Closet Feature: New furisode! (+ 1 yukata set hehe)

As promised, here are some of the furisode I've bought in the past month.

This first one is a modern furisode with stylised sakura, phoenixes and cranes on clouds. The orange birds are phoenixes, and the purple ones are cranes ^_^

Isn't it pretty?? The second picture shoes how the front will look like when I put it on. I tried it on a few times, but I realised that the sleeves are almost too long - they nearly touch the ground!! I was told that this seems to be the fashion as of late.

Its length is very nice - 163cm. I'm only 160cm tall, but I feel most comfortable in 163cm long kimono, which is really lucky because most modern yukata and synthetic kimono are at a standard length of 163cm. It is also nice and wide at 133cm (give or take 1cm). I don't know if I have a juban that will fit it, but I will start looking after Patrick goes back to Concord tomorrow morning.

This next one is a Taisho era (1912 - 1926) furisode.

I've been dying for one like this for ages!! This furisode is exactly the sort that would have had its sleeves cut to become a kurotomesode once the girl who owned it gets married. See the black background? See the family crests on the shoulders and back? (These are butterfly crests by the way) See how the pattern is only at the hem of the skirt? See how the sleeve patterns stay at the bottom, leaving space so that when it's cut, the sleeves become plain black? That's how one identifies it as a kurotomesode-to-be furisode. Of course, I would never cut the sleeves :P I love this furisode too much! Besides, kurotomesode are so common now.

Also, one can identify its age by looking at the lining and the crests. From what little I've gleaned from the IG forums, smaller crests (about this size) are indicators that the kimono is from post-Meiji era (1868 - 1912). Plus, all Taisho kimono (that I've ever seen) had red lining, which you can see through the sleeve openings here. I'm not exactly sure what else denotes a kimono's age, but those few are sure indicators!

There are a number of flaws on this beauty, but I don't know if it's wearable or not. I'll have to wait to receive it and see... It's on its way now and should be here sometime next week ^___^

Lastly, I finally gave in to my desire to buy a new UNIQLO yukata set. However, the one I really wanted was already sold out by mid-summer, so I settled instead on this year's bunny yukata!

I can't wait to receive and wear them!! :D:D:D