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From: corset_bound_freak@yahoo.com
Newsgroups: fj.life.in-japan
Subject: Kimono
Date: 22 Aug 2006 21:49:39 -0700
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To all fans of the Kimono,
       I read an article here on Kimono which I found funny. The
article was in my opinion, one sided....Whoever this person is, it
sounds like they never wore an obi!....Here is a quote from this
article I read:

"What ultimately makes kimono, is the way to wear it, not the shininess
of
kimono fabric itself. I once saw a woman wearing kimono in a hurry,
quickly
wrapping her obi in simple man's style, and still her character was
mostly
Japanese, attractive and most kimono-like. As often heard from the
experts,
when worn correctly, kimono should bring no discomfort to woman. Some
disagree though. For example, the fact is that woman cannot eat much
when
wearing obi. You simply cannot tie it so loose that it would allow
woman to
enjoy a satisfying meal. This has without a question affected growth of

young women in old time who wore kimono through their youth in Japan.
Following feminist statement, from a male writer says:


"The kimono has a criminal record. For hundreds of years, up until the
twentieth century, the kimono has unilaterally insulted the female sex
and
caused women to suffer. It has prevented free expression and impeded
natural
growth. When women finally removed their kimono, they burst in the
shackles
of feudalism. But now the silky insinuating voice of kimono is heard
again,
seeking to confine women to the dim and cramped backstage of life. Who
would
say it's appeal is simply due to a feminine desire for elegance? We
must
expose kimono for the pernicious device it is. " - Clothing historian
Murakami Nobuhiko, Agura o Kaku Musumetachi..."

          Zoe replies:  I was laughing reading this! I have never felt
"insulted" by an item of clothing! Nor has wearing a kimono made me
suffer, prevented my free expression nor 'confined me to the dim and
cramped backstage of life'! HAHAHA! Quite the opposite on all these
things actually! Vintage clothing IS part of the way I express myself!
Fashion for women through the ages has been about women expressing who
they are. In fact WOMEN usually designed or sewed their own clothes
(Marie Antonette invented the corset).
          I am a successful women in a male dominated job. I do equal
work and get equal pay. I am petite and feminine, 5'1 and 105 lbs. I
spend all day in a dirty gym lifting weights and wearing pants. Nothing
makes me feel more relaxed and feminine than coming home, throwing my
dreary, sporty work clothes into a laundry basket and putting on a nice
frilly pin-up girl robe, or an elegant silk kimono.
         Let's not forget ALL the confining fashions throughout the
ages, corsets, girdles, high heels, etc. A kimono in contrast to many
historical fashions, is quite comfortable. Also, as tight as I ever
wore an obi, I never had any trouble eating or breathing (especially
compared to a corset!) I would have to agree with the experts on this
one, when worn correctly, kimono are not any more restrictive than a
prom dress. Furthermore, there are many different kinds of kimono and
obi, some (like a yukata) are light silk or cotton and others like a
furisode or wedding kimono are more heavy and restricive with lining
and multiple layers.
          Also, geisha preferred the girlish, straight hipped body type
and associated large breasts and curves with age and motherhood, hence
the reason obi are not made to cinch the waist. For anyone who has ever
tried to tie their own formal obi, they are thick and bulky and it's
difficult to make them really tight. I actualy think an obi could be
beneficial in a health sense because it supports the back and is only
uncomfortable IF YOU SLOUCH. Poor posture is bad for you anyway, both
in a fitness sense and a visual one. Another point, if a 'satisfying'
meal means being stuffed, that's bad for you too, small frequent meals
are key in losing weight in a healthy manner. Most Japanese food is so
artful and satisfying, its difficult to overeat and if you ate that
much of it (such as squid, tofu, or sashimi with wasabi and sake) you'd
have a lot worse problems than a tight obi! Ever notice there are no
photos or paintings of hunchbacked, overweight geisha to be found? Even
very old geisha are thin and have a good posture.
      Let's not forget the shoes traditionally worn with kimono. Zori,
geta and even the tall oboko shoes are more comfortable then most
modern high heels. Do high heels confine and insult women too? Tell
that to every high power female office worker from New York to Los
Angeles! Regardless if we feel that women's clothing represses us, the
fact remains that women choose what they wear, women have and always
will ultimately decide the fashions. We are either trend-setters or
fashion followers.
         The one point I agree with is the WAY you wear a kimono makes
the outfit. As with any woman's favorite outfit, when she wears it she
has confidence. Go to anywhere where women are dressed their best and
watch the way they move: Head up, back straight, small, smooth steps,
elegant and calm-cool facial expression...Like a geisha, like an
actress on the red carpet, like a runway supermodel, like a woman on
the beach in a new bikini, like a woman jogging in a half shirt showing
off the body she earned...Most women like looking good and will go to
great lengths to make this happen and when she knows she looks good, it
shows.
        The modern world is a busy, hectic, stressful place and no
matter what a woman chooses to do with her life, her actions and her
personality determine far more than her clothing. Fashion can be
confining or empowering depending on the person wearing it. I find the
history of the Kimono far less insulting than modern day teenage pop
stars with bleached (cough...Britney Spears...cough) hair and breast
implants. Either way, it's a woman's choice to look how she wants and
it's not for me to decide what makes other people happy, much less what
holds them back or what makes them millions...By the way here is a tip
for kimono wearers: If the long sleves got in the way, women were known
to tuck them into the obi...Some food for thought............Zoe