Kimono



The kimono (きもの/着物) is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono is traditionally worn with a broad sash, called an, and is commonly worn with accessories such as zōri sandals and socks.

Kimono have a set method of construction and are typically made from a long, narrow bolt of cloth known as a, though Western-style fabric bolts are also sometimes used. There are different types of kimono for men, women, and children, varying based on the occasion, the season, the wearer's age, and – less commonly in the modern day – the wearer's marital status. Despite the kimono's reputation as a formal and difficult-to-wear garment, there are types of kimono suitable for both formal and informal occasions. The way a person wears their kimono is known as lit. 'dressing' (着付け).

The history of the kimono can be tracked back to the Heian period (794–1185), when Japan's nobility embraced a distinctive style of clothing. Formerly the most common Japanese garment, the kimono has fallen out of favor and is rarely worn as everyday dress now. They are most often seen at summer festivals, where people frequently wear the, the most informal type of kimono. More formal types are worn to funerals, weddings, graduations, and other formal events. Geisha and are required to wear a kimono as part of their profession, and  (sumo wrestlers) must wear kimonos at all times in public. Despite the small number of people who wear it regularly and its reputation as a complicated garment, the kimono has experienced a number of revivals in previous decades, and is still worn today as fashionable clothing in Japan.

Yamato period to Nara period (300–794)
The first instances of kimono-like garments in Japan were traditional Chinese clothing introduced to Japan via Chinese envoys in the Kofun period (300–538 CE; the first part of the Yamato period), through immigration between the two countries and envoys to the Tang dynasty court leading to Chinese styles of dress, appearance, and culture becoming extremely popular in Japanese court society. The Imperial Japanese court quickly adopted Chinese styles of dress and clothing, with evidence of the oldest samples of tie-dyed fabric stored at the Shōsōin Temple being of Chinese origin, due to the limitations of Japan's ability to produce the fabrics at the time. As early as the 4th century CE, images of priestess-queens and tribal chiefs in Japan depicted figures wearing clothing similar that of Han dynasty China.

In 718 CE, the Yoro clothing code was instituted, which stipulated that all robes had to be overlapped at the front with a left-to-right closure, following typical Chinese fashions. This convention of wear is still followed today, with a right-to-left closure worn only by the deceased.

Clothing used by the upper classes was significantly simpler to don and wear than dress from the following Heian period. Sleeves, while narrow, were long enough to cover the fingers, since status was associated with covering more of the body.

Heian period to Azuchi–Momoyama period (794–1600)
During the Heian period (794–1193 CE), Japan stopped sending envoys to the Chinese dynastic courts. This prevented Chinese-imported goods—including clothing—from entering the Imperial Palace. This also prevented dissemination to the upper classes, who were the main arbiters of traditional Japanese culture at the time, and the only people allowed to wear such clothing. The ensuing cultural vacuum facilitated the development of a Japanese culture independent from Chinese fashions. Elements previously lifted from the Tang Dynastic courts developed independently into what is known literally as "national culture" or " culture" (国風文化). The term is used to refer to Heian-period Japanese culture, particularly that of the upper classes.

Women's clothing in the imperial palace became increasingly stylised in the formal, with some elements being abandoned by both male and female courtiers, such as the round-necked and tube-sleeved jacket worn by both genders in the early 7th century. Others, such as the wrapped front robes also worn by men and women, were kept. Some elements, such as the skirt worn by women, continued to in a reduced capacity, worn only to formal occasions; the Mo (Japanese clothing) (裳) grew too narrow to wrap all the way around and became a trapezoidal pleated train. Hakama (trousers) became longer than the legs and also trailed behind the wearer.

During the later Heian period, various clothing edicts reduced the number of layers a woman could wear, leading to the (lit. 'small sleeve') garment—previously considered underwear—becoming outerwear by the time of the Muromachi period (1336–1573 CE). Originally worn with, the began to be held closed with a small belt known as an  instead. The resembled a modern kimono, though at this time the sleeves were sewn shut at the back and were smaller in width (shoulder seam to cuff) than the body of the garment. During the Sengoku period (1467–1615) and the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600), the decoration of the developed further, with bolder designs and flashy colours becoming popular. By this time, separate lower-body garments, such as the and, were almost never worn, allowing full-length patterns to be seen.

Edo period (1603–1867)


During the Edo period (1603–1867 CE), both Japan's culture and economy developed significantly. A particular factor in the development of the Edo period was the early Genroku period (1688–1704 CE), wherein "Genroku culture" – luxurious displays of wealth and increased patronage of the arts – led to the further development of many art forms, including those of clothing. Genroku culture was led by the growing and increasingly-powerful merchant classes, whose clothing was representative of their increasing economic power and rivaled the aristocracy and samurai classes, shown by their brightly-coloured kimono that utilised expensive production techniques, such as hand-painted dyework. , a damask fabric, also became the preferred material for kimono at this time, replacing the previously-popular plain-weave silk, which had been used to create.

In response to the increasing material wealth of the merchant classes, the Tokugawa shogunate issued a number of sumptuary laws on kimono for the lower classes, prohibiting the use of purple or red fabric, gold embroidery, and the use of intricately dyed patterns. As a result, a school of aesthetic thought known as Iki developed. They valued and prioritised the display of wealth through an almost mundane appearance, and the concept of kimono design and wear continues to this day as a major influence.

From this point onwards, the basic shape of both men's and women's kimono remained largely unchanged. The sleeves of the began to grow in length, especially amongst unmarried women, and the  became much longer and wider, with various styles of knots coming into fashion, alongside stiffer weaves of material to support them.

In the Edo period, the kimono market was divided into craftspeople, who made the and accessories,, or wholesalers, and retailers.

Meiji period (1868–1912)
In 1869, the social class system was abolished, and with them, class-specific sumptuary laws. Kimono with formerly-restricted elements, like red and purple colours, became popular, particularly with the advent of synthetic dyestuffs such as mauvine.

Following the opening of Japan's borders in the early Meiji period to Western trade, a number of materials and techniques – such as wool and the use of synthetic dyestuffs – became popular, with casual wool kimono being relatively common in pre-1960s Japan; the use of safflower dye for silk linings fabrics (known as ; literally, "red silk") was also common in pre-1960s Japan, making kimono from this era easily identifiable.

During the Meiji period, the opening of Japan to Western trade after the enclosure of the Edo period led to a drive towards Western dress as a sign of "modernity". After an edict by Emperor Meiji, policemen, railroad workers and teachers moved to wearing Western clothing within their job roles, with the adoption of Western clothing by men in Japan happening at a much greater pace than by women. Initiatives such as the Tokyo Women's & Children's Wear Manufacturers' Association (東京婦人子供服組合) promoted Western dress as everyday clothing.

