着物：The Japanese Kimono

Questions to Ponder: How is fashion influenced by economic and social conditions? Why has the basic style of the 着物 not changed? How has kimono maintained its place in Japan's lifestyle?着物 literally means "thing to wear" -Today refers to traditional Japanese attire worn by men and women. History -Nara Period: predecessor was the こそで-Heian Period: peak of 着物 wearing*the aristocratic women wore a twelve-layered 着物：juunihitoe**royal court wore sixteen-layered 着物-feudal period of Tokugama (Edo Period): *worn by military class+warriors b/c they were practical and efficient **people began to identify their status by the 着物 they woreArrival of Westerners:*as women entered the workforce, Western clothing was more practical**early 1900s: major fire destroyed Tokyo took out many valuable old 着物***post WWII: silk production was restricted = less available 着物 Special Occasions-today worn by women at weddings, funerals, New Year's, graduation ceremonies or at 7-5-3 (七五三)-On せいじんのひ、20-year-old girls mark their entrance to adulthood by dressing in colorful, long-sleeved 着物 reserved for young, unmarried girls-women who practice traditional Japanese arts-brides wear a special rented silk 着物 containing:*a special headdress, 帯 (おび) - belt, 打掛(うちかけ) - overkimono and footwear. -men wear either a tuxedo, 着物, はかま- split skirt. Types*vary according to the season, occasion and the age of the wearer.-older women tend to wear more conservative designs -for special occasions are either intricately designed in bold prints or subtly elegant-for daily use: usually conservative and often sport smaller, repetitive designs on the entire 着物*ex. in spring, softer pastel tones with designs of flowers of the season The Process-traditionally handed down from mother to daughter-often requires help from others who are experienced*today, girls attend 着物 dressing schools to learn how to properly wear them**wearing a 着物 and walking on Japanese slippers require some endurance and maintenance of elegance since the layers limits free movement. *reflecting the social and economic environment, the kimono has evolved, but still maintains the basic form of simple lines, V-neck, left-over-right robe style with a sash**reminds us of the Japanese love of nature, the consciousness of age distinctions and tendency to value homogeneity. ***also the Japanese love of detail, restraint and underlying complexity