1. How To Wear a Female Kimono By Brianna Totty

2. Some background information… The Kimono can be worn by men, women and children of all ages. It comes in different types of fabric for the winter seasons, fall, spring and summer as well. The length of the sleeves represent your age, the longer the sleeve the younger you are while the shorter the older you are.

3. More Information… It’s not appropriate for a married woman to wear long sleeves. Kimono is deeply traditional and has a strict guideline to follow when wearing one.

4. Things needed… Kimono Juban or collar (undershirt) Koshi-himo (a narrow sash used to hold fabric in place while dressing or a belt) Date-jime (a second belt)

5. Step 1 Find a kimono design you would like to wear. There are many options such as some with cranes on the back or cherry blossoms and others.

6. Step 2 Next you’ll need to put on the juban. The white collar is supposed to show under the Kimono’s collar.

7. Step 3 Now, put the kimono on as if you were putting a bathrobe on.

8. Step 4 Taking the right side of the Kimono wrap it around you and use the left side to overlap the right. WARNING: Doing it right over left is the traditional way of wearing a funeral dress!

9. Step 5 Pull up any excess fabric above your waist making sure it’s comes evenly at your ankles, then tie below the extra fabric with the koshi-himo .

10. Step 6 Fold the excess fabric over the koshi-himo. Make sure it is neat and straight as you fold over, after look and see if the bottom is still even around your ankles

11. Step 7 Take the date-jime and wrap it around your torso area. Place it over the koshi-himo on the outside of the fabric, the folded excess fabric needs to be visible about two inches below the date-jime.

12. Step 8 Tie the ends of the date-jime once in the back then bring them around to the front and tie them again. Securely tuck the ends inside the belt to hold them in place.

13. Step 9 Get some accessories such as a zori (sandals), white socks, clips, or many of the other traditional options. WARNING: it is inappropriate to wear non-traditional accessories, necklaces or earrings with a kimono!

14. Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimono#Accessories_and_related_garments http://www.ehow.com/how_2066956_wear-kimono.html http://www.oneinchpunch.net/2007/05/31/how-to-wear-a-kimono-step-by-step-photo-guide/ http://www.chuu.com/shop/item/00019721 http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/fashion/how_to_wear_yukata_2.html http://turning-iwatean.blogspot.com/2009/03/about-kimonos.html http://www.golivewire.com/forums/peer-ynaoyin-support-a.html http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Hanoi/blog-263831.html http://www.fineorient.com/