kirei_na_me
Where I'm Supposed to Be
- 31 Jan 2003
- 5,051
- 166
Hideki_Matsui_Beast said:
A blue kimono perhaps?
Gaijin or non-Japanese ladies in kimono.
- Thread starter Tokis-Phoenix
- Start date
A blue kimono perhaps?
Ma Cherie
Your Goddess is here
- 24 Mar 2004
- 1,342
- 52
If I saw someone wearing traditional dress from another country, I may speak to them. There could be many different reasons as to why they're wearing a kimono. Since there is a large number of Indian students I see lots of saris. But I don't know if a foreigner would look nice in a kimono, it all depends on how it's worn and what colors they're wearing.
Hideki_Matsui_Beast
Lost in Translation
- 24 Sep 2005
- 177
- 6
kirei_na_me said:
Blue is the sexiest, no question!
- 23 Sep 2005
- 1,295
- 76
- Thread starter
- #30
godppgo said:
You mean tomesode?
(above is a classic example of a tomesode, one of the most formal kimono)
As far as traditional japanese clothes go, men essentially wear the same stuff from the day they are born 'til the day they die- for women, its a different matter.
Kimono for women can say a lot about you- from your age, wether you are married or not, to the season or time of year etc. There's different types of kimono as well for different events or formality of the occasion as well.
Women who are young/under 26 years old and not married wear furisode or long sleeved kimono, they can also wear normal length sleeve kimono, but once they are married or old/mature they cannot wear furisode or long sleeved kimono.
furisode;
The black tomesode (also Kurotomesode and irotomesode) is the most formal kimono for a married or mature woman. Kimono (although not all kimono) also often have family crests on them, the more crests the kimono has the more formal it is- the most crest a kimono can have is 5, men's kimono also often have crests. Tomesode and also come in colors other than black for less formal occasions (black being the most formal color for kimono).
Never wear plain black or white kimono or obi- the only time you wear plain black kimono is to a funeral, while the only time you wear plain white is either when you get married, or when you are dead.
Tomesode;
There's different types of obi as well for the different types of kimono for women, things like maru obi which is the longest and widest is most suited to formal kimono, while obi like hanhaba which is the shortest and narrowest obi for women and usually made out of cotton, is just for yukata, which is a very unformal kimono
.
- 8 Mar 2005
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Yes, I meant that as a joke, as many people have comented before how they feel that the Japanese are becoming more western because they happen to wear blue jeans.Minty said:
I just feel that the ammount of open & public wear of kimono in the west is not enough for the garment to be seen as casual.Minty said:
As for Asians, the dress more closely adheres to the culture and history, so, I feel they tend to wear it better, it's not a race thing--- just cultural history awareness.
- 8 Mar 2005
- 2,139
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Here is a challenge, try to find a picture of a 'while girl' ---sorry, that sounds a little crass, doesn't it? gaijin female... (who is not tarento, are there any gaijin female tarento?) wearing a kimono. So we can compare.
kirei_na_me
Where I'm Supposed to Be
- 31 Jan 2003
- 5,051
- 166
I think I've mentioned before that I think gaijin(caucasian, anyway) females are generally too curvaceous for proper kimono wear. We have more to mash down to give that real streamlined look.
Besides, the Japanese have the way they walk, the seiza, just the way they carry themselves, so deeply ingrained. I think it's almost impossible for a gaijin to pass all of that, which comes so naturally to the Japanese, off in order to carry the kimono well.
Of course, I'd love to wear a real kimono, just to see what it's like. I've always wanted a real one. They're so beautiful. Especially those elaborate furisode.
Besides, the Japanese have the way they walk, the seiza, just the way they carry themselves, so deeply ingrained. I think it's almost impossible for a gaijin to pass all of that, which comes so naturally to the Japanese, off in order to carry the kimono well.
Of course, I'd love to wear a real kimono, just to see what it's like. I've always wanted a real one. They're so beautiful. Especially those elaborate furisode.
