The Washington critic., 1890-04-10
FEMININE DRESS IN JAPAN.
Yum Yum's Toilet from the Bath to
Complete Attire.

Yum Num's Toilet from the Bath to
Complete Attire.
Having been soaped and dried, the
japanese girl takes long strip Of cot
ton or silk, according to her taste and
condition, the strip being about eighteen
inches wide and three yards long.
Holding the upper corner of one end of
the cloth just over the left hip, she
winds the strip tightly around the loins
and hips, fastening It By tucking the
end corner in the belt so made. This
might be called the japanese corset,
except that, instead of COMPRISING the
waist, it suueezes the lower abdominal
portions and upper hip. When prop
erly put on it makes an al
most rigid bandage, and it is
this which gives that peculiar little
shuttle and swing to the original Yum
Yum's walk, the legs being really only
movable from the knee down. Most
writers have ascribed this waddle to the
wearing Of high wooden clogs, but this
is O mistake. The men wear clogs,
but they walk as freely as an Indian.
The kilt, so to speak, having been
adjusted, the Japanese girl then slips
on little loose, sleeveless jacket-again
either of cotton or silk--which comes
down to the loin cloth, and over that a
blouse or short kimono; then another
little longer, two or three of these then
the kimono. and then the obi or
bow. All these undergarments
and the kimono itself are crossed
in front and are open at the neck.
| Each is decorated at the neck with
strip of colored Grape, and the whole is
| so arranged that these strips show one
beneath the other. Sometimes belle
| will show half dozen or more of these
different colored strips, the effect being
| quite rainbowish. If the weather is
warm the inner garments are dispensed
with and the parti colored silks are
sewed to the inner side of the kimono in
number Of plaits.
Stockings the japanese woman does
| not wear, except those who have
adopted the European fashions, while
| the shoe is either sandal or clog. No
matter what the form of the sandal or
| clog, the method of attachment is al
ways the samoa soft loop into which
| the foot Is thrust, with thong to pass
between the great toe and the others.
The sandal (zari) is nearly always made
with straw sole and quilted top, and
| is used for indoor wear, while the clog
! (gita) is of wood. Their height is reg
ulated by the tony" aspirations of the
wearer, Just as French heels of exces-
sive height are worn by our own fashion
able sisters.
The kimonos seen in this country
! just clear the ground, and this is the
every. day cut of the garment. When
the japanese young lady wishes to put
on style, however, she lengthens her
kimono and adds to its breadth in the
lower portions so that it shall spread
out on the floor as she stands. This
is her train, but must stand all
around her feet in bell.shape.
The nice management of this train is
great achievement, and takes much
practice to bring about the true japanese
angles and stiffness. In the old days
the kimonos worn by the court ladies
were something extraordinary in their
voluminousness. They were not only
long behind, but they were also long
before, and the poor creature stumbling
along in one of these looked as though
she were shutting about on her knees.
1t is in her obi or sash, however,
that the Japanese belle takes her great.
est pride. Ordinarily it is tied behind
in bow about a foot square at the
back, resembling cartridge box in
shape. But there are times when this
modest little bow will not suffice, and
there are ladies who 90 to eNCesses in
the size of the obj. 1t is made out OF
black silk, folded TO be fully yard
wide, and il is tied in a bow, whose ends
extend fully three feet across. More.
over, IL Is worn in front and a little to
the side, and altogether is stunning
| affair.