Vintage Kimonos

Bright colours always cheer me up when I'm a little, evidently I painted my nails bright red to chase away the blues when I didn't get my first preference for university but I don't mind the offer I have- there are lots of cool clubs I can join, although the campus is very ugly and was built in the 1960s. I don't have anything against vintage things, but lets just say that the Summer of Love and hippy movement wasn't all that great for inspiring architecture. To brighten up my day some more I've been scribbling notes in my wonderful Rebound Book Diary of Bambi with notes for the units of study I want to take, flicking through Vogue and later I'll trash a nice thick copy of British Vogue for pictures. 

I love the big bold panel at the back of this otherwise plain kimono- the combination of coral red and the bright aqua blue makes the design of the koi fish seem even brighter. I love the long drapery and length of the Kimono, while it may not offer a lot of comfort in terms of warmth I've always been attracted to fashion pieces that allow me to hide under them. A bit of a safety blanket, psychological thing really.

One of the first garments I ever made (poorly constructed) was a kimono from a commercial fabric patternso there's a little nostalgia to see all these lovely patterns and that long draping structure. I didn't have the long sleeves or the length shown here but I did do my best and got one of the higher grades in the class, probably mainly due to who I chose to associate with in that class. I enjoyed the little embroidered detail, dying my own fabric and spending time hunched over a sewing machine- one of my happier memories of high school really. Except for that big-boobed bitch who thought it was funny to throw beads at me from across the room to try and get a reaction out of me. Dumb bitch.

There are sorts of colours as well as sizes and lengths to kimonos and if I were ever bold enough to buy one I would wear it in lieu of a dressing gown just around the house. You have to get the biggest and brighter colour though- my Literature rabbited on one lesson about how colour is used to accentuate mood and that when you become sick you wear more red to feel healthier. I could sure go for a bright red or burnt orange coloured kimono for when I next get sick and maybe some chicken soup and orange juice. I'm generally very lucky though and don't get sick very often, fingers crossed that stays the same in this coming year.

I feel like a kid in candy shop just being able to see such colour and variation in design- the bright red bow at the centre of this kimono doesn't interfere with the structure too much and the Western influence is quite subtle. The dark green and bright red as well as motifs of orange maple leaves leaves me mooning over Christmas all over again- thought it's still only mid-January and the holiday season is quite a while away. Maybe it has something to do with the book I just finished reading the hero and heroine decorating a Christmas tree together like a couple. Still, the hem of this kimono isn't too long and although the sleeves are deep and long, they're not to the full length of the arm so I would say you could get away with wearing this airy kimono in Summer. This is just one of the reasons I'm tempted to learn Japanese- the culture and the fashion are so intriguing and I want to become a part of it.

It seems that there is no limit to the designs and motifs on a Kimono and they look even sassier when worn with killer black boots and black underneath to contrast against the bright colours. I'm a creature that's a little more devious on the inside than I look on the outside and while I do love to wear black, it can put people off at a first glance. So if I were to wear a comfortable and loos black knitted jumper, black tights and comfortable slipper shoes underneath a brightly coloured kimono the black is offset by the colour and I look a little more fun than I really am.

One of my favourite motifs in Kimono patterns is the use of traditional buildings, the pagoda as well as clouds- in the Asian style they both look very alluring and dreamlike. Unfortunately the site I sourced all these images from sells their kimonos for some hundreds of dollars and despite some being original pieces from the 1930s and in excellent condition, I am not happy to pay such a mark-up. I have my eye on a nice blue and colourful one that could be nicely dressed up with some black oxidised necklaces but I'll keep that one to myself. If only I had a part-time job at the moment and could earn a little money with all my free time, spending so much time online and by yourself is sure to be bad for your social skills.

While the eclectic pattern and contrast of colours for this bold floral kimono is impressive, I think someone with a naturally lighter complexion and soft blond hair could pull it off better than I can. When wearing a kimono you can either wear it as a trendy