Taishō period (1912–1926)
Western clothing quickly became standard issue as army uniform for men and school uniform for boys, and between 1920 and 1930, the sailor outfit replaced the kimono and undivided  as school uniform for girls. However, kimono still remained popular as an item of everyday fashion; following the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923, cheap, informal and ready-to-wear kimono, woven from raw and waste silk threads unsuitable for other uses, became highly popular, following the loss of many people's possessions. By 1930, ready-to-wear kimono had become highly popular for their bright, seasonally changing designs, many of which took inspiration from the Art Deco movement. kimono were usually dyed using the ikat technique of dyeing, where either warp or both warp and weft threads (known as )  were dyed using a stencil pattern before weaving.

It was during the Taishō period that the modern formalisation of kimono and kimono types began to emerge. The Meiji period had seen the slow introduction of kimono types that mediated between the informal and the most formal, a trend that continued throughout the Taishō period, as social occasions and opportunities for leisure increased under the abolition of class distinctions. As Western clothing increased in popularity for men as everyday clothing, the kimono industry further established its own traditions of formal and informal dress for women; this saw the invention of the, divisions of (short-sleeved) kimono for women, and. The bridal kimono trousseau, an uncommon practice of the upper classes in the Edo period, also became common throughout the middle classes; traditions of kimono bridalwear for marriage ceremonies were also codified in this time, which resembled the bridalwear of samurai-class women. Standards of at this time began to slowly graduate to a more formalised, neatened appearance, with a flat, uniform  and a smooth, uncreased, which also resembled the "proper"  of upper-class women. However, standards were still relatively informal, and would not become formalised until after World War II.

Shōwa period (1926–1989)
While kimono were no longer common wear for men, they remained everyday wear for Japanese women until World War II (1940–1945). Though the Taishō period had seen a number of invented traditions, standards of (wearing kimono) were still not as formalised in this time, with creases, uneven  and crooked  still deemed acceptable.

During the war, kimono factories shut down, and the government encouraged people to wear (also romanised as ) – trousers constructed from old kimono – instead. Fibres such as rayon became widespread during WWII, being inexpensive to produce and cheap to buy, and typically featured printed designs. Cloth rationing persisted until 1951, so most kimono were made at home from repurposed fabrics.

In the second half of the 20th century, the Japanese economy boomed, and silk became cheaper, making it possible for the average family to afford silk kimono. The kimono retail industry had developed an elaborate codification of rules for kimono-wearing, with types of kimono, levels of formality, and rules on seasonality, which intensified after the war; there had previously been rules about kimono-wearing, but these were not rigidly codified and varied by region and class. Formalisation sought perfection, with no creases or unevenness in the kimono, and an increasingly tubular figure was promoted as the ideal for women in kimono. The kimono-retail industry also promoted a sharp distinction between Japanese and Western clothes; for instance, wearing Western shoes with Japanese clothing (while common in the Taishō period) was codified as improper; these rules on proper dressing are often described in Japanese using the English phrase "Time, Place, and Occasion" (TPO). As neither Japanese men or women commonly wore kimono, having grown up under wartime auspices, commercial schools were set up to teach women how to don kimono. Men in this period rarely wore kimono, and menswear thus escaped most of the formalisation.).

Kimono were promoted as essential for ceremonial occasions; for instance, the expensive worn by young women for  was deemed a necessity. Bridal trousseaus containing tens of kimono of every possible subtype were also promoted as de rigueur, and parents felt obliged to provide kimono trousseaus that cost up to 10 million yen (~£70,000), which were displayed and inspected publicly as part of the wedding, including being transported in transparent trucks.

By the 1970s, formal kimono formed the vast majority of kimono sales. Kimono retailers, due to the pricing structure of brand new kimono, had developed a relative monopoly on not only prices but also a perception of kimono knowledge, allowing them to dictate prices and heavily promote more formal (and expensive) purchases, as selling a single formal kimono could support the seller comfortably for three months. The kimono industry peaked in 1975, with total sales of 2.8 trillion yen (~£18 billion). The sale of informal brand new kimono was largely neglected.

Heisei period (1989–2019)
The economic collapse of the 1990s bankrupted much of the kimono industry and ended a number of expensive practices. The rules for how to wear kimono lost their previous hold over the entire industry, and formerly-expensive traditions such as bridal kimono trousseaus generally disappeared, and when still given, were much less extensive. It was during this time that it became acceptable and even preferred for women to wear Western dress to ceremonial occasions like weddings and funerals. Many women had dozens or even hundreds of kimono, mostly unworn, in their homes; a secondhand kimono, even if unworn, would sell for about 500 yen (less than £3.50; about US$5), a few percent of the bought-new price. In the 1990s and early 2000s, many secondhand kimono shops opened as a result of this.

In the early years of the 21st century, the cheaper and simpler became popular with young people. Around 2010, men began wearing kimono again in situations other than their own wedding, and kimono were again promoted and worn as everyday dress by a small minority.

Reiwa period (2019–present)
Today, the majority of people in Japan wear Western clothing as everyday attire, and are most likely to wear kimono either to formal occasions such as wedding ceremonies and funerals, or to summer events, where the standard kimono is the easy-to-wear, single-layer cotton.

In 2019, the mayor of Kyoto announced that his staff were working to register "Kimono Culture" on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.

Textiles


Both kimono and are made from a wide variety of fibre types, including hemp, linen, silk, Japanese crêpe (known as ), and figured damask weaves. Fabrics are typically – for both and kimono – woven as  (bolts of narrow width), save for certain types of  (such as the ), woven to double-width. Formal kimono are almost always made from silk, with thicker, heavier, stiff or matte fabrics generally being considered informal.

Modern kimono are widely available in fabrics considered easier to care for, such as polyester. Kimono linings are typically silk or imitation silk, and often match the top fabric in fibre type, though the lining of some casual silk kimono may be cotton, wool or linen.

Kimono motifs


Kimono fabrics are often decorated, sometimes by hand, before construction. Customarily, kimono with woven patterns are considered more informal, though for, the reverse is true, with featuring dyed patterns being less formal than  with woven patterns. Though kimono fabrics with woven patterns are typically not especially heavy and can be lightweight, fabrics with woven patterns are often very heavy, with many formal  being made from thickly-woven brocade. Traditionally, woven kimono are paired with that are decorated with dyed patterns, and vice versa. However, for all but the most formal kimono, this is more of a general suggestion than a strict rule. Formal kimono are typically decorated with dyed patterns, commonly found along the hemline. These patterns may feature embroidery in parts, couched gold and silver thread, and/or gold and silver foil. The layout of motifs can denote a kimono's age, with patterns that mirror along the vertical back seam being typical for kimono made before the 1930s.

