The Black Yukata

After making arduous shorts, I decided I needed a break and a quick sew of something that I knew would turn out. I had this amazing patterned fabric in my drawer since I'd used some of it for Sarah's 40th Birthday bunting 18 months ago. Even though I had bought actual yukata fabric in Japan, for some reason, the time felt right to use this up.

 

When I'd bought it, Spotlight was closing down their store, so I got it at a really discounted price and I'd bought what I thought was enough for a whole yukata (FYI, you need about four metres of standard width fabric). I was pretty sad when I lay it out to discover that I didn't have quite enough! I considered different options, but decided that I would make a half half yukata with some plain black fabric. 

Since I was using non-standard fabric, I decided I'd also just use my sewing machine to sew this, rather than hand stitching like I might have usually done. I did french seams to encase all the raw edges, which is what I've noticed is common for modern made yukata. 

The whole thing sewed up in a weekend and man does it look stunning. I was so happy with how it turned out. I wore it to school with an obi that I also made, back in 2023. Love the little pop of colour it gives on the back. 

The biggest trick with this was making sure I had my left and rights the correct way around, since I didn't want the plain black on the front. Success on that though! 

Kimono Collection

Even though my kimono collection (here and here give pretty good snapshots if you are interested) is pretty extensive, compared both to a regular Japanese person, not to mention the average Australian, I managed to come home with a considerable of new pieces after our six months in Japan earlier this year. 

Wearing new yukata and obi for work

For those who don't know, most Japanese people would have maybe one yukata (summer cotton kimono) at home, and maybe a formal one if they had to go to a wedding (like mother of the bride type thing). But a cupboard full of them is pretty unheard of and to be honest, I think lots of people hire them for events if they need them, rather than buying them. Especially since they would likely need help dressing too. My friend Haruka doesn't even have a yukata, she thought it was hilarious that I was buying them and wearing them. 

I tried to be restrained about purchases, but since they don't just sit unworn in my cupboard, I do have some justification. I did come home with more than I expected to, but in my defence, I was gifted a number of these which I was not expecting at all. 

My "haul" stacked up and sorted, disguising just how many items there really are. 

I did take photos of each thing, but honestly, there are so many and I felt like this would get boring and long if I put all of them in. Most of the yukata that I bought while in Japan, I actually wore while we were there (or the girls did), so you've probably already seen some of this stuff anyway (here and here). And there is more than just the yukata/kimono part, there is the obi and the ties and the under stuff and what not. In the interest of not boring you - here are some highlights. 

This is possibly my favourite new yukata. I bought it with my friend Haruka at an outlet sale. It's a designer label and has an Aladdin inspired print on it. So cool. Also, the fabric weave is a specific summer one which has very subtle sections that are more see through (let me know if I'm not explaining it right, or you want more info), so that the breeze can pass through and you can stay actually cool in the hot humid summer. It really works and is so comfortable to wear. 

I did buy a large number of obi (waist belts), because they are so easy to mix and match with different kimono and wear in a variety of ways. Also, I got most of these second hand for incredibly cheap so a really great way to bring more colour and fun to the kimono wardrobe. Most of them are double sided too, so twice as much really!

Hanhaba Obi - half width

The first two obi below are the fanciest that I got and the most expensive. Still second hand and cheap compared to what they would be new. Rachel picked out the green wave one for me and I got the butterfly one from a second hand store in Matsuyama. The other two were gifted ones. 

Full width Obi (formal wear)

Along with the two obi there, I was gifted three kimono, one wool with a matching haori (jacket) and the other two beautiful silk with peach blossom patterns. One even came with matching shoes (which you can see above). I could not believe how lucky I was to be given these, especially since I was only meeting the ladies who gave them to me that day! 

The last thing they gave me was this absolutely stunning fuirsode (kimono with long sleeves). I actually don't own any furisode, so I was doubly excited to receive this one. It's on display in our hallway. Photos don't do it justice. The butterflies are all hand embroidered with metallic threads and metal work. 

