The BIG rule

At the last Kitsune meeting I introduced an idea that I'd been playing around with to do with kitsuke - more specifically ideas about getting the right length and proportions during kitsuke.
I call this the BIG rule and it goes a little like this:

The length of you kimono depends on a combination of the following: how is BIG the garment?; how BIG is the wearer?; how BIG is the event/occasion?; how BIG are the shoes being worn with the garment?

For example, most of my kimono are too small for my 174cm frame. To combat this, I tend to wear them with high-heels which, as discussed earlier, means that I can wear my kimono slightly shorter than is strictly proper.

The more formal an event, the longer a kimono should be worn. Informal yukata should be worn so that they fall somewhere between the top of the ankles and the top of the foot. For a formal kimono, the kimono should just skim the floor at the back of the heel. If you are wearing kimono with zori (formal platform thongs) then the kimono should just touch the zori. Zori also fall under the BIG rule as they have a higher platform as events become more formal.

This 'rule' should be taken as a rough guide only. There are volumes of books dedicated to what the proper length of a kimono is depending on the situation. This is simply something that helps me when I'm dressing.

-E

Next Meeting - Friday 16 September

The next meeting is fast approaching! This time we will be practicing kitsuke with yukata and hanahaba (half-width) obi. We'll also be making some accessories such as obi-ita and looking at ko-mono (lit. small things - the things such as the chords, boards and padding that make wearing kimono easier). Bring along your kimono or yukata if you have one. Some will be provided.
Some materials for obi-ita will be provided. If you have some thin but durable flexible plastic (such as thin chopping boards - available from chickenfeed for about $2.00) please bring it along.
Looking forward to seeing you all there!

'Sunrise' morning tv show Japan special

Grant Denyer challenges samurai and sumo wrestlers

～CH7 Sunrise brings Japan to you～

Sydney 19 August, 2011- Japan National Tourism Organization Sydney Office (JNTO Sydney) proudly sponsors Channel 7 “Sunrise”, and in cooperation with the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney, Jetstar and the City of Kyoto, welcomes weather presenter Mr. Grant Denyer and crew to Japan.

Mr. Denyer will visit Japan and will report LIVE on Japan’s popular destinations and its attractions from 23rd August to 26th August.

He will visit Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market to enjoy fresh tuna sashimi; meet a rickshaw man in traditional town Asakusa feeling his high spirited energy and take lessons from a samurai learning how to become a warrior. He will also experience Japan’s heartfelt hospitality through relaxing in onsen (hot springs) in Hakone and sake tasting in Kyoto. These experiences will offer him an enchanting adventure through Japan, a land of mixed culture where the modern harmoniously blends in with the traditional.

The number of Australian visitors to Japan decreased straight after the March event, however, gradually numbers are picking up again, recording 86,300 visitors for the first half of 2011, a 26.4% decrease from the previous term. Japan Tourism has high hopes for positive messages the Sunrise team will deliver to the Australian market.

JNTO Sydney Executive Director, Yukio Yamashita commented: “Ever since the earthquake and tsunami in March, the Australian public may feel it is difficult to travel to Japan. Showcasing how Japan is now through Sunrise’s LIVE footage, we hope for the public to see the real situation in Japan and to rest assured that they can still have an enjoyable and memorable holiday in Japan.”

In the past couple of months, JNTO Sydney has been undertaking a wide range of marketing activities aiming for a speedier recovery of Japan’s tourism. Some of these include advertisements in various media, contributing more to the media coverage of Japan and travel agents familiarisation trips to Japan.

