New-York tribune., 1902-05-26
HOW KIMONOS ARE MADE
CHARMING COSTUMES OF A JAPANESE
TISTOR-THE PROPER WAY
TO WEAR THEM

Rightly made and rightly worn. there is nothing
more comfortable more luxurious looking in the
way OF a negligee than kimono. But the kmono
must have the requisite width Of shoulder the real
Ions sleeve. the whole dainty finish OF the Jap
anese garment. 10 be q thing OF art. Just how to
give the inmitable 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 useful store of English. but with twenty
or more bewitching native costumes has been
helping a made friend evolve OF these
attractive garments out Of some queer blue and
white Japanesey material. All japanese girls are
taught at home how to sew. by the way. Natur-
ally the little japanese woman took the lead. 1t
must all be done after certain order-hrst the
two long pieces cut. and sewed together half way
ITO form the back. then len open for the front;
next q slash must be cut each side where the
seam stops. to form the neck opening-just far;
and a tiny bamboo measuring stick is brought into
use for this and other dimensions; then two narrow
strips be added TO the fronts just how far
up the little measure determines, and sloped off
toward the neck; the sleeves. long and wide. set
ION square to the shoulders are imperatively next,
Rnd the folding collar last Of all.
: There certain inexorable ''musts'' Of finish
about a kimono; the sleeve front corners must be
made square for child and rounded for a woman.
The front edges Of the hem at the skirts bottom
must be turned in at angle the collar must be
made 10 fold by tying three tiny drawstrings.
When worn the kimono fronts must be crossed
with the left side OUT, the tNO-inch wide belt,
'kimo" go around the waist twice, and be
tied In square knot with short ends. in front and
over this the elaborate girdle. obj" with
cushionllke bow behind Because. forsooth all this
IS IT IN the beginning
To one who has struggled, who has watched
ones maid struggle, pack summer wardrobe
into even capacioUs trunks. there IS something
most appealing about a kimOno wardrobe and the
small space it occupies Another must" XII
rnonos must always be folded IN one way, which
produces a about
shape Of n linen sheet fresh folded from the laun-
dry, and dozen more kimonos in fiat piles
require amazingly little space.
And the cost of these unique garments? In
Japan a charming silk kimOno, silk lined and
beautifully made, costs five or six yen. which
equals 81 80 s. 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.
Although the apanese visitor dresses in conven-
glad TO appear at the evening dinner in native
costume, her hostess urges. 1T is so much
more comfortable the dark eyed guest answers
in her childIke voice. Her outside kimono Is
oftenest soft gray dull blue striped silk, or pale
green crepe, and all lined with delicate toned
silk; but underneath this rather sober outer gar
1nonos, in exquisitely rich colors We are proud
10 have very beautiful our kmonos that do not
show" the soft voice explains, and indeed they do
not show except for the bits or color Wflch tnelr
annie sleeves reveal at the wrists. To the pTac-
tlcal color ard fabric loving American all this
hidden beauty seems an arrant waste.
The dainty little foreigner is in her hnest when
she wears delicate pearl gray SILK outer kimono
with her fan1ilys inconspicuously woven IN
white at neck and wrists; pale hehotrope neck
cloth "haneri" just showing. n SumptuouS pur-
ple silk obi around her waist, and just a sugges-
lion OF pale green and of white silk kimonos worn
underneath the gray. In voice, manner and move
and shapeIy wrists would be models for an artist;
she is daintiness itself