Category: Reviews

Tea Time – Kimono pattern bone china mug

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So really, the last thing this household needs is another cup. Cups, mugs, demitasses, bowls… if it was designed to hold a warm steeped or brewed beverage, odds are we’ve got at least six of it. However, when I saw this mug, on sale no less, I knew it had to come home with me.

It’s part of a larger collection by a homewares company called Maxwell & Williams, and the name of the range is appropriately Kimono

I was very tempted to buy more, but we really don’t have need or space for it. However, if anyone ever happens to come across the matching teapot or other mugs and wants to give them a good home, I certainly won’t say no 😉

Fun With Kimono Dolls, part 3!

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The first two entries in this series were so fun and so well-received I thought that another round would be a fun way to get back into regular blogging. Lots of neat new kimono doll-maker apps have come out since I did the first two, so hopefully you will find one you love. 🙂

I have also gone through the previous entries and tidied them up, removing dead links and adding larger thumbnails.

Wedding Kimono - Lots of fun, flashy, modern-style uchikake in this one! There is a variety of skintones and some versatile wigs, so decent base customisation. You can choose from several different kimono and several different obi.
Girls Kimono Show - Two girls in this one! Lots of very fun furisode and accessories. Kimono and obi are already paired, but you can choose handbags, footwear, scarves, etc to coordinate. There are also outfits with hakama. Plenty of hairstyles, eyecolours, makeup, etc to choose from but the skin tones are fixed.
Cute Kimono - Bit of a misnomer here, this one is actually yukata. Plenty of adorable patterns that vary from traditional to modern. Decent choice of accessories, and the base model is pretty customisable too.
Geisha Scene - By far the most customisation when it comes to the kimono. You can choose colours, patterns, accents, etc. There are also lots of options for collar and hem style, and you can make them as accurate or as inaccurate as you'd like. Up to three ladies can be included, and their hairstyles, makeup, and skintone can all be changed. Tons of options in this one!
Garden Geisha Scene - Choose from a selection of pre-designed kimono and obi, and then choose accessories, parasol, footwear, etc. Not a lot of customisation, but still makes a lovely little doll.
Furisode Maker - Lots of patterns and colours available in this one. Personally I find the pose a little awkward, but still fun. There are a selection of skin tones in this one too, but they seem to all be tint shifts of the original colour and as such don't feel very natural.
Chibi Kimono Maker - Quite possibly I've saved the best for last. This is where my new sidebar avatar came from, and it has an enormous variety of colours, patterns, and textures. There are options for multiple layers of pattern and gradient for the kimono, fancy obijime, date-eri, all the fun little accessories that make kitsuke such a creative hobby. Lots of hair colours and styles and a wide array of skintones give you tons of freedom with this adorable little doll maker.

Fun With Kimono Dolls, part 2!

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I had so much fun making the first Fun With Kimono Dolls post, I decided it might be good to do it again! Here are a few more reasonably accurate kimono dress-up games for you to play with when you’re bored 🙂 Have fun!

Elouai's Candybar Dollmaker - This is NOT specifically a kimono dollmaker, there is an enormous selection of clothing, accessories, backgrounds, facial expressions, hair, etc. Sadly, no options for skin tone though. I had this doll as my avatar on the sidebar of this blog for a very long time!
Mega Yukata Creator - Lots of options for traditional-style and modern sexy style yukata here. Great selection of hair, eyes, and skintones. Sleeves and kimono construction are not totally accurate, but it's still fun. 🙂
Folk Fashion Kimono - Nice doll with a few hairstyles, and a large selection of accurate kimono and obi.
Kokeshi Maker - Not exactly kimono, but totally adorable! Make your own kokeshi by selecting base skintone, hairstyle, and outfit.
Kimono Girl - Cute dress-up game with lots of hikizuri and fun accessories. Doll base (skin, face, etc) is not customiseable.

Book Review – Dream Spectres: Extreme Ukiyo-e: Sex, Blood & The Supernatural

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Dream Spectres: Extreme Ukiyo-e: Sex, Blood & The Supernatural
 by Jack Hunter
Language: English
ISBN: 978-1840683011
Amazon.com Listing
Publisher’s Listing
Goodreads Page

This is a strange and fascinating little book. It’s an extensive collection of the “dark” side of traditional Japanese woodblock printing, running the gamut from pornography to police blotters to illustrations of traditional ghost stories.

The way it’s written is relatively sensationalist, but when you take the subject matter into account, there’s really no better way to present it. It wouldn’t be half as fun or interesting if it were written in a more dry, academic manner. Unfortunately, this also means the write-ups of the individual prints are not terribly in-depth, and I did occasionally find myself wanting more information than the book was able to give me. However, it’s a great introduction and included sections on certain types of prints I’d never heard of before, such as the shinbun nishiki-e, or brocade news prints, that were put up to illustrate particularly horrific or difficult police cases, allowing the general (and often illiterate) public to participate in current events.

Due to the nature of this book, all the example scans are distinctly NOT safe for work environments, or for people under the age of eighteen. If you are curious and would like to see examples from the content of this book, please follow the cut below. If you are underage, in a public area, or are easily upset by explicit or gory content, please DO NOT CLICK. I will not be held responsible for any consequences to be had from viewing the images below.

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Book Review – Wearing Propaganda

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Wearing Propaganda
by Jaqueline Atkins for Yale University Press
Language: English
ISBN: 9780300109252
Amazon.com Listing
Yale University Press Listing

This review has been a long time in coming, but the book is so incredibly fascinating that I wanted to ensure I did it justice. I ordered this on eBay quite some time ago, but the international shipping turned out to be so incredibly expensive I had to have it sent to a friend I was visiting in the United States. It was a bit of a hassle getting it, but it was definitely worth it from a research and historical standpoint. The book is absolutely fascinating.

I should make it clear that, despite the cover, this is not specifically a “kimono” book. It is an anthropological study and catalogue of propaganda clothing during World War II. The bulk of the book is split between the USA, the UK, and Japan, but the clothing from Japan is by far the most striking. I say that not only because I am a collector, but because it’s the only country where the propaganda items are regularly integrated or hidden in “everyday” clothing, instead of on flags, bandanas, etc. I find it incredibly fascinating to see how they incorporated such striking and symbolism-laden motifs into the traditional Japanese aesthetic.

While there are some beautiful photographs, this is primarily an academic catalogue, so don’t expect models wearing fabulous outfits or tips on coordination. However, if you have an interest in the evolution of kimono and how world affairs can impact fashion and culture in unexpected and dramatic ways.

It is also important to keep in mind that since Japan was on the “wrong” side of the war in the minds of most of the world, there are some pretty striking images in here. The book pulls no punches when it comes to startling imagery such as bombs and bomber planes, Swastikas (not to be confused with traditional manji motif), etc. You need to approach these with an open and academic mind, and remember that some of the garments in this book come from a time that is a scar on the Japanese psyche as well.

I would recommend this book for:


-People with an interest in historical clothing in general.
-People studying propaganda and war history.
-People looking for original and unique items.

I would not recommend this book for:


-People looking for coordination ideas.
-People looking for how-to and kimono dressing books.
-People interested in ancient kimono history – this covers only the time around WWII.

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