First of all, be aware that your back should be in a straight line. Pulling backward with your stomach, you will naturally straighten your back. The chin should be pulled back so that the back of the head is connected to the back muscles and the ears are behind the back, which gives the appearance of good posture. Be conscious of keeping your left and right feet close together.
Walking
The basic rule for walking in kimono is to take small strides. Keep your knees together and walk with a small stride and slightly inward. It does not look beautiful if you walk with your hem fluttering or your zori flapping. Keep your feet parallel to the ground, not on your heels, as if you are gripping the zori with your toes. It is recommended that you walk slowly and gracefully, with a stride of about one pair of sandals, rather than in a hurry.
Going up and down stairs
When going up and down the stairs, be careful not to walk as you normally would, as this will make your kimono look out of place. When going up the stairs, pick up the upper and lower fronts with your right hand by about 5 cm and lift them up slightly. When descending, do the same, pinching the upper and lower fronts and descending slowly from the toes. As when walking, try not to make your stride too large, and keep in mind that you should move in small steps. If you have luggage, place it in your left hand and lightly raise the upper front with your right hand and turn diagonally to the right to avoid stepping on the hem. If you are wearing a furisode (long-sleeved kimono), hang both sleeves on the left hand that is holding the luggage.
How to sit in seiza
Before sitting down, lightly hold your upper front thigh with your left hand and kneel while patting your upper front with your right hand to keep the lower half of your kimono in place, and as you sit, keep your back straight! When sitting upright, keep your back straight and your chin slightly pulled back. Your thumbs can be on either side of your feet. Place your hips between the heels of both feet to keep your center of gravity in line. As with standing, the key to looking beautiful is to correct your posture.
How to Bow
When bowing in kimono, be sure to move more slowly and carefully than usual. When bowing in seiza, place your hands in a “c” position in front of your knees and lean your body forward while keeping a straight line from your head to your waist. It is beautiful if you move your body while bending your elbows carefully. In the standing bowing scene, stand with your back and neck straight as in seiza, and both feet together. Bow with your hands clasped in front of you and your stomach relaxed. The trick is to lean forward with your lower abdomen so that your buttocks do not stick out.
Sitting on a chair
When sitting on a chair, pull the upper front slightly with the right hand and stroke the thighs from front to back with the left hand to remove the sagging behind the knees. After sitting down, make sure that there are no strange wrinkles behind the knees. The key to sitting posture is to sit shallowly with your stomach relaxed so that the obi will not be crushed. When taking pictures while sitting on a chair, you can make your kimono look slimmer by tilting your body slightly as shown in the picture. Another key point is to take a half step backward on the back leg.
Riding in a Car
When getting in and out of a car, be careful when wearing a kimono. It is surprisingly common for sleeves and hems to get dirty in a car. When getting into a car, turn your back to the car body and pull up the upper front part of the kimono with your right hand. Sit down on the seat, put your head inside the car, and then turn your body around with both feet in the air to enter the car. Be careful not to let the hem of your kimono touch the body of the car. While riding in the car, be careful not to crush the obi by sitting shallowly if possible. It is also recommended to use a clip to hold the hem of the kimono in place, as it tends to be exposed.
How to carry a bag
When carrying a bag in kimono, it is elegant to hold the bag as close to your body as possible. Be careful not to move the hand holding the bag from the side of your body by holding it at your side. Avoid waving the bag back and forth, as this gives a coarse impression. Also, choose a bag that is as small as possible to achieve a beautiful appearance.
Aim for a beautiful figure! Where to focus and where to relax
To create a posture that looks good in a kimono, it is recommended that you put strength into your abdomen.
If you don’t put any effort into your abdomen, your lower stomach will protrude and your center of gravity will tilt backward, which tends to make your kimono look out of place. It is better to bend forward a little to make your standing posture look more beautiful.
Relaxed shoulders
Kimonos look better with slouched shoulders. The gently sloping shoulders make you look more graceful and dainty in a kimono.
If your shoulders are strained, your shoulders will rise and your neck will look shorter. When you wear a kimono, you should relax your shoulders. Stretching before you start dressing is also recommended. Roll your shoulders back in a circular motion and keep your shoulders in a relaxed position just below your ears to maintain a beautiful posture.
Preventing your clothes from falling off! Points to keep in mind when out and about
Do not walk with your thighs wide open.
Walking with a wide stance is not only unbeautiful, but it can also cause the lower half of the kimono to fall off. When walking in kimono, try to keep your stride small and steady.
caution. If the lower half of the kimono falls down and the upper front falls down, try to lift up the waistband under the obi. You can adjust the length as a first aid measure.
Do not spread the sides
It is important not to spread your legs as well as your sides to maintain a beautiful kimono.
caution. If a kimono comes out from the side part, you can tuck it into the obi by concealing it; however, once the fabric comes out, it will often come out again, so always be mindful of this.
Do not lean against a wall or backrest.
Problems with kimono obis collapsing are common when going out. Since it is difficult to fix an obi in the back by yourself, it is important to prevent it from collapsing too much.
caution. If you bump into a wall and the obi tilts, move to a place with a mirror, such as a restroom, as soon as possible and straighten it by holding the lower part of the obi firmly while looking in the mirror. If the obi has fallen badly, we recommend that you tie it again from the beginning with grace.
Dining Manners in Kimono
Use a napkin
It is a matter of course to eat in a manner that does not stain your clothes or the table, even in Western clothes, but be careful not to spill food, especially when wearing a kimono. Place the napkin on your lap.
Pay attention to the ends of sleeves
Unlike in Western clothes, it is important to be aware of the sleeve ends when wearing a kimono. When you get up from your seat at a party, for example, and turn around with a great deal of energy, it is easy to knock over a glass with your sleeves. “I knocked over a glass with my sleeve. “I got the bottom of the glass on my plate. These are common mistakes we hear about.
The tamenos of sleeves are longer than you think, so you need to be careful. By moving slowly and calmly, you will be less likely to make a mishap while eating.
How to take things
For example, when taking soy sauce from the table at a dinner party, there is a point to look beautiful in the action of taking things. In a kimono, it is not very beautiful if the arms are exposed through the cuffs. When picking up an object from a distance, it looks graceful if you hold the embankment or cuff with the opposite hand. If possible, do not fully extend your hand, but keep it in a lightly bent position. If the object is further away, do not try to pick it up by force, but ask your companion or a person at the store to hand it over to you.
When going to the restroom
Try the following
Pinch the right hem of the kimono with your right hand
Pinch the left hem with your left hand
Pinch the hem of the long underwear in the same way.
Hold the hem of the hem protector as well.
Wrap the sleeves and obi with the hem you lifted.
Lift it up to the top.
The outermost side in the photo is the awning.
Gather the hem in front of you to some extent, and hold it with one hand.
If you have a clip or string, you can fasten it.
When you put it back, take your hand away and fix the overlap one by one.
はじめてさんからベテランさんまで使える 楽しくなる着付け 100のコツ
Don’t forget to check the drum, the back of the hem, and the hem of the kimono at the end to make sure it’s not too high!
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