Many kimono motifs are seasonal, and denote the season in which the kimono can be worn; however, some motifs have no season and can be worn all-year round. Others, such as the combination of pine, plum and bamboo – a grouping referred to as the Three Friends of Winter – are auspicious, and thus worn to formal occasions for the entire year. Motifs seen on are commonly seasonal motifs worn out of season, either to denote the spring just passed or the desire for cooler autumn or winter temperatures. Colour also contributes to the seasonality of kimono, with some seasons – such as autumn – generally favouring warmer, darker colours over lighter, cooler ones.

A number of different guides on seasonal kimono motifs exist, with some guides – such as those for tea ceremony in particular – being especially stringent on their reflection of the seasons. Motifs typically represent the flora, fauna, landscape or culture of Japan; one such example is cherry blossoms, a famously seasonal motif worn in spring until just before the actual cherry blossoms begin to bloom, it being considered unlucky to try and 'compete' with the cherries. Motifs are typically worn a few weeks before the official 'start' of any given season, as it is considered fashionable to anticipate the coming season.

Though men's kimono historically displayed just as much decoration and variety as women's kimono, in the modern era, the principal distinction of men's kimono in terms of seasonality and occasion is the fabric. The typical men's kimono is a subdued, dark colour; black, dark blues, greens and browns are common. Fabrics are usually matte, in contrast to the occasional satin weaves of some women's kimono. Some men's kimono have a subtle pattern, and textured fabrics are more common in informal men's kimono. Informal men's kimono may also feature slightly brighter colours, such as lighter purples, greens and blues. Sumo wrestlers have occasionally been known to wear quite bright colours, such as fuchsia, in their kimono, which they are required to wear when appearing in public.

Terms
The fabrics that kimono are made from are classified in two categories within Japan. Gofuku (呉服) is the term used to indicate silk kimono fabrics, composed of the characters the Japanese pronunciation of "Wu" (呉), referring to the State of Wu in ancient China where silk weaving technology developed, and meaning "clothing" (服).

The term is also used to refer to kimono in general within Japan, particularly within the context of the kimono industry, as traditional kimono shops are referred to as either gofukuten (呉服店) or gofukuya (呉服屋) – with the additional character of ya (屋) meaning 'shop'.

Cotton and hemp fabrics are referred to generally as futomono (太物), meaning "thick materials", with both cotton and hemp yarns being considerably thicker than silk yarns used for weaving. Cotton kimono are specifically referred to in the context of materials as momenfuku (木綿服), "cotton clothes", whereas hemp kimono are known as asafuku (麻服), "hemp clothes", in Japanese, with the character for hemp – asa (麻) – also being used to refer widely to hemp, linen and ramie kimono fabrics.

Merchants' terms
Until the end of the Edo period, the tailoring of both and  fabrics was separated, with silk kimono handled at shops known as, and kimono of other fibres sold at shops known as. Stores that handled all types of fabric were known as, though after the Meiji period, stores only retailing kimono became less profitable in the face of cheaper everyday Western clothing, and eventually went out of business, leaving only  stores to sell kimono – leading to kimono shops becoming known only as  today.

Reuse
Kimono can readily be resized, or unpicked back into (bolt) lengths.

Outside of being re-woven into new fabrics, worn-out kimono have historically been recycled in a variety of ways, depending on the type of kimono and its original use. When the cloth is worn out, it may be used as fabric for smaller items or to create (patchwork) kimono (which were also sometimes made for the sake of fashion ). The fact that the pattern pieces of a kimono consist of rectangles, and not complex shapes, make reuse in garments or other items easier. are used to hold cloth together and decorate it. The cloth used for patchwork clothing must all be of similar weight, drape, and handle.

Formal kimono, made of expensive and thin silk fabrics, would have been re-sewn into children's kimono when they became unusable for adults, as they were typically unsuitable for practical clothing; kimono were shortened, with the taken off and the collar re-sewn to create, or were simply cut at the waist to create a side-tying jacket. After marriage or a certain age, young women would shorten the sleeves of their kimono; the excess fabric would be used as a (wrapping cloth), could be used to lengthen the kimono at the waist, or could be used to create a patchwork undergarment known as a. Kimono that were in better condition could be re-used as an under-kimono, or to create a false underlayer known as a.

Children also traditionally wore, kimono made of a fancier material in the and upper back.

Construction


Kimono are traditionally made from a single bolt of fabric known as a, which is roughly 11.5 m long and 36 cm wide for women, and 12.5 m long and 42 cm wide for men. The entire bolt is used to make one kimono, and some men's are woven to be long enough to create a matching  jacket and  as well. Kimono linings are made from bolts of the same width.

Some custom bolts of fabric are produced for especially tall or heavy people, such as sumo wrestlers, who must have kimono custom-made by either joining multiple bolts, weaving custom-width fabric, or using non-standard size fabric. For children, in the early 1900s, shorter lengths were used, and sometimes the body of the kimono was made only a single cloth width wide. Tucks were also used to take in the garment; an outwards-facing pleat at each shoulder and a kolpos-like overfold at the hip, so that the child appeared to be wearing a sleeveless vest of the same fabric over their garment. These sewn tucks were let out as the child grew, and are mostly only seen today on the kimono of apprentice geisha in Kyoto, as apprentices previously began their training at a young age, requiring tucks to be let out as they grew. In the present day, apprentices begin their training in their late teenage years, and the tucks are retained merely as an anachronism.

Though adult women also retained a 'tuck' at the hip, this was a leftover from the trailing length of most women's kimono, which had previously been either held up by hand when walking or tied up loosely with a ; though kimono were not worn as trailing towards the end of the 19th century, the excess length of most women's kimono remained, with the hip fold formalised and neatened into the of the modern day.

Kimono have a set method of construction, which allows the entire garment to be taken apart, cleaned and resewn easily. As the seam allowance on nearly every panel features two selvedges that will not fray, the woven edges of the fabric bolt are retained when the kimono is sewn, leading to large and often uneven seam allowances; unlike Western clothing, the seam allowances are not trimmed down, allowing for a kimono to be resewn to different measurements without the fabric fraying at the seams. This was also used to prolong the life of the garment by reversing the sleeves (hiding the worn cuff hem in the shoulder seam) or the back panels (swapping the high-stress center seam and the low-stress sides), like the European custom of side-to-middling or end-to-middling bedsheets.

Historically, kimono were taken apart entirely to be washed – a process known as. Once cleaned, the fabric would be resewn by hand; this process, though necessary in previous centuries, is uncommon in modern-day Japan, as it is relatively expensive.

Despite the expense of hand-sewing, however, some modern kimono, including silk kimono and all formal kimono, are still hand-sewn entirely; even machine-sewn kimono require some degree of hand-sewing, particularly in finishing the collar, the hem, and the lining, if present. Hand-sewn kimono are usually sewn with a single running stitch roughly 3 mm to 4 mm long, with stitches growing shorter around the collar area for strength. Kimono seams, instead of being pressed entirely flat, are pressed to have a 'lip' of roughly 2 mm (known as the ) pressed over each seam. This disguises the stitches, as hand-sewn kimono are not tightly sewn, rendering the stitches visible if pressed entirely flat.

