Women's Fashion In Japan

Women’s fashion in Japan has changed significantly throughout history. The inquiry questions discussed are:

• How did the women’s clothing differ between classes in feudal Japan
• How did the fashion start after the Tokugawa period
• What was the traditional dress for Samurai women before western contact
• When did the fashion start around?

These questions discussed are relevant to the fashion in Japan and describe how they have significantly changed throughout the Tokugawa period.

What and when was the period of kimonos?
It wasn’t until 1964 that the street fashion began. The main piece of clothing for women in the shogun Japan period were kimonos. Kimonos as we know them today came into being during the Heian period (794-1192) where

By the Edo Period, the kamishimo was the next ‘big thing’. The kamishimo consisted of a two-piece costume worn over a kimono. This is probably the most well-known samurai dress. The upper piece was called the kataginu, and was essentially a sleeveless jacket or vest. The lower piece was the hakama which is a wide, flowing trousers. The kamishimo would normally be composed of the same material, and was more likely to reflect the status of its wearer than not. The Edo Period was an extremely status-conscious time in Japanese history. The kamishimo was normally worn outside of the house, or when expecting visitors. Otherwise, kimonos would do. Not a lot changed after the Edo period. Alternatively, a long sleeved coat, the haori, could be worn, especially when traveling or in bad weather. The lower piece was the hakama which is a wide, flowing

Kimonos first appeared in the Jomon period, (14,500 B.C. ~ 300 B.C.). Up until the 15th century kimonos were made of hemp or linen, and they were made with multiple layers of materials. Today, authentic kimonos are made of silk, silk brocade, silk crepes and satin weaves. Modern kimonos that are made with less-expensive easy-care fabrics such as rayon, cotton sateen, cotton, polyester and other synthetic fibres, are more widely worn today in Japan. However, silk is still considered the ideal fabric for kimonos.
Kimonos are typically 39-43 inches long and 14-15 inches wide cut into eight pieces. These pieces are then sewn back together to create the basic T-shape. Kimonos are traditionally sewn by hand. However, even machine-made kimonos require substantial hand-stitching. Fabrics are frequently hand-made and