Kimono lessons: complexity in tradition

A friend and neighbour of mine who is of mixed German-Indian descent has a hilarious story about how she realized, frantically getting ready for a wedding, that putting on a sari was more than just wrapping fabric around herself.  The series of "interventions" required left me in stitches.

Image via Wikipedia

It was therefore interesting to read Kumiko Makihara's article in the New York Times about her taking lessons in order to wear a kimono, which she says "has got to be the world’s most complicated national dress," to her child's elementary school graduation. According to her instructor, "You can’t just wear a design because you like it." This being a part of Japanese culture, "There are rules." For example, "the most appropriate kimono for the parent attending elementary school graduation is a mono-colored one, elegant yet subdued enough to keep the spotlight on the child."

A critical piece of advice? “You want to look like a tea canister, not a coke bottle." Hear hear.

Source article:

• Kimono Lessons (The New York Times)