Kimono with Phoenix

All geisha must wear kimono to banquets, and most wear kimono all the time. Kimono are considered some of the most beautiful garments in the world.

Kimono are made of rectangles of fabric, and always worn with the left side overlapping (except in the case of a funeral, when the deceased is buried with the right side over).

The sleeves of a kimono can tell you a lot about the person wearing it. They are recangles, sewn to make a sort of squarish bag (the bag parts can be used to keep a handkerchief or something else in).

In the case of women, the bottoms of the sleeves are rounded, while in men they are squared off. Young women wear sleeves that go all the way down to their ankles, and adults wear them coming down to their waists.

As a rule, children and teenagers wear brighter colors and more elaborate designs than adults, and the same goes for women and men, respectivley.

The kimono are worn with obi, which is a wide sash that is tied very elaborately. Kimono may look simple to wear, but the process of getting in them is actually so complicated that it requires a professional dresser to help you, most of the time.

The obi-age (obi scarf) is worn under the obi, so that it peeks out a bit. The younger the wearer, the more sash shows. An obi cord is required to keep the whole rig in place. An obi brooch, which is pinned in the middle of the front of the obi where the obi cord knot goes, is sometimes worn in evening kimono.

Sometimes worn with kimono are haori jackets. These are like kimono cut to just below the waist. They were originally just for men, until geisha adopted them and made them iki (stylish). Now they are considered unisex.

Zori

The shoes worn with kimono look like laquered flip-flops and are called zori. They can be short, or on platforms. Underneath, white cotton split-toed socks called tabi are worn.

Less formal sandals, called geta, are for casual kimono. They are basically rectangular supported with two verical pieces of wood, and are a lot like pattens.

Informal cotton kimono are called yukaata. Yukaata are worn as lounge/sleepwear, and are just like bathrobes in the west, although in some resorts people might wear them out and about.