Kimono Costumes
If there is one thing that many of us are virtually obsessed with, it's Japanese culture. Who wouldn't be!? The art and music. The films! The games, food, and history. Every bit of it can be enough to send any of us into a binge of culture that might never end.
So, when it comes time for Halloween, it is natural that we'll want to take some pretty hefty inspiration from our Japanese neighbors. Unfortunately, it's pretty rare that anyone has the time to get all of the traditional details 100% accurate. That's why we're happy to step in and help with our line of Japan-inspired Kimono-style costumes.
Here's just a bit of history on the authentic garb. The original 'kimono' actually just referred to clothing. It literally just meant 'a thing worn!' But, as style and civilization continued to evolve, it became closer to what we now know in the Heian period (in the late 10th and early 11th century).
Kimono—the same word for singular and plural—were cut with straight cloth strips that were sewn together, so they were pretty easy to design and didn't require much in the way of body measurements. (Don't tell our designers that's an option, though!) They'd be made out of heavy cloth and layered for winter or lighter fabrics during the summer months. During the Kamakura period that followed is when the Kimono began to feature really bright colors and they'd be used to distinguish warrior clans in the Edo period!
They are made with over a dozen different components, especially including the obi, an elaborate belt that tucks away the extra fabric and (especially for women's Kimono) could be the most expensive part of the whole garb. Truly traditional Kimono could be a work of art, involving carefully treated silk that was hand-painted and decorated with actual gold. Such a glorious garb could cost the value of an entire household and be worn by the most honored of Geisha, Sumo wrestlers, and noble Samurai. It is no surprise that so many cultures are fascinated by them!
Of course, we don't expect anyone to be selling their homes to get their hands on an authentic Kimono. You can still celebrate the culture by getting close with our Kimono-style costumes. They feature brilliant colors from a ravishing red and glittering gold to a pastel pink or the elegant black of the Samurai-style. Many of our Kimono-inspired looks include obi-like belts and sashes to bring the costume together, but we have a ton of great accessories to refine it, too. Try our Japanese-themed wigs, jewelry accessories, headpieces, and hats, or even swords to designate if your look is more like a performing Geisha or a warrior serving a powerful daisho.
We've even included other Japanese-inspired costumes to go alongside the Kimono. Try some armor on for size or get an inflatable or stuffed Sumo costume. (Just remember, real Sumo wrestlers would wear Kimono while not competing.) Live out your favorite films like Kubo and the Two Strings or create your very own memoirs in our collection of costumes inspired by a culture we can't get enough of!