Terms
A number of terms are used to refer to the different parts of a kimono. Kimono that are lined are known as kimono, whereas unlined kimono are known as  kimono; partially lined kimono – with lining only at the sleeve cuff, the back of the sleeve, the lower chest portion of the  and the entirety of the  – are known as lit. 'chest-single-layer' kimono. Some fully lined kimono do not have a separate lower and upper lining, and are instead lined with solid panels on the, the and the.

These terms refer to parts of a kimono:

Dōura: The upper lining of a kimono.

Hakkake: The lower lining of a kimono.

Eri: The collar.

Fuki: The hem guard.

Furi: The part of the sleeve left hanging below the armhole.

Maemigoro: The front panels on a kimono, excluding the. The panels are divided into the "right " and "left ".

Miyatsukuchi: The opening under the sleeve on a woman's kimono.

Okumi: The overlapping front panel.

Sode: The entire sleeve.

Sodeguchi: The wrist opening of the sleeve.

Sodetsuke: The kimono armhole.

Susomawashi: The lower lining.

Tamoto: The sleeve pouch of a kimono.

Tomoeri: The collar cover sewn on top of the.

Uraeri: The inner collar.

Ushiromigoro: The back panels. The back panels consist of the "right " and "left ".

Evolution of kimono construction




Though the basic shape of the kimono has not changed in centuries, proportions have, historically, varied in different eras of Japanese history. Beginning in the later Heian period, the – an unlined robe worn as underwear – became the predominant outerwear garment for both men and women, known as the lit. 'small sleeve'. Court-appropriate dress continued to resemble the previous eras.

By the beginning of the Kamakura period, the was an ankle-length garment for both men and women, and had small, rounded sleeves that were sewn to the body of the garment. The was a relatively thin belt tied somewhat low on the waist, usually in a plain bow, and was known as a. During this time period, the fashion of wearing a draped around the shoulders, over the head, or as the outermost garment stripped off the shoulders and held in place by the, led to the rise of the  – a heavily decorated over-kimono, stemming from the verb lit. 'to drape upon', worn unbelted over the top of the  – becoming popular as formal dress for the upper classes.

In the following centuries, the mostly retained its small, narrow and round-sleeved nature, with the length of women's sleeves gradually increasing over time and eventually becoming mostly detached from the body of the garment below the shoulders. The collar on both men's and women's retained its relatively long and wide proportions, and the  front panel kept its long, shallow angle towards the hem. During the Edo period, the had developed roughly modern kimono proportions, though variety existed until roughly the mid- to later years of the era. Men's sleeves continued to be sewn shut to the body of the kimono down most of their length, with no more than a few inches unattached at the bottom, unlike the women's style of very deep sleeves mostly detached from the body of the kimono. Men's sleeves were also less deep than women's kimono sleeves so that they did not get tied under the narrow around the hips, whereas on a woman's kimono, the long, unattached bottom of the sleeve could hang over the wider  without getting in the way. Sleeves for both men and women grew in proportion to be of roughly equal width to the body panels, and the collar for both men's and women's kimono became shorter and narrower.

In the present day, both men's and women's kimono retain some historical features – for instance, women's kimono trailed along the floor throughout certain eras, and when the wearer went outside, the excess length would be tucked and tied underneath the in a hip fold known as the. The is now used for fine length adjustments, and takes up 7–10 in of excess length. A hand-sewn tuck across the back under the is used for coarse adjustments, and made deliberately weak so that the stitches will tear before the cloth does under tension. Men's kimono, on the other hand, are cut to the length of the wearer's body and tied with a narrow belt at the hips, with no extra fabric in the kimono's length for an overfold at the hip.

Formal women's kimono also retain the wider collar of previous eras (made from a full -width instead of a half width), though it is always folded in half lengthwise before wearing – a style known as lit. 'wide collar', as opposed to, a normal width collar.

Women's kimono are still worn trailing in some situations, such as onstage, in historical dramas, and by geisha and. In these instances, the kimono worn is constructed differently to a regular women's kimono: the collar is set back further into the neck, the sleeves are sewn to the body unevenly (further down the front than the back), and the body is elongated. This style of kimono is referred to as a or. Though the length of the kimono, collar style and sleeve construction differs for this type of kimono, in all other types of women's kimono, the construction is generally the same; the collar is set back only slightly into the nape of the neck, the sleeves are attached evenly only at the shoulder (not all the way down the sleeve length) and the kimono's length from shoulder to hem is ideally the entire height of the woman wearing it, to allow for the creation of the.

Sleeve length
The sleeve length (dropping down from the arm towards the floor when held outstretched) varies in kimono.

Cost
Both men's and women's brand-new kimono can range in expense (in 2023) from around ¥1000 (~$7 USD) to ¥150,000 (~$1050 US)

The high expense of some hand-crafted brand-new kimono reflects the traditional kimono making industry, where the most skilled artisans practice specific, expensive and time-consuming techniques, known to and mastered only by a few. These techniques, such as hand-plied fabrics and hand-tied  dotwork dyeing, may take over a year to finish. Kimono artisans may be made Living National Treasures in recognition of their work, with the pieces they produce being considered culturally important.

Even kimono that have not been hand-crafted will constitute a relatively high expense when bought new, as even for one outfit, a number of accessories of the right formality and appearance must be bought. Not all brand-new kimono originate from artisans, and mass-production of kimono – mainly of casual or semi-formal kimono – does exist, with mass-produced pieces being mostly cheaper than those purchased through a (kimono shop).

Though artisan-made kimono are some of the most accomplished works of textile art on the market, many pieces are not bought solely for appreciation of the craft. Unwritten social obligations to wear kimono to certain events – weddings, funerals – often leads consumers to purchase artisan pieces for reasons other than personal choice, fashion sense or love of kimono:

"[Third-generation dyer Jotaro Saito] believes we are in a strange age where people who know nothing about kimono are the ones who spend a lot of money on a genuine handcrafted kimono for a wedding that is worn once by someone who suffers wearing it, and then is never used again."

The high cost of most brand-new kimono reflects in part the pricing techniques within the industry. Most brand-new kimono are purchased through, where kimono are sold as fabric rolls only, the price of which is often left to the shop's discretion. The shop will charge a fee separate to the cost of the fabric for it to be sewn to the customer's measurements, and fees for washing the fabric or weatherproofing it may be added as another separate cost. If the customer is unfamiliar with wearing kimono, they may hire a service to help dress them; the end cost of a new kimono, therefore, remains uncertain until the kimono itself has been finished and worn.

are also regarded as notorious for sales practices seen as unscrupulous and pressuring:

"Many [Japanese kimono consumers] feared a tactic known as : being surrounded by staff and essentially pressured into purchasing an expensive kimono [...] Shops are also renowned for lying about the origins of their products and who made them [...] [My kimono dressing teacher] gave me careful instructions before we entered the []: 'do not touch anything. And even if you don't buy a kimono today, you have to buy something, no matter how small it is.'"

