Motif: Grasses (Nowaki)

A soft pattern of waving grasses, paired with a muted geometric obi

Grass motifs are most appropriate for late winter and early spring, as well as most of autumn. Remember that kimono come from a place that experiences a 'four seasons' climate of cold winters, blooming springs, warm summers and fading autumns, and the guidelines for kitsuke are intended to reflect and compliment that.

Despite it's seasonal limitations, patterns featuring grasses can still be quite versatile. They work as a good canvas for showcasing any special little pieces you might have as accessories, like in the ensemble below:

Not quite a front view, but showing off the wool
shawl with sashiko plum-blossoms.

Back view with decidedly non-standard obi
musubi and kanzashi.

In my efforts to keep my commentary limited to items that are present in my own collection, it means that there are several motifs where I have only one solid representative. This seems to be one such case, even after scouring my collection. If my kind readers have images of any items with appropriate patterning they would like to share, they are most welcome to do so! I love to see the pieces that others have come to treasure, because there is always so much vibrancy to them.

Tomorrow, we'll be visiting a motif for which I have MANY examples, as it's come to be one of my personal favorites, right up there with asanoha-- Hydrangeas (Ajisai)!

P.S. I might have volunteered to do an emergency post for my dear friend Eclectic Alli. Her A-to-Z blog challenge is all about places we've been, and I was happy to fill in G for Gettysburg. Be sure to have a look around while you're there!

Motif: Fuji (Wisteria)

Part of the challenge that I set for myself when contemplating this undertaking was to find examples of each motif amidst my own collection. As a consequence, I'll be talking about the flower, rather than Mt. Fuji-san for today's motif. I'd like to point out, though, that Fuji-san IS an exceedingly popular motif, not just in prints and on accessories like fans, and that the iconic mountain can be found on kimono as well. Just not in my collection. Yet.

In truth, the best examples for wisteria come from my collection of ningyo (dolls, not the fishy yokai monster). The 'Wisteria Maiden' or 'Fuji Musume' is a very popular theme for ningyo, stemming from it's popularity in Kabuki theatre. They often appear with a willowy branch of flowers, a round, flat hat, and their kimono fairly drip with stylized wisteria motifs.

This lady is most typical of the 'Wisteria Maiden' style. She was a thrift-store find, but still has her hat and  wisteria branch.

This lady is also a thrift-store find, and though she has lost her hat (it's hard to tell if she had one) and wisteria branch (the posture suggests she did have one, as well as the position of her left hand), there is no doubt that she is a true Wisteria Maiden.

Detail of the left sleeve and obi of the second maiden.

While the first lady has all of the typical accessories and a wisteria-themed kimono, I feel that the second example is a little closer to the garments as they might have appeared on the Kabuki stage. Her's is a much more dramatic presentation, and if you look again, you will notice that the right sleeve of the kimono is actually slipped off, revealing the wisteria patterning continued on the juban sleeve.


As for garments in my own collection, the most striking is this haori.

The pattern isn't as rounded as wisteria is often portrayed, but the tiny hints of blue in the lighter petals lead me to feel that it's decidedly more flowery than a willow.

A garment like this can really pack a visual punch, and so it isn't often that my outermost layer is the focus of my ensemble (mostly because of the likelyhood it will be removed, unless it's quite chilly). I did have a chance to show it off in its glory in late January, when I attended the Edwardian Ball (in honor of Mr. Gorey, the illustrator). I had wanted to go for a look that would hint at the Taisho era (1920's) and the haori fit this to a tee with it's bold coloring and pattern.

The stripes don't show up well in the photo, and yes, this was taken in a mirror, causing my collars to appear to be overlapping incorrectly.

Wisteria is a decidedly spring motif, though you could push the season a little by wearing it in very late winter, thereby offering an expectation of things to come. If my kind readers have something they're looking forward to, perhaps upcoming posts in their own blogs, I'd love to hear about them in the comments!

Speaking of things to come... we'll be back tomorrow with Grasses (nowaki)! We'll be looking at botanical themes for the next several letters, so stay tuned!

