Although the kimono originated in China, they are nowadays more commonly associated with Japan, and the most beautiful kimonos were produced in 17th and 18th century Japan.
Traditionally, the cloth and color combinations indicated the political and social standing of the wearer and the kimono’s color varied with the season. The kimono is no longer purely a traditional garment.
Traditionally, all girls in Japan learned to make their own clothes and sew. But sewing was more straightforward than in the west. The kimono, haori and girdle, and even the long-hanging sleeves, used only parallel seams. The garments were, in fact, taken apart for cleaning, and each piece, after being slightly stiffened, was stretched on a board for drying, before being sewn back together again.
There are many varieties of kimono clothing: the long-sleeved, gorgeous kinds worn by young girls or geisha, the formal kimono stamped with the wearer’s emblem and worn on formal occasions; men’s kimonos and children’s kimonos. A young girl would wear a kimono with long sleeves and an Obi, a wide brocade or silk sash about 12 feet long and twelve inches wide. As the girl gets older, the kimono designs become smaller and the colors richer and deeper while the obi is made narrower and worn deeper. Also, haori, a short knee-length kimono, is frequently worn too. These days, a kimono is typically only worn on special occasions and is mostly worn by women, but some men still wear this garb. Both kimono and haori may be hung from a hardwood frame as wall decoration.
As an indulgence or ideal gift, kimono clothing is extremely versatile, and makes a welcome addition to anyone’s wardrobe.
Possibly the most popular color for a kimono is red, derived from safflower. The yukata is related to the kimono, except it is made of a lightweight cotton and is less formal.