In contrast, kimono bought by hobbyists are likely to be less expensive, purchased from second-hand stores with no such sales practices or obligation to buy. Hobbyists may also buy cheaper synthetic kimono (marketed as 'washable') brand-new. Some enthusiasts also make their own kimono; this may be due to difficulty finding kimono of the right size, or simply for personal choice and fashion.

Second-hand items are seen as highly affordable; costs can be as little as ¥100 (about US$0.90) at thrift stores within Japan, and certain historic kimono production areas around the country – such as the Nishijin district of Kyoto – are well known for their second-hand kimono markets. Kimono themselves do not go out of fashion, making even vintage or antique pieces viable for wear, depending on condition.

However, even second-hand women's are likely to remain somewhat pricey; a used, well-kept and high-quality second-hand  can cost upwards of US$300, as they are often intricately woven, or decorated with embroidery, goldwork and may be hand-painted. Men's, in contrast, retail much cheaper, as they are narrower, shorter, and have either very little or no decoration, though high-end men's can still retail at a high cost equal to that of a high-end women's.

Types of kimono
Several different types of kimono exist. These varieties are primarily based on formality and gender, with more women's varieties of kimono existing than men's.

The modern kimono canon was roughly formalised after WWII, following fabric shortages, a generation unfamiliar with wearing kimono in everyday life, and the postwar revival of kimono sales by, traditional kimono shops. In previous centuries, types of kimono were not as distinct, with factors such as age and social class playing a much larger role in determining kimono types than they do presently. Beginning in the Meiji period, and following the Meiji Restoration and the abolition of class distinctions, kimono varieties began to change as Japanese society did, with new varieties being invented for new social situations.

Formality


Kimono range in variation from extremely formal to very casual. For women, the formality is determined mostly by pattern placement, decoration style, fabric choice and colour. For men, whose kimono are generally monochromatic, formality is determined typically by fabric choice and colour. For both men and women, the accessories and worn with the kimono also determine formality.

The formality levels of different types of kimono are a relatively modern invention, having been developed between late Meiji- to post-war Japan, following the abolition of Edo-period sumptuary clothing laws in 1868. These laws changed constantly, as did the strictness with which they were enforced, and were designed to keep the nouveau riche merchant classes from dressing above their station, and appearing better-dressed than monetarily-poor but status-rich samurai class.

Colours and patterns
Under feudal sumptuary laws, colours were restricted by class; for instance, indigo-dyed clothing was allowed for all classes, and was commonly seen in hand-dyed cotton, linen or hemp fabrics, but other dyes, such as reds and purples, were forbidden to those below a certain class. Sometimes, for some classes, designs were restricted to below the belt, to the bottoms of the sleeves (for ) or to along the hem ; sometimes they were banned altogether, and were transferred to the collar of the underkimono, or the inside of the hem, where only the faintest glimpse would be intermittently visible. This type of subtle ostentation became an aesthetic known as, and outlasted the sumptuary laws. Modern-day rules of formality, however, still echo clothing distinctions typically employed by the uppermost samurai classes.

Aspects of men's kimono still follow this extreme of. Bright, elaborate decoration is used on the lining of the (jacket), and on men's  (underkimono), which is not worn as an outer layer outside the home, and so only shows at the neck and inside the sleeves. Women's were once bright and boldly-patterned (and were often kimono too damaged to use as an outer layer, repurposed), but are now typically muted pastel shades. The outside of men's garments tended towards subtle patterns and colours even after the sumptuary laws lifted, with blues and blacks predominating, but designers later came to use browns, greens, purples, and other colours in increasingly bold patterns.

Older people generally wear more subtle patterns, and younger people brighter, bolder ones.

Fabric type


Kimono vary widely in fabric type, and are not all made of silk. Certain types of fabric, such as wool, cotton, linen and hemp, are always considered informal, and so are not seen on more formal varieties of kimono. Certain varieties of silk, such as, are considered informal, having once been woven only by silk farmers out of unusable cocoons for their own use; other, more modern varieties, such as , were designed to be used as casual, cheap daywear, and are machine-spun and -woven using brightly-patterned yarns. Some varieties of crêpe are on the lowest end of formal, with their rougher texture considered unsuitable for formal use; other varieties, such as smooth crêpe, are used for all varieties of formal kimono. The most formal kimono are only ever made of smooth, fine silks, such as glossy silk fabrics like habutai.

Some fabrics are also worn only at certain times of year;, for instance, is a plain-weave fabric with leno weave stripes only worn in high summer (July and August), but is used for all types of kimono and for other garments, such as under-kimono and. Some fabrics – such as certain types of crêpe – are never seen in certain varieties of kimono, and some fabrics such as (heavy satin) silk are barely ever seen in modern kimono or  altogether, having been more popular in previous eras than in the present-day.

Despite their informal nature, many types of traditional, informal kimono fabrics are highly-prized for their craftsmanship. Varieties of, , and fabrics woven from Musa basjoo are valued for their traditional production, and regularly command high prices.

Lined and unlined kimono
In the summer months (from June until October in the most stringent kimono guides, such as those for tea ceremony), kimono are unlined ; for the rest of the year, they are lined. This applies to all types of kimono, with a few caveats: the very informal is always unlined, and thus only worn in summer; the most formal kimono, in contrast, are unlikely to be worn unlined in summer, as many people simply do not have more than one formal kimono to wear, and do not wear formal kimono often enough to warrant the purchase of a new, unlined kimono, just for summer wear. also change fabric type in the summer months.

Within the two realms of lined and unlined, further distinctions exist for different months. Lined kimono are either made from transparent or gauze fabrics or opaque fabrics, with kimono transitioning towards gauze fabrics at the height of summer and away from them as autumn begins. In one kimono guide for tea ceremony, at the start of the unlined season in June, fabrics such as (a type of silk crêpe noted as a more "wrinkle-resistant" form of ) and  (a thicker type of  with twisted silk threads) are recommended for wear. Following the beginning of the rainy season in some time in July, fabrics switch over to gauzier varieties, and highly-prized hemp fabrics such as are worn. Continuing into August, hemp, and  continue to be worn; in September, they are still worn, but fabrics such as, worn in June, become suitable again, and opaque fabrics become preferred over sheer, though sheer may still be worn if the weather is hot.

In the same kimono guide, the first lined kimono are worn in October, and the transition away from plainer opaque fabrics to richer silks such as is immediate. The richness of fabrics increases going into November and December, with figured silks featuring woven patterns appropriate. Coming into January, crêpe fabrics with a rougher texture become appropriate, with fabrics such as worn in February. Figured silks continue to be worn until June, when the unlined season begins again. In Japan, this process of changing clothes is referred to as koromogae.