Up coming Japan related events

SEPTEMBER 17TH 10AM – 5PM
AICON: TASMANIA’S ANIME ISLAND CONVENTION (LAUNCESTON)

It's AICon miniaturised!
This September AICon hits the road and all that travelling has helped it lose weight.
It's all the best parts of the convention all rolled into 1 day and a smaller price tag as a result.
There will be a cosplay/fruits fashion parade, games room, game shows, AMV's and more.
The location for the event will be Faculty of Arts Lecture Theatre, Launceston Campus
Entry for the day is $10
For more information check out AICon on Facebook, Twitter or their webpage at
www.aicon.org.au


OCTOBER 16, 17 & 19 (SUN, MON, & WED)
JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL, STATE CINEMA, HOBART

Dates for the 2011 Annual Japanese Film Festival for Hobart have now been confirmed.
We are currently in the process of determining the list of Films to be displayed.
Further information will be provided in the next edition of the AJS TAS Newsletter.


NOVEMBER 21- 28, 2011
FUKUSHIMA EXHIBITION & FUNDRAISING EVENT

AJS, and Tasmania’s well known photographer Luke O’Brien, will jointly be hosting an
exhibition of images of the Fukushima Prefecture at the Mawson Pavilion from 21 to 28
November 2011. A cocktail party to mark the opening of the exhibition and ongoing
fundraising activities to assist the victims of the disaster will be important features.
The event is intended to show the beauty of the area, the devastation suffered during the
tsunami, and the rebuilding effort that is taking place.
More details will be provided later.

AJS newsletter

We were featured in the AJS newsletter. Thanks to Miriam Doi.

ikat prints big for spring summer!

Myers and David Jones have just released their lates looks for Spring/Summer 2011/12. Colour blocking is big this year - a skill that is also applicable in putting together kimono ensembles.

You'll also notice that Sass and Bide (heavily featured in the Myer campaign as they recently managed to 'steal' the brand from DJs) features woven ikat or kasuri textiles.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/gallery/gallery-e6frewxi-1226095098878?page=12

This Rappers & Drag Queens ikat print dress by Sass and Bide is a prime example. Ikat (kasuri in Japanese) is a 'resist' dying technique in which the fibres are dyed before they are woven. Threads are bundled together and patterned with a 'resist' such as wax or tightly bound thread which prevents dies from colouring certain areas of the threads. These are then woven together to produce various patterns such as the one in the sass and bide dress.

Ikat production is found all over the world from Central and South America, Central Asia, South East Asia and East Asia.

In Japan kasuri was produced all over the country. Resist dying also includes 'shibori' (tie dye), 'katazome' (wax dying) and 'meisen' styles.

For more on kasuri and ikat see: http://e-gasuri.com/exhibit/krauss-presentation.pdf

Kimono Nagoya blog helps out, buying your kimono

I saw these great tips over at the Kimono Nagoya Tumblr and had to share here:

'A general rule of thumb for buying used kimono is:

Hold up the kimono so the hem is just brushing the floor. The top of the collar should be AT LEAST at the level of your eyebrows, at BEST at your forehead, and taller is actually better.

Shorter than that and you’re going to have problems.

The sleeves, when put on, should fall at your wrist bone.

Besides the two items pictured here, you should have some kind of underclothes (shorts and a tank top are fine for yukata) and some kind of cord to tie the yukata around your waist. You will need at least two, but three would be very helpful.

Make sure the collar is pulled down in back so you can fit a fist between the nape of your neck and the collar edge.

Make sure the collar is high enough in front to be closed at the hollow of your throat, or at your clavicle. You shouldn’t be showing any cleavage.

For best results, wear a sports bra, kimono bra or any kind of boob-crushing implement that will give you a flat figure. Boobs should not be flopping over the top of the obi.

The obi should be tight enough to hold you upright, and you should walk with a nice straight back.

And be absolutely sure your yukata is LEFT OVER RIGHT! Right over left is how they dress the dead.'


Also, to all of us locals Klektik down at Salamanca Place is still having a sale on Kimono and Haori. They're $29 each or $50 for two. They also have a few obi of varying quality, I think they're $29.95 each.
See you all at the next club meeting!
- Cass

Don't forget to look at the other hints and tips (marked 'kitsuke') in the list of past entry tags. There are links to how to dress in kimono for both men and women as well as links to online stores such as Ryu Japan and Ichiroya - take advantage of the collapse of the US economy and save!!- Emerald