My chaotic wanderings through creation and restoration.
How do I accurately describe what I'm thinking right now without just leaning really hard on the all caps and just smashing the keyboard until I feel satisfied? I mean, one could argue that's what the entirety of this blog is. Your name is just noises you respond to, fucking fight me. This kimono was … Continue reading Restoration In Progress–Taisho Kakeshita
Stylish Snow Crystal Rings With Regal Carts And Tranquil Watersides On Airy Cream Silk. Before I get started, I'd like to point out that one of my favorite parts of writing each entry is coming up with the little italicized flavor text up there. Because I always want to write it out in a somewhat … Continue reading Antique Maru Obi–Summer Snow
A Haughty Majestic Phoenix Entangled With Blooming Flowers On Black Silk. That's right, I'm calling it a birb. It's a word I use every day. I have parrots, after all. To be honest about this one, I bought it domestically in a bundle with a maru obi that I'll detail later. I wanted the obi, … Continue reading Taisho Kurotomesode–Sassy Birb
Vibrant Blooming Flowers And Colorful Peacocks On Black Silk. I bought this kimono just before the 5th year anniversary of my father's death. That's right, it's my fill the void kimono. I'm not really sure what kind of void I'm filling, though. That shit's complicated and weird, and that's not what we're here for. Why … Continue reading Antique Furisode–Peonies & Peafowl
What In The Actual Hell Was The Artist Thinking These Things Will Give Me Nightmares On Black Silk. Who wants to watch me write up a blog on a kimono that I have literally no attachment to, was a little squicked--yes that's the technical term, shut up--out by, and cleaned up for display anyway? You … Continue reading Antique Kurotomesode–Eyeless Cranes
Hanging Baskets Filled With Chrysanthemums And Adorned With Treasures On Blue Silk. I think that it is fair to say that all of my favorite kimono are oddballs. If there's something weird, unusual, or less than traditional about it, I'm all over it. The reason for this is actually rather simple: I'm fucking weird because … Continue reading Antique Kimono–Precious Little Details
Deep Dark Plum Silk Adorned With Iris And Bamboo Inside Stylized Snow Rings. This is one of my many pieces that I struggle to date properly when it comes to placing it squarely in an era. Women's haori are delightful little jackets, and traditionally speaking are informal to begin with (unlike men's haori but that's … Continue reading Antique Haori-Springtime Snowflakes
Soft Blue Green Crepe Silk With Blooming Spider Mums And Fans Over Flowing Water. This is a restoration that I totally failed to keep any tabs on whatsoever. I bought it, cleaned it, sewed a few panels back together, and then hung it up here to take pictures without so much as documenting a single … Continue reading Taisho Irotomesode–
Festive Hand Drums On Black Woven Silk. Today I get to talk about one of my favourite features of vintage kimono: rinzu. Rinzu is the term for woven patterns in the silk. Think of it as jacquard or damask. A soft shimmer of traditional patterns embellished all over the body of the kimono, oftentimes a … Continue reading Taisho Houmongi–Nostalgic Rhythms
There are a few risks--or maybe "hazards" is a better word--when buying vintage and antique kimono domestically. You are, frequently:A. buying from someone who really doesn't know what they have, and never knew how to care for itB. buying based off of really bad photosC. cannot anticipate how they will ship it.D. ALL OF THE … Continue reading Meiji Kuromontsuki–Hidden Decadence
Silk & Bones 