Motif: Eagle (Washi)

Strong and noble, the eagle is one of the few masculine motifs that is not a geometric pattern. As a consequence, it is often found on garments with more subdued coloring, and not one likely to appear on women's kimono (though there are always exceptions to the rule). It is also a very popular motif for kimono for little boys, such as they might be draped in for their first shrine visits.

As the motif is masculine, darker color combinations prevail and any pairing of obi is likely to be fitting for most seasons. The guidelines for men's kitsuke are not as extensive as those for women's, and thematic seasonality is not as strong a consideration so there can be a little more leeway. Also, the pallet of colors found most readily in men's kimono means that it is fairly difficult to pair things that don't compliment each other in some way.

Hawk and Pine (matsu) hakamashita (top) with plain black hakama.

I put the above ensemble together for a New Year's visit to San Jose's Japantown. California winters mean that I don't always need a haori for an added layer of warmth, but a plain black haori with this would certainly not go amiss. The subdued colors speak to the climate of the season, and while the New Year is a very festive time, I chose to let the auspicious nature of the eagles and pine that appear in the motif hint at that. 

I'd like to point out that while it is not unheard of for women to wear hakama, they tend to be reserved by the modern wearer for either sport, like Kendo, or for graduation ceremonies. In the later case, the hakama would likely be of some bright color (purples and greens seem to be the most popular) and they would be paired with a furisode as graduation is considered a formal occasion.

At some future date, I will do a more in-depth post on men's kitsuke, at least as far as I have come to understand it. If any of my kind readers have tips or pointers, I would be most interested if you cared to share them in the comments!

Tomorrow, we'll be visiting one of the many popular floral motifis, Fuji (wisteria)!

Motifs: Diamonds (Hishi)

Diamond motifs are another one of those delightful geometric motifs which, on their own are not confined to any one season or occasion. Like other geometric patterns, diamonds can appear on its own or paired with other motifs to create a more seasonally-specific inspired look.

My first two examples are of yukata, so one will likely want to consider summery motifs to pair with them. Popular choices might be dragonflies, fans (uchiwa-- the round 'paddle' fans are most appropriate) or hydrangea.

This women's yukata is not STRICTLY a diamond motif as it might be a little closer to a woven pattern with the cross-hatched look.

This is a men's yukata and right away you can see that the patterning is more geometric and has a less in the way of visual interest.

There are many variations on this motif, the most common being 'hanabishi' or a diamond-shaped flower. In the next example, you can see it used as an accent to the more dominant pattern of chrysanthemums in a Nagoya obi.

The hanabishi appear in green. This is just one example of how hanabishi can appear in more complex designs.

Full view of the obi as part of an ensemble put together for an autumnal outing.

In the above example, you can see that the hanabishi really aren't prominent in the overall look, but there's no doubting that they add a certain amount of visual appeal. The green also harmonizes nicely with the hints of green in the subdued hues of the kimono.

Today's motif can be found in masculine and feminine garments, but tomorrow's motif, Eagles (Washi) are decidedly masculine. I hope you'll come back tomorrow when I discuss this noble motif!

Motif: Chocho (Butterflies)

What could be more inspiring of summer than the vision of butterflies flitting from flower to flower? With their elegance and grace, it is no wonder that chocho are so commonly featured in kimono patterning.

Vintage yukata featuring butterflies. Purchased from Nichi Bei Busan in San Jose, CA.

Unidentified dancer at San Jose's Bon Odori, 2014.

The butterfly is a very popular spring/summer motif and can also be found as the primary theme for many mon, or family crests. Aside from it's grace and fleeting sense of beauty, the butterfly is also associated with themes of transience and death. This gives their appearance on yukata and even deeper meaning-- summertime is Obon season, the festival of remembrance for those who have died.

As with most botanical or animal-type motifs, it's best to pair it with a geometric or even plain pieces so that the patterns do not compete. If you look again at the first photo, you might notice that I throw this rule of thumb out the window and go for an obi featuring bunnies with a striking geometric on the reverse. In that case, the butterflies are not as central to the pattern as they are in the example from the Bon Odori, where she has paired a red obi with a lotus enclosed in a circle, mirroring the more subtle circular motifs that are also present in her yukata. With the vintage yukata, I was looking to liven up the very muted slate by pairing with an obi that brought out the lighter colors of the flowers. The darker lines on the obi also mirrored the vine-like lines of the pattern, giving the ensemble a cohesive air, even while not having a prominent geometric (except that tiny little bit showing in my obi musubi).

