are usually one basic shape and are mainly worn in subdued colours. Formality is determined by the type and colour of accessories, the fabric, and the number or absence of mon (family crests). Silk is the most desirable, and most formal, fabric. Cotton is more casual. These days there are polyester kimono as well; they are generally more casual.

Today, both men's and women's kimono are increasingly available in different sizes. With the tradition of kimono being made from a single bolt of cloth, larger-sizes are difficult to find and very expensive to have made. Very tall or heavy people, such as sumo wrestlers, have kimono custom-made.

Kimono can be expensive. A woman's kimono may easily exceed US$10,000; a complete kimono outfit, with kimono, undergarments, obi, ties, socks, sandals and accessories, can exceed US$20,000. A single obi may cost several thousand dollars. In practice, however, most kimono owned by typical kimono hobbyists or by the practitioners of traditional arts are far less expensive. Enterprising people make their own kimono and undergarments since they follow a standard pattern, or they "recycle" older kimono. Cheaper and machine-made fabrics substitute for the traditional hand-dyed silk. There is also a thriving business in second hand kimono in Japan. Women's obi, however, remain an expensive item. Even second hand ones can cost hundreds of dollars, and they are difficult for inexperienced people to make. A man's obi, even those made from silk, tend to be much cheaper, because they are narrower and shorter than those worn by a woman.