Aside from the yukata that I bought and wore a lot, I only bought two kimono myself. One was a gorgeous green colour that was only $10 at a shop in Takamatsu. I couldn't walk past it. My final purchase was less spontaneous. I was wanting to get a black formal kimono (usually worn at weddings). Not particularly to wear, but to remake into a fancy dress. Steve and the girls gave me lots of grace as I trawled through the formal section of the second hand stores and feedback when I pulled out options. 

I eventually settled on this one with its lovely honeycomb and flowers pattern. I'm excited to sew it into a dress, and I can see the design I want to get in my mind, but I know I'll be doing a fair amount of draft and pattern work first to get it right before I cut into the actual thing. It's not like I can go out and buy more fabric if I stuff it up!

Inconceivably, I managed to pack all of the new things into the storage that I already had in our room, with only one new shelf needed. Thankfully, that shelf was only being used by Sophie's Squirrel Girl tail, which was pretty easy to relocate. The best storage solution that I have for my kimono stuff is a self made "shoe storage hanger" thing that I put together years ago now out of the leftover fabric I had from making curtains. I could have sworn I blogged about it, but I can't for the life of me find it in searches, and I've written so many blog posts now (over 950!!), trawling back through them to find it seems like a lot of work. And maybe I didn't blog about it at all? 

In any case, everything has its new home and I'm pretty happy it's here. We are eight weeks into school term now, and I've worn a yukata every day. 

Japanese Kimono Haul

I was fairly restrained in Japan when I was buying kimono related things, given that I already have quite a sizeable collection, but here are some of the things I did get! Not sure I'd really call it a haul as such, but I will say that I'm really pleased with all of what I got, since I've worn everything a number of times this year already. 

This new obi matches the yukata I made nearly 18 years ago so perfectly!

For those interested, in the winter months of the year, I tend to dress in Japanese traditional clothes most work days and then some other days just for fun too. Since I'm now working a four day week, it means I'm actually in Japanese style more than western. Have to say, I love it, since kimono are comfy, warm and surprisingly easy to layer so I can adjust things as the day heats up. 

This obi is a different style, but is so versatile that I wear it all the time. 

First up I bought three obi (waist tie/belt things). The top one was such a fun sashiko design that I was in love with it instantly, even though it was a more maroon-red colour that I wasn't sure would go with many of my yukata. It has surprisingly matched way more of my kimono collection than I thought it would and I have worn it a stack. Especially since it's reversible with a different pattern on the other side. 

This bright yellow and orange one is also so fun. Can't get enough of the dual colours and I love to mix up how I wear it too. 

Same obi as above, but looking completely different! So cool!

The light is bad, but the yukata really is more a white than yellow. This is the other side of the first obi from above. 

I also bought two yukata, a white one with sunflowers and a white with blue and purple stripes. I felt these were different to what I already have (which, to be honest, is a lot of shades of blue with flowers) so I was happy with them. 

New yukata with this obi (that I made) and a new obijime (tie).

I got one haori, which is a jacket to wear with kimono.  Again, I looked at so many of these, since they are really common in the second hand shops and the size on them can be quite forgiving, unlike a vintage kimono, which is almost always going to be on the too small size. I found this one on our day in Shinjuku and I really love it. Most of my other haori are dark, so it's nice to have a lighter choice. 

Lastly, I bought my very first hakama! This is a skirt (or pants) that you can wear with your kimono. They were worn by loads of people, notably samurai, and also used to be part of the school uniform back in the day, because it means you can run and move really easily in your kimono without and fear of things falling open when they shouldn't. This hakama took a while to find since I wanted one made out of natural fibres rather than polyester. I got a 100% wool one, which means it's pretty much only going to be worn in winter, but I love it. 

First real outing for the hakama here, with my sunflower yukata on. I'm still working on tying it at a good length, and it def looks better with boots since it's shorter. 

I was a bit disappointed when I put it on the first time, since I had been expecting it to be a bit longer and found it short, but I've made my peace with it and I have been wearing it a stack in the last few weeks at school. Since it is short, it actually looks really good with a pair of boots, so winning there. 