My philosophy is that as long as you know what rules you're bending and why, there's no harm in having a little fun with putting together ensembles. If my kind readers have any fashion 'rules' they like to bend (and I don't just mean wearing white after Labor Day), I would be most interested in seeing them in the comments!

Tomorrow, we're moving back to a geometric motif: Diamonds (Hishi)

Motif: Bats (Komori)

While not necessarily as popular as bird motifs, bats can be found on many garments and accessories. Bats are considered to be auspicious and represent good fortune (the ideograph for 'bat' has a very similar pronunciation to 'luck').

Grey han-haba obi for men with subtle bat motif. This item can be found on ebay, and is not yet part of my personal collection, though it IS on my wishlist.

Bats, like many motifs for good fortune, do not seem to be tied to any particular season, though pairing them with other, more seasonally specific colors or motifs can certainly change that. The men's obi, pictured above, could likely be worn year round with a darker colored kimono, or under hakama, where only a hint of the patterning would be visible. Men's garments in general tend to be a little more staid than the ensembles of women, hence the color-on-color of this particular item.

Swatch image of  heavy-weight cotton hitoe with bat motif.

I consider this heavier-weight cotton hitoe to be quite the lucky find, and I'm very glad to be able to include it in my personal collection. Because of the weight of the cotton, it really isn't ideal for summer wear, as a yukata would be, but its coloring, as well as the subtle gingham patterning make it quite suitable for wearing in the spring and fall. With a garment like this, the selection of the obi will really determine the overall seasonal feel. Though I have worn it on several occasions, I do not seem to have managed to get photos of any of those occasions. I do recall pairing it with the broken asanoha han-haba obi that was featured yesterday for a casual fall look.

We'll be back tomorrow to look at another flighty motif, Chocho (Butterflies)!

Motif: Asanoha (hemp leaf)

'Broken' Asanoha motif on a han-haba obi.

Asanoha (sometimes seen as: asa-no-ha), or hemp-leaf, is a beautifully versatile motif. Despite it's botanical name, this motif is decidedly geometric and can be worn year-round as it has no specific seasonal connotations. Several sources cite that it is considered an auspicious motif for babies and young children who might be swaddled in blankets with the asanoha motif in the hope that they will grow strong and hearty, like the hemp plant itself.

I love pairing this motif with other, more organic shapes as the intersecting lines make for a pleasing contrast and can hint at plant-life while giving balance to the overall ensemble. It can also be seen not as an all-over motif, but as a complimentary motif, such as on this obi:

This han-haba obi is actually reversable, with the Asanoha pattern as an accent with the kasa, or umbrellas (we'll talk about those in a few days) on one side, and an all-over pattern of asanoha on the reverse.

Because the motif itself is not seasonally limited, you should be sure to consider the color and style of the garment upon which it appears, as well as any other motifs with which it might be paired. In this case, the bright yellow of the obi and the presence of the kasa suggest that this would be best for summer use; the bright yellow creates a pleasing visual spark against a field of cool blue and white, traditional coloring for yukata.

The asanoha is not at all visible in this photo, but ayame are! We'll be talking about that motif later, under I for Iris. This was for San Jose's Obon Odori in July of 2014.

The same is true of the the first obi pictured: the darker green is also a color better suited for late spring and summer, and the fact that it is a han-haba obi means that it is best worn on less formal occasions and with yukata.

Broken asanoha han-haba obi paired with ajisai yukata. We'll be talking about ajisai (hydrangea) later in the month.

You may have noticed that my examples are of han-haba obi featured in casual ensembles, but that is more due to the limits of my personal collection than any restrictions the motif itself imposes. Also to note is that the pattern can be found on other items used in kitsuke, from decorative tabi socks to the hanao on geta. These tend to be very subtle points in an ensemble, but by having a versatile geometric like Asanoha on your hanao, they can be worn in many situations and lend more interest than a solid color might impart.

Tomorrow, our featured motif will be Bats!