(I am going to use a binary male/female vocabulary. If you are neutral, queer, trans etc, please excuse the generalities used here and read accordingly to identity ^^)
Huge note under the cut \o/ I talk about:
men/women kitsuke differences
male kimono size and style
men wearing women clothes in the past
kimono crossdressing today
EDIT 13/03/15 : as promised, I’ve posted several Men/otoko poi articles. Please follow the links: Men/Otoko poikitsuke and belt knots tutorials + comparaison of crossdressing (left women/right men kitsuke)
First of all, a few things about female and male kimono because those are sewn and worn with a few differences.
Look how differently men and women yukata (informal summer kimono) are worn:
Female ones have side openings called miyatsukuchi used to fix the ohashori. This fold, used to ajust kimono length, is partly covered by the obi (a belt 15 to 30cm wide). The sleeves come in many length and their backs are left opened – that why you can see the juban peeking.
Male kimono on the other side are tailored according to the wearer’s size. As no ohashori is needed, there are no miyatsukuchi and the sleeves are short with backs sewn. Men also wear their kimono with a thinner obi belt placed under the tummy.
Here is a fashionable modern men garb by Awai, note how there is no fold at the waist and how the obi is placed:
It is indeed quite difficult to find kimono –male or female- in larger sizes. But, even in Japan people tend to get taller and bigger so companies are starting to offer kimono in XL sizes. I am not good on that question but if I remember well, iki-kimono has posted some notes with advice and rakuten shops.
Male kimono are indeed often subdued and plain (that’s the iki aesthetic). But more and more, as younger generation gets interested in kimono, we see new trends for men. Rumi Rock has fun edgy patterns, special collections are made in collaboration with stars, like Gack etc.:
As to the core question about a guy wearing female kimono, my answer is yes :)
Even if putting aside the crossdressing question, male have been using female kimono as a fashion statement at least since the Edo period and especially in the capital.
This fashion is linked to the Japanese conception of male beauty: being delicate and graceful was being beautiful in body and soul. Using* a feminine cloth or accessory was a way to hint this idea. This trend was encouraged by the popularity of refined Kabuki actors and the economic power of the merchants class. *(please note I write “using” not just “wearing”: they appropriated themselves those garments)
While also linked to hom*osexuality, it was not a generality as women too sighed and fawned over those handsome men.
Here, the man on the right, although a warrior as shown by its weapon, is pictured dressed with great taste and extremely willowy - a woman’s traditionnal feature.
Like today, female clothes were also often flashier so Japanese dandies took delight wearing a piece or two (often along with rare western accessories), partly to look fabulous partly to shock people.
I am cheating here because the the woodblock below is from the Kabuki play Five men on the white waves. But those characters garbs are said to have been inspired by urban dandies of Edo:
On a side note, the only place you could (and still can) see male in full female attire is Kabuki theater where all female roles keep being played by men only. But, onnagata don’t dress in female kimono for their everyday lives it is more like their work uniforms. Here is the famous actor Tamasaburo Bando:
Today, it is not uncommon to find male artists (especially idole) wearing a female kimono. Look at the houmongi worn in the center by one of Johnny’s WEST singers:
There is also a fashion called otoko-poi where women wear their own kimono in male style (thin obi under tummy, looser collars, etc). Here is Diane from Moon Blossom wearing a women dance kimono:
And you can find young men dressing flashy for the Seijin no hi, in a shocking exuberance like their dandy great-grandfathers did. I have seen some wearing a furisode like a jacket but I can get my hands on the picture :S Anyway here are some modern lively fashionista ^^:
So, you wish to dress in female kimono, be it because you are a cross dresser, you prefer the patterns on women kimono or just because? I’d say go for it.
My only advice beyond the tidbits of history I gave here is: please be respectful. With yourself first, but also with the garment you put on. Do your homework to not make gross mistakes. Search how a women and men kimono are put on, what are the differences etc Depending on what you wish to achieve, you can choose to sew shut sleeves back and miyatsukuchi, cut a women kimono to your size -or not.
And then most of all, dress up and have fun ;)
Lastly, your question arrived just on time, I have a tutorial on male kitsuke (way of putting on kimono) and pictures of otoko poi planned for next Wednesday + Thursday! Please stay in touch ^^
(I hope this note was clear, if not don’t hesitate if you have questions ;)
The kitchen name “Tanuki” was inspired by the Japanese breadcrumbs that add crunch to sushi rolls and texture to a host of Japanese food items. Signature orders include maki rolls with tasty Japanese mayo and topped with crispy tanuki. Torched salmon maki and crispy California maki are also popular choices.
f*ckuro Obi are made from one strip of decorated fabric – usually silk – with another plainer lining for the inside. Written 袋帯, it means bag belt, because of the way it is sewn in two parts. For formal occasions, you would normally wear a f*ckuro obi, although some can be casual too.
