what draws me to shiromuku and other kimono

[akihito89]

I like shiromuku because of their color (or lack therof) as well as thier monster size and design. The shiromuku dwarfs me (size wise)! I like crane shiromukus, I used to love them the most, but I have never had shiromukus that are exclusively cranes. My first one was heavily embroibered with sakura and carts flowitn over with all sorts of flowers. It was chirimen too! That was nice to behold! I gave it to a friend for its own protection as well as my own.

The 2nd shiromuku has cranes in flight and beautiful sakura and other flowers and pine trees and clouds lightly embroidered with damask patternd seamlessly blending togeather. That is nice. IT's my only one now.

The 3rd one was a little like the 2nd one, but less extravagant, and a little whiter (less ivory) It had cranes in flight on it as well as as pine trees flowers and clouds. It was tourched to satisfy the wrath of my parents. Thay were happy for maybe 2 weeks and then they were back on me for more.

There are 2 that I want and I'm including links for them. Both are reserved, but I can only get one think because I need to buy a truck and move out and pay rent.

I like white over ivory, but like ivory too. which one of these do you think I should get?

www.trocadero.com/kimonome/items/132523/item132523store.html#item

or

www.trocadero.com/kimonome/items/277371/item277371store.html#item



SO, I guess now I like the more extravagant shiromukus now. I would like to find one like a kabuki uchikake I saw once. It had dragans and trees heavily embroidered on it. I'd love a shiromuku liek that. I'd probably wear it foir halloween like a wizard robe or something.

Bart of what I like about that type of kimono is the regal/noble design and look of the kimono. I swa a Japanese bride doll near 10 years ago and it looked awesome! Back then, you couldn't buy shiromukus online. I remember the first time I ever saw one online. IT was around $1000! Anyway, the doll loked like a court noble or something like that. and I liked that.

[akihito89]

I had to re-login because the liberary limits U to 1 hour of computer time. So here goes.

I like the grand stuff like the kariginu. I'd love a white kariginu and matching hakama set with cool designs woven all over it. That is really expensive and hard to find! The first time I saw a picture of a dude in a kariginu (or some similiar thing), I couldn't differentiate it from a shiromuku. Of course, it was an old black and white photo that lacked crisp lines. Heck, maybe guys wore shiromukus once! I know that kabuki uchikake was a man's kimono. It dated to the 18th century and I think that at that time, mens' kimonos were really extravagant with cool designs on them.

Another thing I liek about the shiromuku, is the loooooong sleeves. Those are AWESOME!!!!!!! Of course, for that, I like the furisode too!

SO, I like grand stuff, ceremonial stuff, and formal stuff. If I ever get to collect kimonos, I want lots of mens' and womens' formal and ceremonial stuff and some stuff like the kariginu. I can mix and match 'till my head explodes! I cooked up an idea of weraing a shiromuku with a kamishimo and hakama. (I don't know how I'll do it, but I think it'd look cool if I could.) Then I'd look like one of the dudes from the Legend of the Five Rings game. If I didn't accomplish anyhting else, it would look totally wild and hopefully it'd be cold outside when I wear all this. I love being the life of the party! There are few things like a huge mystical kimono to do that.

[AndyZ]

Hi Akihito89,

I think I once saw that Kabuki kimono too and fell in love with it. If I remember correctly, the one I saw was on Trocadero and priced at about $12,000! But it was wonderful and I'd have liked to own that.

I like the ceremonial items too, but my problem is I'm not so keen on the men's kimono. I find them a bit drab. So I don't get to wear my collection. I have thought it might be fun, just once, to dress up as a Kabuki actor and see if I looked the part. I'd have to get some white, black and red make-up for it, and a katsura, but I already have a good kimono. My family very kindly clubbed together to buy me an actor's uchikake for my birthday. Some of you may remember it from Ichiroya early this year... it has hand embroidered court blinds, spider's webs and ginko leaves. I could wear that. My family seem to be more tolerant of the kimono obsession than yours are. Or at least most of them.

A friend sent me a book he'd found for me in a charity shop, which had good photos of Kabuki actors, so that gives me a good idea of how it should look.

I can understand why you like shiromuku so much. They are superb. In England there's a bit of design snobbery about putting different shades of white/ivory together. It isn't really done much, and is thought of as being a bit of a fashion mistake... along with putting black and navy together too. But I have an ivory shiromuku with a design of huge ribbons tied in a knot at the shoulder, and it has multi-layers of white fabric at the edges. And the combination looks stunning. It also has white and silver tassels on the sleeves.

I looked at the two shiromuku you are thinking of buying. They are both lovely so either would be a good choice. I think I would go for the first one, but it's not easy to choose. It sounds as if they are in good condition. In England they would cost a lot more than that.

