Kimono

For my 26th birthday I decided to have a Japanese-themed party :D We are going to eat sushi and wear kimono... then we will probably go out on the town! I'm going to have a Hokusai-themed cake (buttercream transfer, you just wait, there will be pictures!). (Check out this buttercream transfer I did for my brother-in-law's birthday sorry the waxpaper is still on I don't have any pictures of it on the cake:

Isn't it cool?)

I bought lots of accessories and several kimono for myself and my sister, sister-in-law and (surprise!) another friend. Total? I've dropped about $1,200 on this project... I feel that it's well worth it though. It's been one of my lifelong dreams/goals to own a real silk Japanese kimono. I fear I am addicted now though xD my husband said I can buy an outfit a year from here on out - we shall see. My trouble is that I have absolutely nowhere to wear my kimono! There is a Sakura Matsuri once a year in Santa Fe, and that's about it! I don't think I'm brave enough to do 'kimono days' like some of the gals on IG are doing... maybe if I had someone to do it with but otherwise - eek! Also, it's a desert here, and I don't have any hitoe so it will be a very hot day for me if I have to wear my kimono during the summer :O

Here are some pictures of the kimono I bought.

This is my kurotomesode. I have always wanted one of these, and I picked it up for $250 at Ichiroya, but now that I have it I realize I will never get to wear it anywhere after my birthday... oh well, lol its so beautiful I don't care! (forgive the horrid kitsuke, I just started doing this and honestly, this was my first time wearing it! It has a hiyoku, I just didn't know that it was supposed to show... No obiage at the time, no obijime, no obi makura, and first otaiko ever! Also, that isn't my obi - it's my sister-in-law's nagoya obi, so it doesn't go with the kimono.):

 

Here is the obi that actually goes with the kimono:

 

 

I also bought myself an edo komon, dark red with white spots in a 'shark skin' pattern (?) I got it from Kimonoya (couldn't help myself!). This is the one that the friend who couldn't get a kimono can wear if she wants to... (Again, bad kitsuke, gomen, ne!)

Here is my sister's kimono:

My sister-in-law is good at avoiding pictures! But here is a picture of her kimono:

When I got it there were some horrid stains around the collar - it's quite old so I guess that was to be expected... but I went into a mexican cleaning frenzy and decided to wash it o_O I'm lucky only the thread and lining shrunk - I lost almost three inches off of that kimono! good thing my sister-in-law is a little shorter than I, she will just have to go without ohashori... :(

Lastly, here are some pictures of all my accessories and epic loots:

I thought that folding koshihimo like this was so cute! You can see how to fold little pentagons here: http://www.immortalgeisha.com/ig_bb/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9815

Anyway, that's the end! See you next time!