Crests
Formality is also determined by the number and type of or  (crests). Five crests are the most formal, three crests  are mid-formality, and one crest  is the least formal, used for occasions such as tea ceremony. Kimono (and other garments, like ) with are called  ("-carrying"). The type of crest adds formality as well. A "full sun" crest, where the design is outlined and filled in with white, is the most formal type. A "mid-shadow" crest is mid-formality, with only the outline of the crest visible in white. A "shadow" crest is the least formal, with the outline of the crest relatively faint. Shadow crests may be embroidered onto the kimono, and full-embroidery crests, called, are also seen.

Choice of accessories
Formality can also be determined by the type and colour of accessories. For women, this may be the weave of and the style of. For men, adding a (a traditional jacket) makes an outfit more formal, and adding both  and  (traditional trousers) is more formal still. The material, colour, and pattern of these overgarments also varies in formality. Longer are also more formal.

Sleeve length and construction
Both men's and women's kimono feature sleeves considered relatively short, with men's sleeves shorter than women's. Though lengths can vary by a few centimetres, these lengths are informally standardised.

Men's kimono sleeves are only ever one length, and women's sleeves are limited to a short length suitable for almost all types of kimono, or a longer length used for only one type of formal young women's kimono. In the modern day, the two lengths of women's sleeve worn on kimono are length, which almost reaches the floor, and a shorter length, used for every other variety of women's kimono.

Before WWII, the length of women's kimono sleeves varied, with sleeves gradually shortening as a woman got older. During WWII, due to shortage of fabric, the 'short' length of women's kimono sleeves became standardised, and post-WWII, the realm of long kimono sleeves was narrowly curtailed to the realm of only – formal young women's and girl's kimono, where previously longer sleeves were seen on other varieties of dress, both formal and informal. Pre-WWII women's kimono are recognisable for their longer sleeves, which, though not length, are longer than most women's kimono sleeves today.

Young women are not limited to wearing only, and outside of formal occasions that warrant it, can wear all other types of women's kimono which feature shorter sleeves.

The, also referred to as the , is an under-kimono worn by both men and women. resemble a kimono in construction, with a few key differences: the sleeves are typically open along the entire cuff side, with only a few stitches sewing both sides together placed where a normal kimono sleeve cuff would end; the sleeve has no curve sewn into the outer edge, instead being square; the is typically a little shorter than the length of a kimono when worn, and features no extra length to be bloused into an  for women's kimono; the front either does not have any overlapping panels  or features only thin ones, with the collar set at a lower angle than that of a regular kimono. are considered an essential piece of kimono underwear, and are worn with all types of kimono except for.

are typically made of lightweight materials, often silk. Women's and can either be patterned or entirely plain, and modern women's  are frequently white in colour.

Men's are often dyed in dark colours, and can be made of the same material as the outer kimono, as some kimono fabric bolts  are woven with enough length to accommodate this. Men's are frequently more decorative than women's, often featuring a dyed pictorial scene in the upper back, such as a scene from The Tale of Genji.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, women's transitioned from being mostly red with bold white motifs to being white or light pastel colours. The dye technique previously used to achieve this,, fell out of fashion and knowledge and was rediscovered in 2010.

are a type of kimono undergarment traditionally worn underneath the. are even further removed from resembling a kimono in construction than the ; the comes in two pieces (a wrap-front top and a skirt), features no collar, and either has tube sleeves or is sleeveless.

Unlike the, the is not considered an essential piece of kimono underwear, and a t-shirt and shorts are frequently substituted in its place.



Yukata (浴衣) are casual cotton summer kimono worn by both men and women. were originally very simple indigo and white cotton kimono, little more than a bathrobe worn either within the house, or for a short walk locally; were also worn by guests at inns, with the design of the  displaying the inn a person was staying at. From roughly the mid-1980s onwards, they began to be produced in a wider variety of colours and designs, responding to demand for a more casual kimono that could be worn to a summer festival, and have since become more formal than their previous status as bathrobes, with high-end, less colourful sometimes standing in place of.

In the present day, many are brightly coloured, featuring large motifs from a variety of different seasons. For women, they are worn with either a (half-width ) or a  (a soft, sash-like ), and are often accessorised with colourful hair accessories. For men, are worn with either an informal  or a. Children generally wear a with.

are always unlined, and it is possible for women to wear a casual with a high-end, more subdued, often with a  underneath. A high-end men's could also be dressed up in the same way.

A is traditionally worn as a single layer or over a  (an underkimono worn underneath the, featuring a simplified construction). may also be worn over the top of a t-shirt and shorts. This distinguishes from a more-formal  kimono, where a  (also simply referred to as a, an underkimono resembling) is worn underneath, showing a second layer of collar at the neckline. However, some modern are worn with collared cotton  featuring a collar of linen, cotton or, for occasions such as informal eating-out.



Tsumugi (紬) are casual silk kimono worn by both men and women. kimono traditionally referred to kimono woven in plain weave with silk noil, short-staple silk fibre, though now include various types of casual silk kimono whereby the pattern is produced by weave as opposed to surface dying. Tsumugi kimono are often dyed with Kasuri patterns.

lit. 'small pattern', though the patterns may in fact be large (小紋) are informal women's kimono. They were the type most often worn as everyday womenswear in pre-war Japan. Though informal, with smaller, denser patterns are considered a shade more formal than  with larger, bolder patterns.

mostly have no (crests), and the sleeves are fairly short. They are made with a repeating designs, though the repeat length may be quite long. Designs can be made with any method; woven patterns, prints, stencilled patterns in alternating orientations, freehand painting or tie-dye patterns. Traditionally the direction of the fabric was alternated in adjacent panels (necessary due to the lack of shoulder seam), so patterns were generally reversible. If the pattern is the same way up on each panel, the is more formal, approaching -level formality.

Woven geometric patterns (such as stripes) have no season, but others show images representing the season in general. Woven non-geometric patterns are also common. Small, dense patterns are often used; this is practical, as fine-scale patterns hides stains.

are made with informal materials such as (slubbed silk), cotton, linen, ramie, and hemp. In the modern day, synthetic blends and synthetics are also used; rayon and polyester are common.

Now that kimono are not typically worn as informal clothing, are not worn as often as formal kimono, though they have a wider range of suitable use. are the most formal type of ; they may have one to three crests, with a small, fine pattern that appears to be a solid colour from a distance, and so resembles the more formal.

