Tag: me

Winter Hikizuri in Late Summer

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Recently the naughty voice in my head told me to browse eBay, despite having no job and no storage space. I figured browsing hikizuri would keep me safe as they tend to be out of my price range anyway. Unfortunately, I listened to the naughty voice, found a gorgeous ume piece with multiple extra layers that happened to be a huge size, and now this stunner is now all mine! I’m fairly certain it will fit, but right now it’s just way too hot to wear something with so many layers and so much padding. I am looking forward to putting it on eventually, but in the meantime I couldn’t wait to put it on the mannequin instead.

It was listed as a geisha’s hikizuri on eBay, but the overall boldness and huge padded hems make it feel more like some kind of stage or dance piece. Either way, it’s absolutely stunning and it’s already a treasured part of my collection. I chose metallic, heavily textured accessories to balance out the rich black and smooth yuzen. The green shibori obiage isn’t technically appropriate but I really love how it draws attention to the green accents in the kimono that almost disappear otherwise. I think next time (maybe whenever I actually wear it) I might go with a white-and-silver obi instead of the primarily gold one, since most of the metallic accents on the piece are silver, but I think the gold works just fine. I tied the musubi on a bit of an angle to make it feel a bit more chic and I quite like how that looks.

This also happens to be the 100th kimono I own, if you count men’s items, uchikake, and yukata. A piece worthy of the milestone, in my opinion.

Items used in this coordination

Art Gallery – Portrait by Dan Howard

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I’ve loved Dan Howards’s art for years, ever since I saw it on a message board we were both members of. I’d always wanted wanted to commission him but things never worked out. Until now! Things came together at just the right time, and I’m very happy.

He did a great job capturing the details that were important to me, like my hair and my accessories, while still staying true to his personal style. I also love the low collar of the kimono! Especially since he’d never drawn accurate kimono before and was going by some vague references I sent. The pop of red is great too. It adds a great little racy touch and contrasts so well with my beloved teal/peacock colour palette.

Please go check out his work on his website, Dan Howard Art.

Kimono Tsuki on Everyday Expertise!

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On Saturday, I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Angela of Everyday Expertise. We discussed the ins and outs of collecting kimono, from how I got started to why I still do it. I admit, it was a little awkward watching myself; my voice sounds so different in my head! But it was a lovely experience, and I’d be so happy if you gave it a watch!

Art Gallery – Pink Komon Portrait by Logan Spector

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I fell in love with illustrator Logan Spector’s art in a group on Facebook we’re both part of. I contacted her about a kimono-related commission, and I am so beyond glad I did! I absolutely love how this turned out.

It’s obviously based off my recent coordination at the botanical gardens, and Logan’s attention to detail is just blowing my mind. From the kimono itself to the pattern on the haneri to my glasses and earrings, everything is spot-on perfect and translated into her unique art style so well.

I get really happy seeing how different artists interpret my face in their own looks while still being true to my weird nose and squishy jaw-line, and Logan was no exception. The whole process from start to finish was very pleasant, she showed me a draft and asked for input and kept me in the loop the whole time.

Please check out Logan Spector’s website and Instagram!

O-Hanami & Taiko at the Montreal Botanical Gardens

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On Sunday, a few members of the Montreal kimono club got together at the Montreal Botanical Gardens to have our own little O-hanami. The climate here isn’t ideal for sakura, but we’ve got lots of crabapples which look almost as lovely and are almost as transient and ethereal.

I had a blast. We met lots of awesome people, posed for a bunch of photos, and generally had a great time. Although it was slightly marred by me tripping at one point and pulling the hanao out of my zori. I spent the bulk of the day walking in tiny awkward steps, gripping my shoe with my toes to prevent falling off. Eventually I just gave up and walked around in my tabi, since they’d gotten dirty when I tripped initially. A bit gauche, I know, but better than spraining something. Especially since I’m still recovering from falling down the stairs a few weeks back.

This post is going to be incredibly image-heavy, because everything was lovely and also we’re a bunch of silly people who like to ham things up. Click through for kimono, taiko drumming, and a lovely ikebana show!

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