Received them!!

Hey remember the 2 sets of 5 yukata I bought long long ago? I just received them today!! They're so pretty.... The material's a little stiff, but nothing a quick wash won't fix ^_^ Now I have yukata in so many colours! Including the ones I have at home, I have yukata in red, olive, green, yellow, pink, blue, orange, white, purple and black!!! *yay* Since I have so many now, I can go out in them more often without having someone (namely my conscience) say 'But you just wore that last week! Wear something else!' nyehehehehe...

I also got this furisode with it. The odd thing is that, it's more like a komon (casual kimono with regular patterns all over) with ankle-length sleeves than a formal furisode!! I've absolutely no idea how formal it is, as I've only ever seen one like it before, and that's only in a book. The book says it's a 'party kimono' but I'm not entirely sure how formal a party it's meant to be.... I know it'll never be as formal as a normal furisode, since it's polyester and the pattern (of lilies - how pretty!!) is more komon/yukata-ish than the usual flowing designs we see on silk furisode for sale.

Thing is, what the heck do I wear with it? Not maru obi, that's for sure; fukuro obi is most likely, but what about nagoya obi? Nagoya obi sounds too casual, but this furisode is also very casual-looking. *scowls* Funnily enough, the book gives advice on how to accesorize this kimono with everything EXCEPT the obi.

I just read the book again, and the only advice it has is for:

1) Shawl - lace, tulle and beadwork is suitable for party-time, and looks gorgeous
2) Hairpiece - you can use many types to look fun. They put emphasis on corsages. For short hair, they say you can add a corsage to your hair for volume.
3) Footwear - for slightly more formal parties, wear gold and enamel zori. For casual parties, wear geta and pokkuri with pretty sides.
4) Hanao (the strap on footwear) - haven't read this yet :P
5) Bag - haven't read this either.
6) Han eri (the juban collar that shows) - read this, but can't understand some parts of it

*sighs* Sadly, not once do they mention the type of obi or musubi that is suitable for it. Until I find out, I'll stick to something like the bunko musubi with a fukuro obi.

I can't wait to get a biyo sugata! Then I can tie everything so much more easily, not to mention open the doors to other hard-to-tie musubi like fukura suzume (plump sparrow) and tateya (diagonal arrow). I'm even thinking of getting a biyo sugata for just plain otaiko so that I can tie it more easily and get the pattern at the right spot all the time. That's the part that usually kills.

On a random side note, I just realised I burned my forearm when baking cookies a few days ago. Apparently, I accidentally touched the hot cookie tray when I was turning it in the oven, so my left forearm now has a very ugly dark red blemish on it. *sighs* my b00tiful skin.....