Edo komon (江戸小紋) are a type of worn by women characterised by an extremely small repeating pattern, usually done in white on a coloured background. The dyeing technique is sometimes said to originate in the late Heian period (circa mid-12th century), with a motif called, which shows tiny stylised cherry blossoms on a background of white dots. In the Edo period (1603–1867), the samurai classes used them for formal wear, with specific patterns becoming associated with specific families. Towards the end of the Edo period, in the early 1800s, commoners began to wear them. are of a similar formality to, and with one  can be worn as low-formality visiting wear; because of this, they are always made of silk, unlike regular.

lit. 'solid colour' (色無地) are monochromatic, undecorated women's kimono mainly worn to tea ceremonies, as the monochrome appearance is considered to be unobtrusive to the ceremony itself. Despite being monochromatic, may feature a woven design;  suitable for autumn are often made of  damask silk. Some with incredibly fine patterns are also considered suitable for tea ceremony, as from a distance they are visually similar to. may occasionally have one, though likely no more than this, and are always made of silk. accessories such as are never worn with  if the purpose of wear is a tea ceremony; instead, flat and untextured silks are chosen for accessories.

Tsukesage (付け下げ) are low-ranking women's formalwear, and are a step below, though the two sometimes appear similar or indistinguishable. The motifs on a are placed similarly to those of a  – across the back-right shoulder and back-right sleeve, the front-left shoulder and the front-left sleeve, and across the hem, higher at the left than the right – but, unlike, do not typically cross over the seams of each kimono panel, though some confusingly do. In older examples, the motifs may instead be placed symmetrically along the hem, with the skirt patterns mirrored down the centre-back seam.

Similarities between and  often lead to confusion, with some  indistinguishable from ; often,  are only distinguishable from  by the size of the motifs used, with smaller, less fluid motifs generally considered to be, and larger, more fluid motifs considered to be.

can have between one and three, and can be worn to parties, but not ceremonies or highly formal events.

lit. 'visiting wear' (訪問着) are women's formal kimono with the same pattern placement as a, but with patterns generally matching across the seams. They are always made of silk, and are considered more formal than the.

are first roughly sewn up, and the design is sketched onto the fabric, before the garment is taken apart to be dyed again. The 's close relative, the, has its patterns dyed on the bolt before sewing up. This method of production can usually distinguish the two, as the motifs on a are likely to cross fluidly over seams in a way a  generally will not. However, the two can prove near-indistinguishable at times.

may be worn by both married and unmarried women; often friends of the bride will wear to weddings (except relatives) and receptions. They may also be worn to formal parties.

lit. 'colour short-sleeve' (色留袖) are formal women's kimono that feature a design along the hem on a coloured background. They are slightly less formal than, which have roughly the same pattern placement on a black background. , though worn to formal events, may be chosen when a would make the wearer appear to be overdressed for the situation. The pattern placement for is roughly identical to, though patterns seen along the  and  may drift slightly into the back hem itself. with five are of the same formality as any. may be made of figured silk such as.

lit. 'colour -decorated' are formal men's kimono. feature formal crests along the shoulders on a colour background, which, apart from the cut of the sleeve, appears the same as an from the waist up, and thus cannot be distinguished in pattern when worn under the. Because formalwear for men requires, men do not wear formal kimono that have elaborate patterns on the hem, as these would be hidden.

lit. 'black short-sleeve' (黒留袖) are formal women's kimono, featuring a black background and a design along the hem. They are the most formal women's kimono, and are worn to formal events such as weddings and wedding parties. The design is only present along the hem; the further up the body this design reaches, the younger the wearer is considered to be, though for a very young woman an may be chosen instead,  being considered somewhat more mature. The design is either symmetrically placed on the and  portions of the kimono, or asymmetrically placed along the entirety of the hem, with the design being larger and higher-placed at the left side than the right. Vintage kimono are more likely to have the former pattern placement than the latter, though this is not a hard rule.

are always made of silk, and may have a – a false lining layer – attached, occasionally with a slightly padded hem. A usually has between 3 and 5 crests; a  of any number of crests outranks an  with less than five. , though formalwear, are not allowed at the royal court, as black is the colour of mourning, despite the colour designs decorating the kimono itself; outside of the royal court, this distinction for does not exist. are never made of flashy silks such as, but are instead likely to be a matte fabric with little texture.

typically feature kazari jitsuke (飾り仕付け), small white decorative prickstitches along the collar.

("black -decorated") are the most formal men's kimono, which, apart from the cut of the sleeve, look exactly the same from the waist up as a, and thus cannot be distinguished in pattern when worn under the required for men's formal dress.

Mofuku (喪服) are a category of kimono and kimono accessories suitable for mourning, worn by both men and women. kimono, and accessories are characterised by their plain, solid black appearance. kimono are plain black silk with five, worn with white undergarments and white. Men wear a kimono of the same kind, with a subdued and a black-and-white or black-and-grey striped, worn with black or white zōri.

A completely black mourning ensemble for women – a plain black, black and black  – is usually reserved for those closest to the deceased. Those further away will wear kimono in dark and subdued colours, rather than a plain black kimono with a reduced number of crests. In time periods when kimono were worn more often, those closest to the deceased would slowly begin dressing in coloured kimono over a period of weeks after the death, with the being the last thing to be changed over to colour.



Uchikake (打ち掛け) are highly formal women's over-kimono, worn only by brides or onstage. The name comes from the Japanese verb, "to drape upon", originating in roughly the 16th century from a fashion among the ruling classes of the time to wear kimono (then called , lit. 'small sleeve') unbelted over the shoulders of one's other garments; the  progressed into being an over-kimono worn by samurai women before being adopted some time in the 20th century as bridal wear.

are designed to be worn over the top of a complete kimono outfit with, and thus are not designed to be worn belted. Unlike their 16th century counterparts, modern generally could not double as a regular kimono, as they often feature heavy, highly-formal decoration and may be padded throughout, if not solely on the hem. They are designed to trail along the floor, and the heavily-padded hem helps to achieve this.

Bridal are typically red or white, and often decorated heavily with auspicious motifs. Because they are not designed to be worn with an, the designs cover the entirety of the back.



lit. 'white pure-innocence' (白無垢) are pure-white wedding kimono worn by brides for a traditional Japanese Shinto wedding ceremony. Comparable to an and sometimes described as a white, the  is worn for the part of the wedding ceremony, symbolising the purity of the bride coming into the marriage. The bride may later change into a red after the ceremony to symbolise good luck.

A will form part of a bridal ensemble with matching or coordinating accessories, such as a bridal  (bridal wig), a set of matching  (usually mock-tortoiseshell), and a  fan tucked into the kimono. Due to the expensive nature of traditional bridal clothing, few are likely to buy brand-new ; it is not unusual to rent kimono for special occasions, and Shinto shrines are known to keep and rent out for traditional weddings. Those who do possess already are likely to have inherited them from close family members.