I remember the picture of you wearing your shiromuku, with your arms outstretched. Why not post more pictures if you are ever able to. I know it might not be so easy since you are using a library PC. If I ever do the Kabuki thing I'll post a picture...

Did you ever see John Hurt as The Storyteller, in the Henson series? I always thought his huge, colourful padded coat reminded me of a cross between Uchikake and Yogi. I feel it had the mystical effect you describe.

Andy

[akihito89]

Your shiromuku sounds like a yaegasane design to me. That is awesome! The layers of folded silk on the collar, sleeve openings, and the hem. It looks like it's layered. That is a style that I'd love to get! Another Shiromuku design that I want but is elusive, is a fan design. The shiromuku is shimmering white silk that reflects the light in a soft, natural way and the shimmering white silk is more dominant than the designs on the kimono. The designs are open fans with flowers and other designs in them. This is achieved by both damask and embroidery. I've seen a shiromuku like this 3x since the year 2k. I want one of those. I also saw one done by Kansai Yamamoto. That was AWESOME! I deeply regret not buying it when I had the chance. It had the artist's signiture in the lining and the was embroidered with musical instruments mostly.

No, I didn't see that kabuki uchikake on Ichiroya. Can you send me a pic of it (or some pics of it)? I'd like to see it. It sounds nice. What sites do you check out in England?

England ROCKS! I love english history, traditional culture, artecture and all that 2nd only to Japan! I love castles, cathedrals, and college campuses that are 800yrs old. Almost all good reading is from England (J.K. Rowling, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Sarah Ash). Contemporary American literature only pruduces political propaganda poorly disguised as literature and really creepy stuff about old women sleeping with dead men. Y'all have wizards and magic, we have paranoia and hypocracy (and freaky stuff).

Ok that's enough. England is awesome, however regretfully, I think English culture is falling to the same evils that are killing the kimono: Materialism and moral decay.

Ok, that's enough. I wanna see pics of your kabuki uchikake. I think it'd be awesome to be a kabuki for Halloween! Wizrads are cool too. That's what I'm gonna be.

I will try and post pics of me and my shiromuku(s) next week. when I have spare time @ school. School hasn't restricted webshots.com and the liberary has. IDK why my link to my pic won't show here. How many times do I have to fix it?!?! I'll get them on webshots as soon as I can. I posted 2 pics of me in a shiromuku tryign to use it as a wizard costume. I have a cool staff. However, I know what a shiromuku is. That kills the illusion for me, but my friends all say I look like a pretty serious wizard. I do think the robe I'm using looks better than the cheap stuff that is made of the poorest quality material available and is not convencing. I find obviously fake facial hair to be repulsive too. Since I am a wizard (define it how you will, Wise, skilled, knowledgeable, magical, take your pick), I find it unnecessary to modify the appearance of my face. I'm not going as Gandalf (though he is awesome). You can buy good quality wizard costumes, but they cost lots of money! I'll eventually get a nice wizard costume going on. It'll probably include a shiromuku.

Oh, can you also send me pics of your shiromuku? It sounds very regal! The splendor of the shiromuku is excedingly difficult to match, and can't be superceded outside Heaven!

[akihito89]

I like mens' kimonos, but I wish they were more extravagant. They are classy (the montsuki and the bridegroom outfit).

[HikaruNoGo]

akihito89, so you have any pics of the fan shiromuku? I'm more of an iro- uchikake fan since I LOVE colors, but they way you described the fan uchikake has my interest piqued.

Side topic- I love Kansai Yamamot's designs! He and Hanae Mori are my favorite uchikake designers. I'm still on the lookout for a HM piece though. So elusive!

[akihito89]

I'll have to dig around on my old cd roms t see if I have any such images.

DO designers like Kansai Yamoto or Hanae Mori make the kimonos, or just design them? If they don't make them, who does?

[HikaruNoGo]

akihito89 said:

DO designers like Kansai Yamoto or Hanae Mori make the kimonos, or just design them? If they don't make them, who does?

I'm not sure. I think that they just design them and have one of their minons in the studio make the actual product. I find very little info on their kimono- making/ designing processes.

[akihito89]

I just want one. I LOVE SHIROMUKU! THat said, I need a running vehicle for $300 MAX so I can leave my parents and have $$ left for rent and an insurance polocy and kimonos. As soon as I leave the dark prison tower, it's kimono every day 'till I die! Well, almost. One thing I need maybe a little more than fancy shiromuku, furisode and all that artistic stuff is nice, classy mens' kimono and haori to wear.

[akihito89]

Hopefully, my link will stay fixed. It's annoying when it keeps breaking like a Chrysler. Why doesn't it run like a Toyota? Oh well, it's fixed for now. That's me in a montsuki.

If you wanna know more about my lofe for shiromuku, look for a thread called "Awesome Mans' Kimono" or something very close to that. There, I tell all.

So, until next time, wear a kimono and enjoy what you can.