Coordinating Taisho-esque Homongi Kimono 着物合わせ 大正の訪問着

This second coordination challenge is this hōmongi kimono with a design reminiscent of the Taishō period, though the kimono itself may or may not actually be from the Taishō period (1912-1926). A hōmongi kimono is a formal “visitor’s wear,” a kimono worn for paying a formal visit. I also do not know if it is lined or not, but for the purposes here will assume it is not lined to allow for more possibilities. An unlined regular-weave kimono has more obi options as it can be paired with an obi on either side of the spring and fall.



The Taishō period covers the 1910s and the 1920s, and in style it includes both art nouveau and art deco, the former “Taishō Roman” short for romanticism, and the latter “Taishō Modern.” Although now typically the term “Taishō Modern” is used to refer to the wearing of informal Taishō period kimonos in a retro style, not necessarily in the same manner they would actually have been worn then.



The artist Takehisa Yumeji 竹久夢二 (1884-1934) epitomized the Taishō Roman style of kimono with his pictures of beautiful women, called the “Yumeji-shiki” style, seen above.










Whereas, the art deco style in Japan was more often applied to flapper-style evening gowns than kimono, and the “modern” style in kimono is more often seen in early Shōwa period (1926-1989) kimono magazines.









Option 1: “Taishō Roman”Art Nouveau




















This kimono has a geometric pattern but also with stylized flowers, somewhat akin to an art nouveau arabesque. Pairing it with a Nagoya obi with a floral design in an antique pink would bring out the more romantic aspect of the Taishō pink and aqua-green flowers on the kimono and soften the ensemble. This obi is a ro-tsuzure weave that can be worn in the months of June and September with a regular weave kimono, but this obi with a floral motif speaks more of spring to me. Pairing it with an art deco obidome clasp would dress-up the ensemble.


Option 2: Taishō-Shōwa “Modern”





This obi is an actual Taishō period obi. If the kimono is an unlined hitoe, this obi can be worn from the last week of May through June and again in September. If the kimono is actually a lined awase, this obi can be worn all during the winter kimono season, from October to through May. This obi also has a metallic glitter effect that matches well with the same glittery material of the kimono. The art deco clasp worn with a black obijime cord would form a strong contrast of colors with the ensemble, but it might be nice if the center stone of the obidome clasp was a strong red or orange. The pink all-over shibori obiage sash softens the affect for a younger wearing, creating a more girlish impression.


Option 3: Taishō—Young and Informal






Unusually a hōmongi kimono should be paired with a formal fukuro-obi, but a retro kimono such as this is unlikely to be appropriate for a formal event, so despite being a hōmongi there is more leeway in what it can be paired with for fun. Taishō Roman type kimonos are often depicted worn by young girls with a long obi, and the picture above has a young lady with a long obi (or has it come undone?) as she sits with her glass of wine. The image of the obi in this picture reminds me of the “Ribbon Obi” by the brand Yume Kōbō 夢工房, one of the biggest brands of fashionable yukata. Still, a polyester obi like this probably makes too much of a gap with this kimono, but something similar would be nice. A black velvet obi with stripes cut into the pile would be very elegant. I rather like the idea of a mint-green chiffon heko (ribbon) obi too, but couldn't find a better example on the internet.


Option 3: Whimsical





The final idea is something whimsical. A pair of glass slippers on the Taiko bow for Cinderella, a pocket-watch for the rabbit of Alice in Wonderland for a fall motif, a single red rose of Western romance, a Degas-like sketch of a child ballet dancer, a scattered deck of cards, a violin, and the list goes on… I couldn’t find anything on the web, but here is a photo of grapes and a wine glass for fall from KS Fall ’06.

So what to look for in a matching obi for this kimono? Something black or in the Taishō colors of the kimono, taffy pink or green, or darker tones of the same colors. One might also be able to match it with other taffy colors such as yellow or lavender.




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