Month: July 2026

Birthstone Ensembles – July – Ruby

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Another month, another beautiful birthstone! For July, we have the bright and bold ruby. If you saw my sneaky little addendum to the series last week, you’ll know that I just did garnet for January, and I wanted to make sure Ruby was a much flashier and more vivid ensemble despite them both being red.

I was also feeling the urge for a bit more contrast, since so many of these outfits have been very monochrome. Of course the kimono had to be red, so I took the opportunity to feature this vintage komon again. It’s bright red with a hint of a magenta undertone, just like an actual ruby. I had this black, gold, and red nagoya that still hasn’t been used much, and I though it would tie in the black and gold accents on the kimono and bring some metallic sparkle to the outfit. Red, black, and gold accessories to finish things off, including this haneri that I use way too frequently. In fact, I think I may have used it last time I used this kimono. Oops!

Seasonally, the motifs here are somewhat wintery (ume, tsubaki), which doesn’t exactly suit the July theme, but eh. This is more of a vibe project. Maybe next year I’ll focus on seasonal/birthday flowers and see how that goes!

It also reminds me of a more casual riff on the very first kimono and obi I ever purchased. That kimono is still one of my fondest treasures and I really should get her out and feature her sometime soon.

Items used in this coordination

Kumiko trivet kit from POJ Studio

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Kumiko is the millenia-old Japanese art of exquisitely fine decorative woodwork. It relies entirely on precise cuts and is held together with carefully calculated pressure-fitting – no glue or nails. Typically, kumiko is used in windows and shoji screens, allowing a breeze and dappled sunlight to filter through.

It’s something I’ve been fascinated by for a long time but I always thought it was way beyond my skill-set and I was certain I didn’t have time to learn such a delicate new skill. Enter POJ Studio and their mission to highlight and uplift traditional Japanese crafts and craftspersons. Unfortunately at the moment the kumiko kits are not listed on their site, but they will hopefully be restocked in the near future.

I chose the gomamon (胡麻紋, geometric sesame seed motif) trivet kit. It came tucked neatly into a beautiful little paulownia box, which will make a lovely pen case or something.

I was worried it would be a long and frustrating project, but the whole thing took me maybe ten minutes. There is an instructional video that’s helpful but definitely not necessary. Here’s a (sped up and compressed) video I took of myself assembling it so you can see how easy it is.

@kimono_tsuki

Together, let’s make an adorable wooden trivet using this kumiko kit from POJ Studio!@pojstudio kumiko diy woodwork japanese trivet pojstudio

♬ original sound – Kimono Tsuki 着物月 – Kimono Tsuki 着物月

It was a lovely, almost meditative experience and I’m very tempted to grab another kit if and when they’re available again! And of course, it makes a great protective trivet for my favourite maneki neko teapot from HomeGoods.

Decorté Kimono eau de Toilette collection

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When did I become a fragrance blog? No complaints, it just amuses me. I’ve been so incredibly lucky to receive a lot of these from the creator or manufacturer, and today’s collection of kimono-themed eaux de toilette from Decorté are no exception. I’ve been wanting to try them for eons, but was unable to afford the full set. I saw a box of travel sizes online so I reached out to Decorte asking if it was still available for purchase somehow. They were kind enough to just gift me the whole travel pack, for which I am very grateful!

I love the idea of a kimono-themed collection, and these are absolutely perfect because they’re all light, airy fragrances that won’t linger on fabric for too long. These would also be fantastic for someone who wants to start wearing perfume but is looking for something delicate and not overwhelming.

Also, how adorable is the packaging? The sample set are tiny version of the full-size, but those are even more charming as instead of a paper label they have a ribbon tied in the back to evoke the feeling of an obi! I love the art design of the whole line, and how it all matches the gentle feel of the scents themselves.

Of course, those scents are the most important part. I have been rotating through them for about six weeks now, and I’d love to share my thoughts and feelings, as well as Decorté’s own descriptions.

Kimono Yui

A transparent floral that invigorates with the freshness of orange water and pink pepper. Brightly energizing with a vivid facet of citrus sudachi, a fragrant invitation to a gentle feeling of happiness.

Kimono Yui was the first fragrance I tried out of the set, and it was a fantastic welcome to this line especially for June in California. It’s bright, fresh, clean, and absolutely perfect for summer. If I were to imagine a kimono for Yui, it would be a crisp usumono with water and fish motifs.

