P6+Kimono

=P6 Kimono=

In Japan, the kimono is the standard garment for men. Men’s and women’s kimonos were distinguished by subtle differences in the color and the cut of the kimono. Younger women’s and older women’s kimonos also have some small differences. Young women wore brightly colored kimonos with long sleeves while older women tended to wear darker colored kimonos with shorter sleeves. The kimono may have different colors and sleeve lengths, but they are all made the same way. The standard width of the kimono’s bolt fabric is 14 inches. This fabric is cut into a few rectangular sections, and then they are sewn together with a few straight seams. After this step, two very long sections are joined together up the center of the back and are left open down the front. The other rectangular sections form the sleeves, collars and the front overlap. The basic shape and construction are shared with other traditional garments including two cats and a coverlet. The overall shape of the kimono’s fabric comes from the design and the way it was going to be worn. The style of the clothing went through many dramatic changes over time. Some of the changes include the kimono. The kimono that is now thought of typical was relatively late in development. Other than just clothes for look cosmetics were very important as well. In Japan richer families and powerful people had a different idea than beauty. Japanese women shaved their eyebrows and painted black powder as artificial eyebrows. White powder was used to whiten the face, and rouge was used to redden the cheeks and lips. Women prided themselves on having long hair done up in fancy hair styles with jeweled combs as an accent. For another accent and for elegance men and women would both carry fans or parasols. As another accent nail polish made from vegetable dye was used on the fingers. For smelling nice as well as looking nice clothing was perfumed by holding it over incense burners. Although the rest of the body was covered in silk garments and expensive cosmetics their feet were comforted by Japanese shoes. The shoes in Japan are a lot different than ours. Over here, we have many different styles of shoes. We also have shoes for the different seasons of the year. In Japan, they had two main types of shoes. When people were outdoors, the Japanese wore sandals woven from rice straws. These sandals were not worn when it was rainy or muddy; they were only worn in dry weather. The Japanese had different shoes for the rain season. They wore wooden clogs called geta. These clogs had a wood platform fitted on top of the two wooden blocks. The wooden platform raises the foot from the ground, as not to get wet or muddy. Court officials thought highly of their comfortable shoes and expensive clothes that they wore. The court officials wore different clothes than the normal citizens. They wore clothing that was made of hemp, linen or cotton. The wealthier court officials wore white silk clothes. The court officials of Japan also had different clothing styles than others. Their clothes showed power and had many, many layers. The priest’s clothes showed power with length of the bell on the priest’s robe shows the ranking of the priest. Also, the women of the court wore layer upon layer of wide sleeved silken robes. Sometimes on dress occasions, women might wear as many as 12 silk robes. From ghost in the tokaido inn the samurai judge Ooka wore a simple but elegant kimono with his family crest on it. Also the daimyo Lord Hakuseki wore many magnificent bright silk robes as a noble man and samurai. His clothes also were embroidered with his family crest. From silk garments to cotton garments the lower class peasants had a different style of clothing. Even though peasants are a lower class and provide the tax money they still wear the traditional kimono. The clothing that was worn by peasants was usually made of and cotton. Peasants would wear a cotton kimono called a yukata after bathing, or during sleeping and lounging at home. Any other time peasants would wear trousers a jacket and another kimono. Women would also wear an apron or a head scarf. Only silk kimonos would be worn by the wealthy. From a lower class to a higher class, Samurai had a different way of dressing.

Samurai's were different than normal people especially in their way of dressing and life. A samurai was a leader of a local clan who fought on horseback and served their emperor by guarding the borders. Miyabi is the way or code of the samurai. The samurai adopted the upper class dress and a silk kimono with the finest quality and color. The samurai warriors always wore a pair of swords unless they were in a place of peace. In battle the samurai wore battle gear with small steel scales laced together with silk cords. Under their battle gear samurai wore loose pants, a kimono, outer pants and a jacket. The chest gear protected the upper body, the shoulders, and little skirt like panels that protected some of the lower body. The battle gear the samurai wore was bright and colorful, as well as the silk cords that held it together. Arm guards, heavy gloves, shin and thigh guards were worn to protect those areas. The face was protected by a face mask and a helmet with hanging side panels to protect the neck. The masks were meant to look like a human with a ferocious rage. The helmets were decorated with horns and other colorful ornaments. On the helmet the horns had the samurai's family crest and other creatures to identify the warrior. Under the samurai's helmet they shaved the top of their head and pulled back the sides into a knot at the back of their head. In conclusion the Japanese have very diverse ideas about ways of dress and appearance. media type="custom" key="8455166"

  Asian Girl with Yukata. []. [February 21, 2011.] Image. Cayenne, new Mexico and Arbol chili powder [|http] [|://] [|www.shutterstock.com/pic-59101405/stock-photo-cayenne-new-mexico-and-arbol-chili-powder-in-a-wh] ite-compartmentalized-saucer-with-a-small-mortar.html [2/21/11] image Graphics of beautiful Japanese woman wearing traditional kimono [ [|http] [|://] [|www.shutterstock.com/subscribe.mhtml] [2/21/11] image Japanese samurai. [|http://] [|www.shutterstock.com/pic-52270483/stock-vector-japanese-samurai-vector-illustration.html] [2/21/11] image  Japanese Wooden Shoes. []. [February 21, 2011.] Image. Odijk, Pamela. //__The Ancient World, The Japanese.__// South Melbourne, 1989. Samurai Warrior. []. [February 21, 2011. Image.  Sands, Stella ED. "Dressed for Success." __Samurai__. Kids Discover. Nov. 2004.