The comical image of the tanuki having a large scrotum is thought to have developed during the Kamakura era, where goldsmiths would use tanuki pelts for the process of hammering gold nuggets into leaf. Tanuki may be shown with their testicl*s flung over their backs like travelers' packs, or using them as drums.
It is important not to confuse the two. The difference between Kitsune and Tanuki udon is that whearas Kitsune uses a fried tofu slice, Tanuki Udon substitutes this for pieces of pre-fried tempura batter. Tanuki Udon is a delicious dish in its own right though, and I would recommend you try it sometime.
Maybe you've seen something that looks like a pillow or bag at the back of a kimono. That's used to help tie the obi properly. It's not there for storage, or to sleep on! Sometimes, people carry things inside the kimono's long hanging sleeves instead.
For example, married women wore the knot in the back, while bachelors, widows and courtesans tied the belt in the front. Courtesans wearing the obi knot in the front.
When wearing a Kimono, you are expected to wear a “hadajuban” and “koshimaki” directly on your naked skin (the “juban” comes over those). Traditionally, you don't wear panties, but nowadays most women do.
Are Tanukis Legal or Not? Unfortunately, as a result of their invasive tendencies, raccoon dog ownership has been banned in many countries, including the United States.
The legendary tanuki clearly has a lot of interesting characteristics. But there's no doubt which is the most strange and unique: his magical expanding scrotum. Yes, really. It's said the tanuki can stretch his ball sack to the size of eight tatami mats.
A dish called tanukijiru ("tanuki soup") ceased to contain actual tanuki meat, but some rural stews do use tanuki. Of Japanese noodles, the words "tanuki" and "kitsune" designate two varieties of the udon or soba dishes.
tengu, in Japanese folklore, a type of mischievous supernatural being, sometimes considered the reincarnated spirit of one who was proud and arrogant in life. Tengu are renowned swordsmen and are said to have taught the military arts to the Minamoto hero Yosh*tsune.
Kitsune can have as many as nine tails. When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes white or gold. With such powerful abilities, you may wonder how to kill a kitsune. Legends say that to kill a Japanese kitsune, you have to cut off all its tails.
The tanuki is even a popular mascot in Japan, as having statues or drawings of tanuki outside bars and restaurants invites people to come in and just indulge in spending money and having a good time just like a tanuki spirit.
The tanuki, sometimes called the bakedanuki (化け狸) when referring to its supernatural abilities, contains the ability to shapeshift into just about anything. In old Japanese stories, the tanuki represented the haunting of people and was often associated with bad omens.
Tanuki (狸) is the name of the Japanese raccoon dog, a significant animal in Japanese folklore and art. In the West, they are often incorrectly called raccoons, but the tanuki is a different species.
Tanuki Soba (たぬき蕎麦) is hot Soba noodles in soup with Tenkasu fried Tempura batter bits. It is a Soba dish with a pretty simple topping, but that addition gives the dish richer flavor. “Tanuki” literally means raccoon dog which is an animal found in Japan and a popular character in stories and culture there.
One of the most famous myths surrounding the tanuki is its ability to shape-shift into the form of a beautiful woman with which it plays mischievous tricks on passersby. Despite transforming itself, the tanuki can also transform certain things, such as turning pebbles into gold, or feces into food.
In the traditional art of Japan, the tanuki has a leaf on its forehead. The leaf symbolizes nature, which the tanuki gets its power from. More modern art portrays tanuki with a big belly to show its jovial nature and love of food and drink.
It was said a tanuki scrotum could reach the size of eight tatami. What clinched it, though, was probably the pun: kin no tama "small ball of gold" and kintama, slang for testicl*s. Tanuki scrotums began to be sold as wallets and lucky charms, said to stretch your money the way they stretched the gold.
Made with thick udon noodles in a dashi soup sprinkled with tenkasu tempura flakes, tanuki udon gets its name from tanuki 'raccoon dogs', who are figures of fun in Japanese mythology. Serve tanuki udon as a main dish at dinner, perhaps with a plate of gyoza or karaage on the side.
Male raccoon dog statues are often displayed with their large, uh, family jewels outside Japanese eateries, but soon female tanuki will shine with a different set of large assets. According to Japanese folklore, the tanuki raccoon dog has magical shape-shifting qualities that allow it to take on different forms.
Other kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires or succubi, and feed on the life or spirit of human beings, generally through sexual contact.
It literally means fox noodles. Kitsune Udon literary means fox udon, or fox noodles, in Japanese. The name came from the folktale that fox enjoys aburaage (deep-fried tofu), which is the main topping for this noodle). Chewy and soft, udon are thick wheat noodles that are best when you can find them fresh.
The United States government, for one, sees Bandit as a wild animal: In 1982, the U.S. Department of the Interior listed the raccoon dog as a “injurious animal” under the Lacey Act in order to limit its importation. While “diminutive” creatures, they were also adaptable and posed a threat to American critters.
Hobby: Calligraphy, Rowing, Vacation, Geocaching, Web surfing, Electronics, Electronics
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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