Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-30
JAPANESE COSTUMES
NOTHING MORE CHARMINGLY
NEGLIGE THAN A KIMoNo.
How the Garment is Made and How It
Should Be Worn-Their
Cost.
From the New York Tribune,

From the New York Tribune.
Rightly made and rightly worn, there is
nothing more comfortable or more lux
urious looking in the way of negiige than
kimono. But the kimono must have the
requisite width Of shoulder, the real long
sleeve, the whole dainty finish of the Japan
ese garment, to be thing of.art. just how
to give the inimitable necessary touches
only the japanese themselves know.
A visitor from the far eastern country,
recently come to this part of the world,
equipped not only with a useful store of
English, but with twenty or more bew.tch-
Ing native costumes, has been helping a
new-made friend to evolve one Of these at
tractive garments out of some queer blue
and white Japanesey materials. All Japan
csc girls are taught at home how to sew, by
the way. Naturally, the little Japanese
woman took the lead. 1t must all be done
after certain order-frst the two long
pieces cut and sewed together half way to
form the back, then left open for the front
next a slash must be cut on each side
where the seam stops, to form the neck
opening-just SO far; and a tiny bamboo
measuring stick is brought into use for this
and other dimensions; then two narrow
strips must be added to the fronts, just how
far up the little measure determines, and
sloped Off toward the neck; the sleeves,
ders, are imperatively next, and the folding
collar last Of all.
"Musts" to Be Observed.
There are certain memorable "musts" of
finish about a kimono; the sleeve front cor
ners must be made square for a child and
rounded for a woman. The front edges of
the hem at the skirts bottom must be
turned in at an angle; the collar must be
To h1yf vip
strings. When worn the kimono fronts
must be crossed with the left side out, the
two-inch wide belt, or 'kimo," must go
around the waist twice, and be tied in a
square knot, with short ends. in front, and
over this the more elaborate girdle or
"obi," with a cushion1fke bow behind. Be-
cause, forsooth, all this is as 1t was in the
beginning.
To one who has struggled, who has
watched one s maid struggle, to pack
summer wardrobe into even capacious
trunks, there is something most appealing
about kimono wardrobe and the small
space 4 occupies. Another must XII
monos must always be folded in one way,
which produces a compact, fiat result, about
the size and shape Of linen sheet fresh
folded from the laundry, and a dozen or
more kimonos. in fiat piles, require amaz-
ingly little space.
And the cost OF these unique garments?
In Japan charming silk kimono, silk-lined
which equals $3.50 or So Of our money
Other kimonos, in linen, silk and crepe,
range in price from 81 to 81 or IS, crepe
being usually the most expensive.
Comfort in Native Gowns
Although the Japanese visitor dresses in
conventional American costume by day,
she Is only too glad to appear at the even
ing dinner in native costume, as her hostess
urges. "It Is so much more comfortable"
the dark-eyed guest answers. in her child
Ike voice. Her outside kimono is oftenest
soft gray or dull blue striped silk, or pale
green crepe, one and all lined with delicate
toned silk; but underneath this rather sober
outer garment are worn two. three or four
silk or crepe k1monos. In exquisitely rich
colors I'VE are proud to have very beau-
tiful our ktmonos that do not show" the
soft voice explains, and indeed they do not
show, except for the bits Of color which
their ample sleeves reveal at the wrists. To
the practical color and fabrfc-loving Ameri-
can all this hidden beauty eeems an ar
rant waste.
The dainty little foreigner Ii In her finest
when she wears a delicate pearl gray silk
outer kinono with her family's crest incon-
xpicuously woven In white at neck and