I did get three new obijime (obi ties), one of which I wear all the time, but the two others not so much. Still, very satisfied with the new additions to my collection. Since I've been wearing kimono pretty much non-stop for the last three months, I've also gotten my dressing time down to about 15mins for a full kimono, which is pretty dang good. I was wondering last week if it was worth it, but then on Thursday I had a stack of students tell me they loved what I was wearing or commented on a previous days dress, so I guess they are noticing after all. 

Kimono Days

Wearing traditional Japanese clothes, at least through the cooler autumn to spring months, has become increasingly regular for me this year. I like the comfort and simplicity of the yukata and the warmth of the kimono. Even though I've historically worn my kimono significantly less, I'm really beginning to appreciate the warmth through the winter months these days. Maybe I'm getting old and feeling the cold more, who knows!

Side note - love this kimono so much! Such a beautiful warm wool! Made it myself and same with the obi. (So hard to photograph at ten to six in the morning by yourself in a bathroom that is currently having a sink drain replacement!)

Since July though, I've had extra reason to be reaching for these when I'm considering my wardrobe choices in the morning, because I picked up an extra day of teaching Japanese at a new school. I wasn't really looking for more work, though Steve and I had thrown around the idea of me increasing to four days next year, but my principal came to me and said she had a friend who really needed a Japanese teacher. I figured why not? 

The job was literally handed to me (I got to choose my classes and day that I worked), and it was the same school system, so I figured if I liked it, a transfer would be easier. I just signed a six month contract, thinking that would be enough time to see if I firstly, could actually handle four days a week, and then if I liked it enough to stay. 

A day a week at a new school solely teaching Japanese was the perfect chance to wear a different kimono each week. I actually have enough that I could have worn them with no repeats, so that was a little bit my motivation, especially to challenge myself to wear some of the kimono that I haven't gotten out for a long time. 

I started pretty strong, but a kimono does take longer to put on in the morning, and the weather did warm up, so I switched to yukata toward the end of term three. I'm glad I did challenge myself to give it a go though, because I did learn that one of my kimono is just too small for me (pictured below). It's a vintage one that Sarah bought in Japan the first time she went, so it's beautiful, but small. You can still wear it, but it takes a lot of fiddling to get it looking just right. Sadly not worth it in my books, especially when I have eight other options I can choose from. 

Challenging myself to wear theses each week with no repeats made me really work hard mixing up which obi I wore with each yukata/kimono and finding new ways to tie them. Even though no one else noticed, I loved it! I forgot to take photos of myself every week, but hopefully this gives you an idea. 

In term four, I figured I would make it through October but have to give up in November as the weather is usually just a little too hot for comfort by then. I was right about the end of October being a little uncomfortable, but November started unseasonably cool. I could have made it at least another two weeks! Alas, I had already spent an afternoon packing up all of the yukata and kimono from the floor/walls of my room and I wasn't committed enough to get them out again. 

I had an uncharacteristic amount of Japanese outfits to clean up because my family had joined me in traditional dress for a Japanese evening in the Botanical Gardens. We sat in the Japanese Gardens eating our bento and enjoying Japanese music together. 

Perfection

Sewing Obi

While I've sewn many a yukata or kimono now, I don't think I've ever made an obi that I've gone on to wear. This year, I was gifted a box of fabric from some family friends which included two silk wrap things. The moment I saw them, I knew they were destined to be obi. 

I washed them, unpicked them and lay them out. 

They had the most beautiful embroidery on them and I loved the colours, particularly the black and gold. Everything about these made me happy for sewing and the potential of taking something that wasn't being used and making it into something else. Hooray!

I bought some fancy interfacing stuff that I think is generally  used to make jackets and lapels sit correctly, because I really wanted the silk to hold up as an obi without crinkling. Then it was a matter of cutting them into rectangles and sewing it all together. 

The black one really does look stunning on, but it's so so difficult to get a photo of. I'm wearing it here with the kimono I made last year. 

Can not say how much I love these. Guess I'll just have to wear my kimono more often so everyone can know.