1940's Traditional shops Japanese dark green omeshi silk kimono

Traditional Japanese Kimono

**I have loads of kimonos in my shop, please take a look for the full range I can offer**

Japanese clothing is usually of adjustable fit. Western women usually wear kimono open around the house as a gown, meaning it will also fit larger sizes. I will be happy to answer any sizing concerns, please get in touch

Shoulder seam to shoulder seam is 23.5"
Length: 54"

Circa 1940's

Small hole at back of kimono. A couple of loose stitches underneath one of the sleeves - see photos



The silk is slightly firm, it is not a drape silk. The lining is a thin soft silk. The lower green lining is tie dyed or a similar technique to create the design



Colour: Dark green



This kimono is made from omeshi silk. This silk is a highly valued form of chirimen silk. The kimono worn by the imperial court were called Omeshi, which is now what we call the heavy silk they were made from. The silk threads are waxed and dyed before they are woven, leaving very little room for error in the weaving process, imagine you had one colour in the wrong place, the whole pattern would be out of whack after that! After weaving, the silk is hand-washed to remove the wax. Due to this work intensive process, new kimono made with omeshi silk are very rare. If you find omeshi silk, most likely you have an older kimono that would have been prized by someone! Antique omeshi kimono are highly sought after and valued by collectors.



This style of kimono is known as 'Komon'. Komon have an all over repeat pattern and are known as townwear, that is, an everyday wear kimono. Komon kimonos and iro-muji kimonos are becoming more and more rare, as they are not made much anymore; the few kimono makers left now tend to make only very formal, ornate kimonos, which are still worn by some Japanese women on special occasions, and lightweight cotton yukata kimonos, which are often worn to Japanese summer festivals or as house and bath robes. Very few people in Japan wear kimono all the time nowadays, so almost no one buys kimonos such as komon or iro-muji anymore and kimono makers have virtually stopped making them.



A red silk lining is always a characteristic of an older kimono circa 20's-40's. I would date this kimono mid-late 40's because of the sleeve length.

The kimono is hand stitched in the traditional Japanese way

We have loads more kimonos in our shop - please take a look!



Additional Information



Kimono's should not be washed. They should be taken to a specialist dry cleaners. They can be aired outdoors for freshness.



This vintage kimono is not the same as many of the kimonos sold in the UK, or to tourists in Japan which are often made in China and of poor quality cotton or synthetic but rather these garments are genuine, Japanese, vintage, traditional, hand-stitched or partially hand-stitched (unless otherwise stated) garments.



WHY CAN SOME WOMEN'S KIMONO BE SO LONG? Contemporary and formal kimono are very long indeed. This is because they are traditionally shortened by hitching up at the waist and hiding the excess fabric behind the wide obi belt. Older kimono tend to be shorter and smaller.



Sizing: Japanese clothing is usually of adjustable fit. Western women usually wear kimono open around the house as a gown, meaning it will also fit larger sizes.



Occasionally someone asks me about a matching "belt" or sash for a kimono. Japanese women, instead, wear a kimono with an obi--usually a wide, stiff, brocaded, 15-foot long piece that wraps around the waist several times and ties in an elaborate bow in back. They rarely match these to the kimono, but rather choose contrasting colors and patterns. The only kimono that are sold with an accompanying sash in a matching fabric, are garments made specifically for the Western tourist trade or for export to the West.



One must bear in mind that most are vintage items, which I strive to describe accurately and honestly. Most are in excellent vintage condition and therefore look virtually new but all are vintage, even the unused garments, which are or deadstock. A very, very few smell of mothballs or a touch of vintage mustiness but that is rare. This can be aired out. I find hanging the kimono over a radiator (turned on) works well, or if you have access to outdoor space and the weather is dry, you can hang it on a washing line. Some synthetic textile and cotton kimonos can be hand washed but do this entirely at your own risk and only use a detergent for colours, as all other detergents contain bleaching agents to brighten whites. I usually mention any mothball or musty smell, if one does have it, but one must bear it in mind it is a possibility, even if not stated in the description, whenever shops buying vintage and antique textiles.



Storage: Hang up your garment for a few hours prior to wearing, to remove fold creases. They should also be hung out to air 4 times per year, if not worn frequently. Hang your garment to air for a day or so immediately after purchase too, as it will have been stored for a while. The Japanese take great pains to store their traditional garments with the utmost care, which is why they stay in such exceptional condition. Some of my Japanese garments have white stitching (shitsuke) round the outside edges. The Japanese put these stitches in to keep the edges flat during long periods of storage, these stitches just get pulled out before wearing the garment.



More Kimonos in our shop so take a look!



Our reference: 10



If there is ever a problem with your purchase please contact us first and we will endeavour to sort the problem out