Proof of Life

Rumours of my demise have been slightly exaggerated. Further information below the cut if you’re curious.

Ideally, for my return to regular kimono blogging I would have loved to showcase some gorgeous new piece, some rare curiosity… but I honestly have not purchased anything since the men’s set I wrote about back in May. Instead, I resorted to my old standby of blindly pulling something out of storage and forcing myself to work with it. It’s a great exercise if you’re feeling uninspired or unmotivated! I grabbed this vintage-inspired modern poly piece that I love and used to wear quite frequently, but somehow never think of when it comes time for a mannequin coord.

I thought it would look lovely and even more vintage-inspired with this dusty peacock obi, which I unfortunately forgot was hikinuki-style so it’s tied upside down. Oh well. Not too shabby for being so out of practice! A few similarly desaturated accessories in dusky pinks and beigey browns completed the look and this outfit feels like a great way to transition from summer into autumn.

If you’re still reading, hello! I wanted to take a moment to explain where I’ve been. There were a couple of times where it felt like I might have shuffled off my mortal coil, but here I am. I definitely hinted at it before, but I’d been dealing with depression relating to losing my job along with some kimono burnout. I was scheduled to give several presentations at Costume-Con here in Montreal back in the “before times” and the convention was literally cancelled the day beforehand, when the entire world went into lockdown. It hit me harder than I was willing to admit. Add a seemingly endless heat wave this summer and even looking at the mannequin or my collection felt overwhelming.

But things are looking up! I got a great new job, which has done wonders for my morale and mental health. I’m working full-time but I work from home so it’s not overly exhausting, and it leaves me with a decent amount of personal time.

What I’m trying to say here, in my verbose and roundabout way, is thank you for being patient and sticking around. I really appreciate your support. I am determined to update more regularly now.