The summers of Okinawa are hot and humid so the open sleeves allow for full ventilation. Unlike Japanese kimono, the Okinawan kimono usually has closed underarms or a diamond- shaped piece of material covering the opening. This type of sleeve is said to be borrowed from the Chinese. Kimono style and the patterns, print, color, and material distinguish and identify the wearer. Young girls generally wear large printed patterns and pure, natural colored material.
Older people wear smaller printed kimonos of a darker shade.
But today the coolness of the Basa has popularized it and the use of Basa stripes and designs may indicate the wealth of the wearer. Color is important in a kimono. In the world of dance color stretches the imagination through symbolism. For example the color red could mean sun, jealousy, or change as from boyhood to manhood. Blue could reflect the sky, ocean, sadness, envy, age, or knowledge.