- 23 Sep 2005
- 1,295
- 76
- Thread starter
- #34
yukio_michael said:
Here are some non-japanese/white girls in kimono who i think look great in kimono;
(The lady in the plain kimono, she is the admin of one of the forums i am a member of, i think she looks great in kimono
) kirei_na_me said:
You can add special padding under your kimono to fill out your curves- there's a ton of acessories you need to wear kimono properly, even if you are japanese, although not all are vital- you can wear kimono properly though even if you are a tall curvy gaijin, you just need to know what to buy and how to wear it
.kirei_na_me said:
Immortalgeisha forums is good for finding out how to wear kimono properly, there's a lot of girls and guys there (japanese and non-japanese) who go there to chat about traditional japanese things, geisha/maiko and kimono etc. The forum is currently going through an upgrade at the mo(should be finished within the next day or two), but you can still go there if you are interested in wearing kimono or traditional japanese culture
;http://www.immortalgeisha.com/ig_bb/index.php
There's also ichiroya and yamatoku who sell kimono and kimono accessories, i've use them both and find them very reliable online stores (they also have ebay stores as well) if you are interested in buying kimono but cannot get any in japan;
http://www.ichiroya.com/
http://www.yamatoku.jp/classic/
- 8 Mar 2005
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I think that was part of what set off a lot of nihonjin about Memoirs of a Geisha, being that the main actresses were not Japanese, of course a good deal of people in an American audience would never even notice the difference, which was pointed out as well.kirei_na_me said:
My gf used to work as a hostess at mizu shoubai, and at times, she wore a yukata, but with little flourishes that made it look more like a kimono. There is something quite beautiful about an Asian female even in a yukata... and especially, at matsuri, everywhere you look are girls in yukata, and then you will see a little teeny girl in a equally tiny yukata, its so precious it breaks your heart... oh, now I sound all sappy.kirei_na_me said:
Anyways, you should hunt down a yukata, and improvise. I don't know if I would go to the mall in it, but I'm sure you'll work that out!
Kyoko_desu
先輩
- 1 Apr 2006
- 702
- 50
Cool! Gokudou no Onna
You mean this?
- 28 Jul 2005
- 5,238
- 172
I made the error of thinking that the setting was Japan. I voted for 'look' although I wouldn't put that as stare, actually, and I would make a little conversation--of course postitive, regardless of how fitting or not. BUT, if it were,say, in America, I may possibly be more reluctant to strike up a conversation because of having less of a clue as to why a kimono were being worn.
Well, I'll try to see if I can get the picture, one of my students has it, but a lady from Russia and her daughter came by to visit me on April 28th at the university (my student had brought them for a tour of it) and later my student got together with her kimono teacher and put the both of them in kimonos and took a picture, and it was really great !!
I think it really depends on the person's look and character, regardless of basic human-family grouping. In the two pics that Minty provided, obviously the girl on the bottom had a better overall aura, artistically, but that may well have been due to the choice of color and pattern chosen.
There is one Western lady who is an okami san of some Japanese inn who has appeared on TV commercials before--she looks quite well in a kimono. A good nape is one fundimental point, I feel.
yukio_michael said:
Well, I'll try to see if I can get the picture, one of my students has it, but a lady from Russia and her daughter came by to visit me on April 28th at the university (my student had brought them for a tour of it) and later my student got together with her kimono teacher and put the both of them in kimonos and took a picture, and it was really great !!
I think it really depends on the person's look and character, regardless of basic human-family grouping. In the two pics that Minty provided, obviously the girl on the bottom had a better overall aura, artistically, but that may well have been due to the choice of color and pattern chosen.
There is one Western lady who is an okami san of some Japanese inn who has appeared on TV commercials before--she looks quite well in a kimono. A good nape is one fundimental point, I feel.
- 17 Sep 2005
- 6,017
- 1,970
I haven't seen the movie, just some pictures, and the main actresses don't look even remotely Japanese in those pictures I saw. It was amazing how strange they looked to me! Of course, it was made primarily for an American audience primarily by Americans, so it's forgiveable, but I don't think I can watch it. Unless the acting is REALLY good, I think I would find the obvious non-Japaneseness a little too distracting.yukio_michael said:
I knew some girls (caucasion, from USA and Canada) who went to Kyoto and dressed up as Maiko for a day. All I can say is that some of them looked better than others in their get-ups.
- 23 Sep 2005
- 1,295
- 76
- Thread starter
- #42
Mikawa Ossan said:
The issues with Memoirs Of A Geisha that i can think of at the top of my head are;
a. None of the geisha/maiko wore the traditional haristyles that real geisha and maiko wear- apparently the hairstyles they used in the movie were inspired from paris fashion.
b. The make-up was really toned down and not done in the traditional way- apparently they thought that the traditional white make-up would be "too scary" for american audiences.
c. There's a whole catalog of small blunders in the book and movie, though not really noticeable, like from wearing the wrong sort of kimono in the wrong season or doing traditional dances that never existed etc.
d. MOAG was set primarily durining the 20's and 40's in japan- war time. A lot of the upset and controversy surrounding the movie from the chinese was the fact that during this time the japanese were actually slaughtering the chinese and doing as sorts of horrible things to them.
