Kimonos! Kimonos! When we talk of kimonos, the first thing that comes to my mind is the traditional and iconic Japanese garment. Secondly, it is the garment that came in different textiles, lengths and colors as a cover up for your summer bikinis. There is no doubt that the traditional Japanese kimono became a fashion inspiration for different brands but it also became such a big trend for almost a couple of years and counting. Now, it could be a part of your staple item in a casual, effortless outfit.
I have always been fascinated with Japanese culture and their quirky, unique sense of style in fashion. With my relentless search for the history of the kimono, I stumbled upon this article online called, "A Brief And Stunning Visual History Of The Kimono" that gives readers valuable information and brief 101 of this traditional Japanese garment.
"Before they were known as kimono, Japanese robes were known primarily as kosode, or “small sleeves,” and osode, “long sleeves.” These distinctions did not refer to the sleeves themselves, but rather the size of the armholes. Eventually, the kosode superseded the osode as the main garment worn by the rich and powerful, and, before long, became the main item of dress for all classes and both sexes in Japanese society."
With the evolution of the kimono, I think more and more women opt in wearing this because whether you are in a hurry or not, you can just put this on a basic outfit and it instantly puts some highlight to an outfit
effortlessly. Also, there are times when we want to hide some body parts that we do not want to flaunt and show publicly, especially when wearing a bikini, a kimono or a cover up is the best thing to wear while still looking fashionable.
As for me, there are times when I just want to feel comfortable and not too restricted with tight-fitted clothes that purchasing a matching kimono blazer and pants was a no-brainer. There are also kimonos that have belts to accentuate your waists if you do not want to look too "boxy". As far as the straight, waistless structure, I did not mind mine's, I was relieved that I was able to pull off my "I just woke up and rolled out of bed fashionably" look at work! I definitely felt very comfortable and received a lot of compliments about it. Definitely, it won't be the first nor be the last.
More pictures of my paisley-printed Kimono set from ZARA below.
