Wearing a coat

[akihito89]

I love to wear kimono on campus sometimes, but when it's cold and windy, what should I wear as a coat. The only thing I can think of if I want to wear a kimono is a bigger, heaver kimono, like a uchikake maybe. That's what I did. I wore a shiromuku over a montsuki and haori. It worked out OK. the wind blew the long sleeves and I looked like Saruman. I was warm except for the arms because of the open sleeves.

Usually, silk breathes well. So, what do Japanese PPL do when wearing kimono in cold weather? tying up a shiromuku might be cool, but I have a premonition that that's not a popular option. I did it around my frinds, but I don't know if I'll do it around lots of Japanese PPL, especially if they know their kimono!

[Flock]

I think that there are special haori with padding for warmth, and lots of adaptations of various traditional jackets. I find wearing kimono very warm, but I'm female and I think somehow women's kimono is thicker maybe.. or maybe it's the effort of moving around and putting them on keeps me warm.

[Kiyoaki]

There are number of ways to beat the cold. There are lightly padded kimono (called 'tanzen'), which helps to fend off the cold. However, I've always found two layers (juban & kimono) to be quite comfortable on their own. It's the heat that's trapped by the layers that will keeps you warm. However, the arms are another matter. For them, there are two solutions. One is easy, and the other a bit harder to solve.

When I wear a kimono in winter , if my hands get to cold, I simply pull them inside my sleeves and keep them sandwiched between the layers of fabric on my chest. Not only will they stay toasty warm, you can even scratch your chin without undoing your hands.

The other choice is to find a Japanese-style 'great coat'. These are cut full-length, and made of wool serge, with a cape attached along the collar. In the Meiji and Taisho eras, men wore them over Western as well as Japanese clothing. They are buttoned up the center front, and have two large armscyes which allow you to stick the kimono-sleeve through the coat's body, but still have them covered by the cape, which serves as a protective (and warm) layer above the 'sode'.

I have seen some for sale through kimono retail shops, but never available online. They are often partially moth-eaten, so attempting to buy one sight-unseen is not a good idea. If you can find one in perfect condition, which isn't too short, and is priced for less that $150.00, you'll have your solution.

It probably pays to carry and umbrella (bangasa) if it's snowing. You can always shake off the snow that accumulates on your clothes, but the umbrella will keep most of it off of you in the first place.

Kiyoaki

[Flock]

ooh,
The coat sounds cool, maybe making one would prove a solution.. Kiyoaki, do you have any pics? it sound interesting- capes are nice!
Cause my knowledge of mens wafuku is more limited than that of women's kimono

[Kiyoaki]

Unfortuantely, no, I don't have photos. However, the overall look is that of full-length winter coat, like those worn by American Civil War officers, or other military uniforms of 19th century armies.

It's basically an ankle-length wool serge coat, with openings for the arms and sleeves to stick through. It's buttoned down the center (perhaps to the mid-thigh), and may have either a pleat from the waist to the hem or a break in the hemline to ease walking. There is usually a stand-up collar with a cape attached to it. The cape hugs the collar line, and the edges meet in front. It may reach to the waist (or be shorter).

For women, usually a "michiyuki" (snow & rain) is worn. It buttons on the right side, but follows the lines of the kimono underneath. It can be half-, or 3/4-length according to the wearer's choice. Often it's made of fabric that suitable for a woman's haori.

Kiyoaki

[Flock]

well thanks anyway, sounds great.
Yeah I have two michiyuki =^o^= they look cool, I like the square necklines.. and they can disguize my poor obi tying skills :/..

[akihito89]

This is a little off the subject, but my obi-tying isn't so awesome either. I am pretty much limited to doing a butterfly bow with a fukuro obi without any of the accessories. I'd liek to do it with the accessories and get one of my friends ot wear a furisode with a pretty bow. I can secure my montsuki, but one thing I need to work on is the kaku obi and the heko obi (emphasis on the heko obi). It's an extremely simple bow, but I just can't get it! maybe if it was really complex, I'd be a wizard at it. That's where the haori comes in handy! my sloppy obi-tying is disguised by the haori.

I still think the shiromuku thing is cool. Ok, I'm curious. I heard but am not sure that among other things (like hair styles), the uchikake was originally made for men as a coat or it was gender neutral. I don't know if that's true or not, but I have seen some Kabuki uchikake that had masculine designs (like tigers and dragons) on them. They were awesome too! They were big, colorful, extravagant, and noble-looking. Definately something I would wear!

Can you refresh me on this?
Thanks

[Kiyoaki]

In the Momoyama Period, men did wear a long version of the haori called a 'dofuku'. It was almost as long as the kimono, and had an open front with ties, as well as an opening in the back seam for swords. It may have been the prototype for the modern haori, but was never long enough to trail after the wearer.

As best as I'm aware, the uchikake has always been worn only by women, and only indoors (for fairly obvious reasons). Perhaps the idea came from the juni-hitoe, which was worn by females of noble families (especially while at court). Anyway, I don't think it appears before the 18 th century, and was probably adopted by the bushi class before it later spread to the chonin class (especially the highest courtesans).

[Kiyoaki]

As to the kabuki-type 'uchikake' _ the bold designs could have been intended for women as well a men roles. Some male kabuki roles require heavily padded garments to give bulk, and therefore 'gravitas' to the actor's performance. If both the sleeve cuff and the hem are padded, then it's probably a male costume.

Occassionaly, (I can't think of any specific instances), the role of a top courtesan might portray her wearing a boldly decorated and padded uchikake. But in general, all the decoration for kabuki costumes tends to be bold in terms of scale and color combinations anyway.

[Flock]

Well I can only tie a Taiko style anyway..
Anyway, I'm not too clear on the uchikake male/female thing, but I do know that kimono used to be much more unisex, men wore flamboyant designs as much as women, and people seemed always (well.. in woodblock prints) to be dressing up as the opposite sex.
It'd be cool to wear an uchikake for things apart from a wedding, they're so grand !

(offtopic?)

[akihito89]

Ok,

Let's just wear stuff for whatever reason we want! I do that! It's fun!