What worse then, to put a chinese actress in the role of a japanese geisha, who in reality, would have been entertaining those japanese troops and helping the war effort in a variety of ways, when those troops would have been killing the chinese.
This was one of the main reasons why MOAG was banned in China.
On the other hand, the japanese didn't really like the chinese/non-japanese actresses portraying one of their cultural traditional icons, in the first movie about geisha to be properly aired across the world- particually when the movie had so many blunders as far as the facts and traditions went.
It probably wouldn't have been so bad at all if it had been the second or third movie in a long line of successful and well-known geisha movies, but being the first it would make a big impression about japanese culture.
MOAD is a completely made-up story (well, actually Golden did borrow a lot of stuff from a real life famous geisha called Mineko, thats why she sued him), but you really shouldn't take it too seriously (although most people will) because of this.
I dunno "sigh"...
I suppose it has done some good things though, like sparked a lot of interest in traditional japanese culture, and those who are really interested in it will probably find their way to some good information sources. And although i have yet to see all the movie (i read the book nuimerous times), i can't wait to see all the stunning kimono worn and traditional japanese buildings and things and all the characters i came to know in the book (the movie is coming out on dvd here in a couple of days i think).
I really enjoyed the book actually, it was a good story even if it wasn't very realistic at times- but then again, its just a story, i would have read "Geisha"
by Liza Crihfield Dalby if i wanted a proper info source on geisha and traditional japanese culture
.Bah! I'm waffling on again traditional japanese culture
, sorry 
!
It is a little from a theme:There is such American film "K-19" about " Russian submariners " - giving due to the American cinematographers for qualitative enough film (sometimes you overlook, that this film not "Russian"
), but looking as " Russians seamen drink vodka ", involuntarily test unpleasant sensations... Russians so do not drink...Precisely also, I shall take only one episode, in " Memoirs of Geisha " - dance with "fans" is only " performance of the actress of the Chinese circus "...
It very much " a thin thing " - transfer of other culture...
And if - dress "kimono" the not Japanese woman (girl) " can and " she will be " nice or beautiful " in it a kimono..., but it will be " not the Japanese woman in the Japanese kimono "...
Kyoko_desu
先輩
- 1 Apr 2006
- 702
- 50
stereotype?
Yes, Mikawa Ossan and Tokis-Phoenix, the movie was obviously made by non-Japanese people who don't know Japan very much.
The followings are reviews of the movie "SAYURI-Memories of Geisha" by Japanese people I found on Yahoo.
don't think I want to watch that movie either...
To godppgo, yes, the pic I posted before was from the movie ﾂ「窶ｹﾃ俄?慊ｹ窶堙個催遺?堋ｽ窶堋ｿﾂ」(in short, Gokutsuma).
Yes, Mikawa Ossan and Tokis-Phoenix, the movie was obviously made by non-Japanese people who don't know Japan very much.
The followings are reviews of the movie "SAYURI-Memories of Geisha" by Japanese people I found on Yahoo.
don't think I want to watch that movie either...
To godppgo, yes, the pic I posted before was from the movie ﾂ「窶ｹﾃ俄?慊ｹ窶堙個催遺?堋ｽ窶堋ｿﾂ」(in short, Gokutsuma).
Minty
後輩
- 26 Feb 2006
- 403
- 6
Well I don't think wearing traditional clothes out and portraying a professional traditional Japanese occupation while wearing their traditional costume is the same.
When I was in Australia a Japanese colleague wore a Qipao one day to work.
But she had no idea it was somebody else's traditional clothes she bought it from Japan and she thought it was just fashion clothing found in the department store.
If I want to do a search on the internet about Japanese or Korean actors who potrayed Chinese roles wearing Chinese costumes I am sure I would find at least some.
However there isn't any enormous controversy unlike the movie "Memoir of the Geisha".
I agree with most of what Tokis said, the subject of Geisha near and during the Second World War is a sensitive one, because the Japanese war crime issues still shadow over Japanese and Chinese today. This is the real reason why certain people are so upset about this film, that plus the misled of the profession of Geisha.
I wonder why did they still give the costume designer Oscar for this movie.
When I was in Australia a Japanese colleague wore a Qipao one day to work.
But she had no idea it was somebody else's traditional clothes she bought it from Japan and she thought it was just fashion clothing found in the department store.
