Tag: Obijime

Chidori Obidome

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This adorable obidome was one of the awesome things in the last box of goodies Kansai_gal sent me. I love chidori, but I also love the amusing multi-faceted aspect of this particular piece.

Chidori is the Japanese term for plover (a type of small wading bird), and when it comes to kimono the term generally refers to depictions of this bird. The depictions can be realistic, or very stylised, much like the depiction of the silver bird on this particular piece.

However, due to the similarity in appearance, the Japanese name for the houndstooth pattern on the background is also referred to as chidori. So this particular piece is technically chidori-on-chidori! Isn’t that cute?

New haneri

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While I was visiting Naomi, I picked up a bunch of gorgeous haneri we’d bought together on YJA. Unfortunately, the selection was random so we didn’t get exactly the ones we were hoping for, but I am happy with the ones I ended up with.

Maroon with floral roundels
Maroon floral haneri
A beautiful rich colour with multi-seasonal flowers. For modern machine embroidery, this is surprisingly lush.

Taupe with floral roundels
Taupe floral haneri
Same as the previous one, but in a much more gentle colourway.

Ivory with sakura
Beige sakura haneri
I’m not usually one for sakura motifs, but the soft ivory background of this one and the variety in colour of the flowers makes it charming and versatile.

White with grapes
White grapevine haneri
I thought the little pastel grapes on this were very adorable, I couldn’t resist!

White with dramatic flowers
White floral haneri
Again, lots of sakura, but the ones in the background are abstract enough to look like botan or kiku with the right outfits. I also love the charming little yellow maple leaves.

Pinstripe haneri with ume
Pinstripe and flower haneri
This was actually a gift from Kansai_gal that I’ve had for quite a while now, but never got around to photographing. Apparently it was such a good price that she couldn’t pass it up, but she didn’t particularly like the design. Worked out well though, because I absolutely love it.

Playing cards
Playing card haneri
This adorable homemade haneri was a gift from Rubyminky. I am really looking forward to wearing it with my playing card kanzashi hairband and obidome.

Bunnies!
Bunny haneri
Also from Rubyminky, this is an adorable soft dusty pink with cavorting bunnies. What’s not to love?

Haneri – the finishing touches

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In my mind, one of the items in any kimono wardrobe that really helps inject personal style and flair into an outfit are haneri, or decorative under-robe collars. They are sewn onto the juban to protect it from dirt and oil as well as to add a coordinating colour and design. By default, most modern juban have a white collar already attached, but you can always sew a more brightly coloured or textured one over top.

White collars are proper and traditional on more formal and mature outfits, such as with kurotomesode, iromuji, and mofuku. However, on younger outfits involving furisode, or any outfit involving komon, tsukesage, or houmongi, the right haneri really adds a visual punch. I may even consider wearing them myself with iromuji with the right accessories (and to the right venue), and I have a few that are primarily white with some metallic accents that I wear with kurotomesode. However, I would never wear one with mofuku (funeral wear) as I feel it would be frivolous and disrespectful.

I have a relatively small collection of “real” haneri, but I have a lot of handmade and improvised ones as well. Really, any fabric that is lightweight and long enough to cover the juban collar will work fine.

White with seigaiha
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This is a beautiful and delicate white collar with pink and mauve seigaiha (stylized wave) and little squares. The white silk also has a subtle reflective fleck texture.

Mauve with spiders
Naomi got this one for me to go with my infamous spider obi. It was too perfect an opportunity to pass up!
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Black with ume and bamboo
I love the slightly vintage feeling of this one. I also really like dark haneri in general, especially with casual outfits.
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Blue with sakura
A sort of subtle pastel one. I have an outfit in mind for this but I haven’t had the opportunity to wear it yet.
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Shibori silks
These are actually scraps of silk Naomi sent me, but they are the perfect size to wear as haneri. I love how vibrant they are.
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Handmade cotton selection
These are hemmed quilting cotton I got in a trade with someone on the Immortal Geisha forums. They’ve all got a definite Japanese feel to them (except the striped one which is just freaking adorable) and look great with a bunch of different outfits.
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On the merits of shigoki obi

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Shigoki obi are one of those items that really aren’t necessary by any means in a kimono wardrobe, but once you’ve gotten a couple you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them. If you’re like me and are built like the offspring of the Jolly Green Giant, and you have a preference for older kimono, they are a godsend. They are a great way to hide a lack of ohashori, or one that is too short to sit properly and lie flat.

