Fun Friday: Yukata silliness in Phoenix

Just some photos of me and a few friends goofing around at Ro Ho En. Even Murray wore a yukata this time!
Have a great weekend!
~Rebecca

Addendum: someone asked about my outfit, so here are the details: it's a vintage (1970's or 80's I think) yukata I bought from Yamatoku about 4 years ago. Motifs are hibiscus, leaves, and chrysanthemum; I love the colors in it, it's kind of a red-bean background color with cream, yellow, and black. I dressed it up with kimono-styling by adding a black polka-dot cotton han eri, a yellow cotton hanhaba obi with some a plain black obijime, and an "obidome" black and white polka-dot vintage metal flower pin from the early 1970's. I'm also borrowing one of Emma's cute kinchaku bags she made. Not shown; black bunny geta.

 (All photos copyright 2012 by Murray Writtle)

Too much kimono stuff: my collection

Can you have too many kimono and accessories? Maybe- especially if you realize some pieces you haven't even worn yet. (Just waiting for the perfect TPO...just sayin').

Undergarments and underpinnings
2 cotton hadajuban tops, 2 susyoke
1 kimono bra, 2 obi ita, 2 obi makura, 1 korin belt, 2 date jime (one silk, one velcro), 1 obidomegane, and a bunch of himo, 4 eri shin (2 are mesh); 9 juban (1 men's, 2 sample fabric, 2 for furisode)

Accessories
14 obiage (1 is ro), 27 obijime, 4 summer obijime, 4 date eri, 5 silk han eri, bunches of homemade cotton han eri;
4 kimono purses, 2 kinchaku, 1 basket kinchaku,
2 pair plain white tabi, 9 pair colored casual tabi sox

Footwear
8 pair zori, 6 pair geta

Outerwear
6 haori, 1 ama coat, 2 douchugi, 1 michiyuki




Kimono: summer
8 yukata,  2 ro kimono, 1 hitoe summer-weight wool


Kimono: other seasons
1 hitoe wool,  10 awase komon, 1 houmongi, 1 odori kimono, 2 iromuji, 1 kurotomosode


Misc. 
1 adon bakama (ladies undivided hakama)



Obi
16 hanhaba obi (includes 5 hakata), 3 fukuro obi (2 hitoe, 1 formal awase),  2 summer obi, 3 tsuke obi, 8 nagoya obi, 2 chuya obi, 2 heko obi (1 is for a boy), 2 maru obi (1 girl's obi)



If I have all of this, what am I looking for? Mainly casual summer kimono and accessories: ro obiage, ro obi, ro and sha kimono, etc. I seem to wear the warm-weather items more and more. I'm also still looking for an obi for the pink birch-tree houmongi. I'm also thinking of selling or gifting some items I do not wear much.
Cheers,
~Reb

Fun Friday: Kurotomosode

Just a quick post today...I'm on the downhill slope of recovering from a bad cold this week and had to do some work today; so this is kind of a boring photo!

Here is a scan of a photo taken of me in April 2010 (?) when I took a Kimono Kitsuke workshop in Phoenix. This photo was taken at the Japanese Garden by a professional photographer, sorry that there is not a better one. I didn't dress myself; we were all told to "bring your best kimono" and be ready for a photo shoot in the garden- four ladies dressed everyone in the class. This is the only time I have worn my kurotomosode. (For those who are new to kimono lingo, kurotomosode is the most formal kimono a married woman can wear- like formal gown worn to a black tie affair; it's always black with the pattern near the bottom half of the dress). The design features cattleya orchids and chrysanthemums and has a padded hem. The fukuro obi is gold and silver on white and features hanabishi or diamond-shaped stylized floral motifs. I'm also wearing the requisite formal metallic zori (silver), creamy rinzu obiage and cream obijime, and white juban. One of these days I will post a nice clear photo of the kimono and the obi- the design is really gorgeous.
Have a great weekend!
~Reb

PS: Somehow, I managed to look strangely older in this photo....must be that "mother of the bride" kimono! :P

Haori with yellow leaves

Here is another fun purchase that I have put off sharing. This lovely navy blue haori covered in yellow and gold leaves features embroidery accents on the back. Only three clusters of the reddish orange leaves have the added embroidery. The lining features karako (plump little children) and various stylized floral motifs. I'm not exactly sure what plants the leaves these are, but if I find out, I will post it here.

It's in virtually perfect condition and the buttery yellow color is warm and friendly! This will surely brighten up a navy iromuji or grey komon.
Cheers,
Reb

Embroidery detail.

Lining detail.