If I want to do a search on the internet about Japanese or Korean actors who potrayed Chinese roles wearing Chinese costumes I am sure I would find at least some.
However there isn't any enormous controversy unlike the movie "Memoir of the Geisha".
I agree with most of what Tokis said, the subject of Geisha near and during the Second World War is a sensitive one, because the Japanese war crime issues still shadow over Japanese and Chinese today. This is the real reason why certain people are so upset about this film, that plus the misled of the profession of Geisha.
I wonder why did they still give the costume designer Oscar for this movie.
Kinsao
Horizon Rider
- 8 May 2005
- 8,515
- 143
I don't have much knowledge about traditional Japanese clothing, kimono and the like. Tokis-Phoenix evidently does! But, the whole issue of the costumes for the film puzzles me. Surely if you're making such film, and you are the person responsible for the costumes, one of the first and most important things you are doing is your research, to make sure your costumes are authentic. It would seem to me very strange to find such big errors. Even if the designer didn't know anything about Japanese traditional clothing to start off with, I'd have been willing to bet that he/she would be something of an expert by the end! But I'm not so sure...
- 8 Mar 2005
- 2,139
- 89
I still think that this girl looks a bit odd--- though looking at her, I can sort of imagine the type of person who would dress up in a yukata at what looks to be some sort of renaisance fair... probably snacks on pocky while listening to BoA after playing para para, or Taiko drum master, then a few episodes of Naruto before bed where she sleeps on a futon in her American apartment.Tokis-Phoenix said:(The lady in the plain kimono, she is the admin of one of the forums i am a member of, i think she looks great in kimono
ELECTRIC JAPAN
Let me air my thoughts
- 14 Apr 2006
- 91
- 3
true with myself
I love to strip down at night away from my kimono and show off my melons to the night that has fallen.I hate to be all wraped up anytime.
it is a natural fact that I like to view myself in the midnight hours.
I bet some of you would just love to get next to me.
I am your greatest dream,but now I am so tired.
Sayonara
I love to strip down at night away from my kimono and show off my melons to the night that has fallen.I hate to be all wraped up anytime.
it is a natural fact that I like to view myself in the midnight hours.
I bet some of you would just love to get next to me.
I am your greatest dream,but now I am so tired.
Sayonara
Julienne
先輩
- 29 May 2006
- 51
- 0
Returning on the subject
Noticed this thread and thinks it's very interesting to look at the differences in various countries, because I don't really know how people look at this in other countries.
As far as the western woman in a kimono goes, I would definetely look at her, because I have never before seen someone in a kimono just walking down the street, Japanese nor Western. Would probably say something if I was with someone (I mean to the person I would be with) and otherwise just look at her a bit, because I would be curious and also like kimonos, but wouldn't stare.
About the whole different culture clothing, that's not really strange here. Don't see sari very often around here, but muslim or arabic kind of clothes are quite common in the Netherlands.
I happen to live not too far from a mosque, so often see men in those long, dress-like clothes (dunno what their called). Also, the official name of my study is Oriental Languages and Orientation, so that also includes Chinese and Arabic, and in the Arabic class there are several Arab people and quite a few of those girls wear clothes that cover their body and they also have head scarfs (if that's the right word). So I'm quite used to 'different' clothing.
Oh and there is one girl who isn't Arabic, but who dresses as if she is, with head scarf and all. Do have to admit, that kinda looks...strange.
Sorry for the long post
Noticed this thread and thinks it's very interesting to look at the differences in various countries, because I don't really know how people look at this in other countries.
As far as the western woman in a kimono goes, I would definetely look at her, because I have never before seen someone in a kimono just walking down the street, Japanese nor Western. Would probably say something if I was with someone (I mean to the person I would be with) and otherwise just look at her a bit, because I would be curious and also like kimonos, but wouldn't stare.
About the whole different culture clothing, that's not really strange here. Don't see sari very often around here, but muslim or arabic kind of clothes are quite common in the Netherlands.
I happen to live not too far from a mosque, so often see men in those long, dress-like clothes (dunno what their called). Also, the official name of my study is Oriental Languages and Orientation, so that also includes Chinese and Arabic, and in the Arabic class there are several Arab people and quite a few of those girls wear clothes that cover their body and they also have head scarfs (if that's the right word). So I'm quite used to 'different' clothing.
Oh and there is one girl who isn't Arabic, but who dresses as if she is, with head scarf and all. Do have to admit, that kinda looks...strange.
Sorry for the long post