Kimono Tsuya

A vibrant floral musk that enchants with rich Japanese magnolia and rose essence, brightened by green citrus, and deepened by warm musk. Energizing, a fragrant invitation of welcome and warmth. Kimono Tsuya leaves a compelling trail that wraps the senses in warmth and reassurance.

This is a lovely, floral-forward fragrance with more of a presence than any of the others. It’s still what I’d consider a delicate perfume, but it’s more noticeable by others and seems to linger a bit longer than her sisters. “Leaves a compelling trail”If I had to rank them, Tsuya would be my lowest ranking but it’s still lovely and wearable — just less my vibe than the others.

Kimono Urara

A playful fresh floral homage to the sacred water lily, Kimono Usara is a lightly aquatic floral with sweet melon and Fuji apple top notes and a sandalwood base. Stimulating, a buoyant statement of energy and vitality. Kimono Tsuya persuades by enveloping the wearer in a sense of joy and well-being.

Urara is the “happiest of the fragrances, if that makes any sense. It’s bright and bubbly, fresh without being overly fruity or fake (which is a good thing, as I have life-threatening allergies to artificial melon fragrances). The aquatic base helps keep it from being cloying or candy-like. It smells like a picnic in the park near a lake, perfect for late spring through summer.

Kimono Rin

A woody floral that exalts the bold scents of Japanese candied plum and voluptuous jasmine, with a vibrating undercurrent of Patchouli. Sensual, a fragrant evocation of mystery. Kimono Rin leaves a compelling sillage that speaks to confidence and calm.

Kimono Rin is what I would call the most deep or rich fragrance of the bunch. It’s still not heavy or overpowering in the least, but it’s the one that feels the most suited to autumn and winter. That said, I think it might be my favourite of the bunch but that’s no surprise seeing as how I tend to be drawn to woody, warm scents. I can’t wait to wear this one more when it gets cooler out!

Kimono Kihin

A modern floral chypre that celebrates the opulence of Japanese iris. Brilliantly harmonizing top notes of blended citrus with a rich heart of Japanese iris and jasmine, the base complements with warm sandalwood and musk. Kimono Kihin leaves a trailing wake of mystery that speaks to grace and intelligence.

This one might be tied with Rin for my favourite. Again, unsurprising as it’s described as warm and musky. I’ve also come to learn that I really love iris as a perfume note. It’s more woody and spicy than floral, which makes sense as it’s typically derived from the rhizome(root) and not the blossom. Kihin is is another one that’s made it into my regular rotation and will definitely become even more frequent as autumn rolls around and I head back to California.

Overall, these are all absolutely lovely and definitely feel like they’d mesh well with kimono. I’m considering doing themed coordinates for each, the same way I did for Oshiroi by Meleg, focusing both on the fragrance notes and the vibes. What do you think, would you like to see kimono ensembles for these?

You can purchase the entire Kimono fragrance lines as well as other Decorté products directly from Decorté’s website, or from Ulta’s website if you are in the US.

 I received this item from the retailer or manufacturer for honest review purposes.If you have a topically appropriate craft, product, or service you would like me to review, please contact me. 

Home and Native Land

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Yes, I am in the process of getting a US green card. Yes, I plan to move to southern California full-time once that happens. However, I am Canadian through and through and nothing will ever change that. I don’t have blood, I have maple syrup in my veins.

Since today is Canada Day I decided to celebrate with a thematic outfit. I’ve done red and white before, so today I’m thinking outside the box. I’ve said before that this houmongi reminds me of Canadian landscape paintings done by the Group of Seven, so what better place to start? Of course, I had to work in maple leaves again so I got out my beloved momiji/hakata chuuya obi.

To amp up the maple, I used a burgundy haneri with momiji print and then used similar-coloured accents for the obiage and obijime. I tried to tie a tsunodashi musubi but it’s been eons since I did and I’m a little rusty. Everything else just fell perfectly into place and was a pleasure to do, which is always a great feeling. I love how the whole thing turned out, and while it doesn’t scream Canada, it definitely murmurs it, like the wind through trees or waves lapping up on a rocky shoreline.

Maybe in the future I’ll end up doing a stars-and-stripes themed coordinate in July to celebrate. Not for a few years yet, though…

Items used in this coordination