These long loose types are traditionally worn by young girls, but lately with the trend in Japan leaning towards the vintage, the funky, and encouraging women to find their own personal style in kimono, they are making a huge comeback. There is also a variation called the kakae-obi that is stiffer and solid, sort of like a wide ribbon, and typically worn by a bride on her wedding day. I really like the looks of these particular accessories, but I’ve never seen one worn simply as a stylistic element so I think for the time being I will avoid doing so.

Typically they are in the standard beni-bana orangey red that was traditional for accessories and undergarments, but more often now they are coming in combinations of fun patterns and colours. BikaBika recently posted some amazing scans from the newest edition of Kimono-hime and one outfit featured a girl wearing an adorable white-and-red candy-stripe shigoki. I would absolutely love one of these for myself.
Spring Coordination Page 2

So far I only have red ones, but they’re all slightly different shades of red and all have different fringes – two have red with gold, one has a slightly peach cast, one is just solid red. The first example is how they should be worn, the second example is using one as a substitute for the momi, the red cloth geisha wear under their obi.
Halloween 2010 Kitsuke Geiko-inspired kitsuke

If you’re building up a kimono wardrobe and looking for a way to inject a bit of fun and personality into your casual outfits, I’d really suggest investing in at least one or two shigoki obi!

Netsuke and obi-kazari

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When it comes to kimono, there is not much leeway for jewelry. Necklaces are typically hidden by the collar, brooches would potentially damage the fabrics. Subtle bracelets, a watch, and a ring or two are typically considered acceptable, but if you want big, flashy, statement pieces, the place to go is for obi decorations.

The most common sort of these would be obidome, brooches worn on the obijime. I only have one “real” obidome, and have already written about it. Obidome are possibly one of the most expensive items in a kimono wardrobe, often made with pearls, diamonds, and other rare gems. World-renowned Japanese Jewelry designers such as Mikimoto have been known to make them, and the prices typically reflect this. It’s also rather rare that they trickle down into the secondary Western market, which helps to drive the prices through the roof, even for pieces that don’t have gems or precious metals in them.

However, there’s no reason they (like many other kimono accessories) cannot be improvised! Here are a few easily attainable items I’ve been known to use in lieu of true obidome.

Vintage Agate Brooch

This was a brooch belonging to my grandmother. It’s a large oval chunk of agate with a filigree frame. I’ve got to be careful about this one, since I do pin it to the obijime, but as long as I’m delicate, there’s no permanent damage.

Vintage Leaf Scarf Clip

This is a vintage scarf clip, typically used to hold a silk scarf around your neck without damaging it. The clip mechanism is great for snapping onto a wide, flat obijime. I’ve been meaning to buy more of these, as they are cute, versatile, and very easy to use.

Handmade brass belt buckle

This is a brass belt buckle my grandmother had made when she was younger. The designs on it remind me of typical Japanese motifs, maybe plum and chrysanthemum. It fits well over the knot of a rounded obijime, and looks like it was meant to go there.

Glass leaves

I honestly have no idea what these are intended for. They were on leather cords when I bought them, so I suppose they could be used as necklaces? In any case, they fit well over smaller obijime and add a lovely bit of sparkle to a casual outfit. Unfortunately, they’re glass and they do dangle down so there’s always the risk of clipping them against a table or counter, so I don’t wear these out much.

The other alternative I’m rather fond of are netsuke. Traditionally, netsuke were worn only by men, and used to hold inro (medecine/tobacco pouches) in place on the obi. It is becoming more common for women to wear them though, particularly “cute” ones, with casual outfits. I have a fascination with all things marine, cephalopods in particular. I’ve never seen an octopus or squid on a kimono, however they do show up on netsuke with some regularity, so this is a way for me to inject a little bit of my obsession into my outfits.

Large Octopus Netsuke

Big goofy octopus made of boxwood. Mass-produced replica of an older design, but still awesome.

Goldfish Netsuke

A cute little bubble-eye goldfish. Also mass-produced boxwood.

Catfish and Ball Netsuke

This is slightly older than the previous two, made of a darker, heavier wood. It also has an ivory inset on the other side with an artist’s mark stamped into it. I’m not sure what the ball is supposed to represent, but I think it’s cute.

Tiny Octopus Netsuke

This was a surprise gift from Christy, and it made me squeal with glee. It’s another octopus, but it’s absolutely tiny and delicate and ridiculously adorable. I love how it looks sort of like a grumpy old man. I’ve not worn it yet, but I can’t wait to!