(lit. 'trailing skirt') (also known as ) are women's kimono with a specialised construction that allows them to be worn trailing, with a deep-set and widely-spaced collar. are extremely long kimono worn by geisha,, actors in kabuki and people performing traditional Japanese dance. A can be up to 230 cm long, and are generally no shorter than 200 cm from shoulder to hem; this is to allow the kimono to trail along the floor.

are sewn differently to normal kimono due to the way they are worn. The collar on a is sewn further and deeper back into the nape of the neck, so that it can be pulled down much lower without causing the front of the kimono to ride up. The sleeves are set unevenly onto the body, shorter at the back than at the front, so that the underarm does not show when the collar is pulled down.

are also tied differently when they are put on – whereas regular kimono are tied with a visible, and the side seams are kept straight, are pulled up somewhat diagonally, to emphasise the hips and ensure the kimono trails nicely on the floor. A small is tied, larger at the back than the front, but it wrapped against the body with a  (lit. 'red silk') wrap, which is then covered by the, rendering the  invisible.

Aside from their specialised construction, can resemble many other types of women's kimono in their decoration, fabric type, colour and sleeve length. The worn by geisha and their apprentices are formal kimono worn to engagements, and so are always made of fine silk, resembling kimono of  formality and above in their pattern placement and background colour.

The worn by kabuki actors varies by role, and so can appear as the humble clothing of an Edo-period merchant's daughter, as well as the fine silk clothing of a samurai woman. These costumes may be made of polyester, as well as silk, informal silk fabrics, cotton, linen or hemp. Pattern placement, colour and design varies by role, with many roles having costume designs preserved from previous centuries.

The worn by people performing traditional Japanese dance typically feature a bold design in block colours, as their clothing must stand out from the stage. Performers performing in a group wear kimono identical to one another, with the bold designs creating visual unity between performers.

Related garments and accessories
Though the kimono is the national dress of Japan, it has never been the sole item of clothing worn throughout Japan; even before the introduction of Western dress to Japan, many different styles of dress were worn, such as the of the Ainu people and the  of the Ryukyuan people. Though similar to the kimono, these garments are distinguishable by their separate cultural heritage, and are not considered to be simply 'variations' of kimono such as the clothing worn by the working class is considered to be.

Some related garments still worn today were the contemporary clothing of previous time periods, and have survived on in an official and/or ceremonial capacity, worn only on certain occasions by certain people.

There are a number of accessories that can be worn with the kimono, and these vary by occasion and use. Some are ceremonial, or worn only for special occasions, whereas others are part of dressing in kimono and are used in a more practical sense.

Both geisha and wear variations on common accessories that are not found in everyday dress. As an extension of this, many practitioners of Japanese traditional dance wear similar kimono and accessories to geisha and.

For certain traditional holidays and occasions some specific types of kimono accessories are worn. For instance,, also known as , are worn by girls for , alongside brightly coloured. are also worn by young women on (Coming of Age Day).

Layering
Pre-WW2, kimono were commonly worn layered, with three being the standard number of layers worn over the top of undergarments. The layered kimono underneath were known as, and were often a patchwork of older or unwearable kimono taken apart for their fabric. Specifically-designed matching sets of formal layered kimono were known as, and generally featured the same design presented on different background colours, such as white (innermost), red (middle layer) and black (outermost). The innermost layers, known as, typically featured the plainest decorative techniques, such as dyework only, and the successive outer layers would feature techniques such as embroidery and couched gold thread, with the outermost layer – known as the – displaying the most extensive decoration. These matching sets would be designed and created together, commonly as part of a bride's outfit for a wedding. Extant intact sets of kimono are difficult to find, particularly in good condition, with the innermost kimono typically damaged and in poor condition.

In modern Japan, at least one layer is typically worn next to the skin when wearing kimono. Traditionally, this would be the or, a tube-sleeved, wrapped-front garment considered to be underwear, though in the modern day, regular underwear is sometimes worn instead, and a traditional  is not considered strictly necessary. A is typically made of something more washable than silk, such as cotton, hemp, linen or some synthetic fibres.

For all forms of kimono except the (excluding high-quality  dressed up as ), a lit. 'long', often known and referred to as a, is worn over the top of any underwear. The resembles a kimono made of a lighter, thinner fabric, not uncommonly constructed without an  panel at the front, and often has a collar cover known as a  sewn over its collar. The, which is visible at the neckline when worn underneath a kimono, is designed to be replaced and washed when needed.

In modern-day Japan, layered kimono are generally only seen on the stage, whether for classical dances or in kabuki. A false second layer called a "second wing" (比翼) may be attached instead of an entirely separate kimono to achieve this look; the resembles the lower half of a kimono's lining which, and is sewn to the kimono horizontally along the back. A may have a false collar attached to it, or a matching false collar sewn to the kimono separately, creating the illusion of a layered kimono at the neckline; separate false sleeve cuffs may also be sewn into the kimono to create this effect.

Kimono featuring can be seen in some kabuki performances such as, where the kimono is worn with the  flipped back slightly underneath the  to expose the design on the. The can also be seen on some bridal kimono.

Care
In the past, a kimono would often be entirely taken apart for washing, and then re-sewn for wearing. This traditional washing method involves two steps: taking the kimono apart and washing each piece and then stretching each piece of a kimono onto a board to dry after they have been washed and starched. Because the stitches must be taken out for washing, traditional kimono need to be hand sewn. The process of traditionally washing kimono is very expensive and difficult and is one of the causes of the declining popularity of kimono. Modern fabrics and cleaning methods have been developed that eliminate this need, although the traditional washing of kimono is still practiced, especially for high-end garments.

New, custom-made kimono are generally delivered to a customer with long, loose basting stitches placed around the outside edges. These stitches are called (not to be confused with, the small white prickstitching seen along the collar of ). They are sometimes replaced for storage. They help to prevent bunching, folding and wrinkling, and keep the kimono's layers in alignment.

Like many other traditional Japanese garments, there are specific ways to fold kimono. These methods help to preserve the garment and to keep it from creasing when stored. Kimono are often stored wrapped in acid-free paper envelopes known as.

Kimono need to be aired out at least seasonally and before and after each time they are worn. Many people prefer to have their kimono dry cleaned. Although this can be extremely expensive, it is generally less expensive than the traditional method of taking a kimono apart to clean it. This may, however, be impossible for certain fabrics or dyes.

, Kimono Production Regions
Kimono are produced in different regions all over Japan. Locations known for making kimono are often called. Many of these regional variations still exist today and are recognized as, famous products of their place of origin.

Outside of Japan
Kimono are worn outside of Japan in a variety of circumstances. Kimono may be worn to Shinto ceremonies by Brazilian girls of Japanese descent in Curitiba, in the Brazilian state of Paraná.

Kimono are also worn by Japanese Americans, and by other members of the Japanese diaspora overseas, such as Japanese Filipinos in the Philippines (see Japanese in the Philippines).

Kimono are collected in the same way as Japanese hobbyists by some non-Japanese, and may be worn to events such as Kimono de Jack gatherings.