How to wear kimono dress
Folding a kimono is an art form, and it can take years to master. But if you’ve ever worn one of these beautiful garments, you know that they’re worth the effort. With a little practice, anyone can learn how to fold their kimono perfectly every time:
Wash and dry your fine silks before you begin.
If you have a fine silk kimono, wash it in cool water and air dry it flat. Use a mild detergent like Woolite, but don’t use bleach. Don’t iron or dry clean your kimono because these processes can damage the fabric structure of the garment. Tumble drying will also compromise its quality over time, so make sure to hang up your garment to air dry after washing or hand washing. Do not press any part of your kimono using steam or an iron; this could cause creases that cannot be removed from the silk material without damaging it further!
Make a triangle.
- Make a triangle.
- Fold the fabric in half, and then fold it in half again.
Now you have a triangle of cloth with two layers on the outside and one layer on the inside.
Fold the triangle in half into a smaller triangle, right side facing out.
You’ll be folding the triangle in half, right sides together.
Fold the larger triangle in half again so that it’s a little smaller and all three of your edges are facing outward.
Now, you have a little miniature of what you initially started with! This next step can be done either by hand or with a sewing machine, depending on whether or not you’d like to cut out some time from this project by using one instead.
Lay the kimono flat.
Take the kimono and lay it flat, on a table, floor, bed (or couch or car or tent). If you are going to wear it as a skirt or dress then lay the kimono in a way that leaves about 8 inches of fabric hanging on all sides of your body. This will allow for maximum freedom of movement but still keep you covered up enough.
If you are wearing the kimono over another top then place it so that there is at least 6 inches of fabric around your neckline and shoulders as well as down your backside.
Gather and fold one side in about 3 inches (7.5 cm), trying to keep it as smooth as possible.
Gather and fold one side in about 3 inches (7.5 cm), trying to keep it as smooth as possible.
Now, take the corner of your left sleeve and bring it to meet the right-hand side of your kimono, so that you can see an inverted V shape on either side of your torso.
Repeat step 5 on the other side.
Repeat step 5 on the other side. Make sure that the folds are even and that you have a rectangle shape.
Fold both sides up to the top edge of the kimono so that there is a 7–10 centimeter (3–4 inch) band at the bottom of a compact, trapezoidal shape.
- Fold both sides up to the top edge of the kimono so that there is a 7–10 centimeter (3–4 inch) band at the bottom of a compact, trapezoidal shape. This will keep your kimono in place when you wrap it around you later.
- To wear your kimono, wrap it around yourself with the left side over your body and down through your right arm hole as if putting on an overcoat. Then bring both ends of this left section together so they form another triangle sitting on top of everything else—this should look like an upside-down “Y.”
Now, hold this “Y” shape in place with one hand while pulling out both corners at its base so that they lie flat against each other and close off the small opening where they meet (you’ll now have four triangles). Make sure no flesh shows through any part of this trapdoor before securing it shut with a sash or belt!
Flip the kimono over, then fold in half again lengthwise so that it resembles an elongated triangle.
Now that your kimono is folded, flip it over and fold it in half lengthwise so that it resembles an elongated triangle. This step is important to ensure a neat appearance when you wear the kimono.
Next, turn the long strip of fabric so that one edge (the side with no ruffles) is facing down toward you and then bring up the two sides together to form a T-shape (like how you would hold hands when skipping).
Finally, tie around your waist with either string or elastic band by making a loop around your waist twice before tying into place. You can now adjust how tightly fastened it is by pulling on each end until satisfied with its fit on yourself!
Lay your folded kimono down on a flat, sturdy surface and place a heavy object on top of it until it holds its shape.
Lay your folded kimono down on a flat, sturdy surface and place a heavy object on top of it until it holds its shape.
If you’re using a small book or something similar, the weight might not be enough to hold your kimono’s shape without some help from pins. As such, you’ll want to use an object that is neither too small nor too large; this is where I’d recommend using an old textbook or something similar. Whatever you choose as your pinning tool should also be light enough for you to lift easily if needed—so don’t grab that encyclopedia set!
You can neatly fold your kimono for storage or to travel with it by following these steps..
While a kimono can be folded in many ways, here is one method to get you started.
- Lay your kimono flat on the bed or floor
- Fold the left side of the top hem over about 60 times so that it matches up with its right side and creates a sharp crease along its length on both sides. This will help keep your obi from slipping off when you wear it. If you do not have an obi yet, simply fold this section of hem over once more towards yourself so that there are two flaps left at both ends..
- Lift up your left and right sections of fabric until they are hanging equally off each end of their respective sleeves, then fold them back towards themselves by bringing them together at their center point until they meet just below where they were originally hanging off your arm (the result should look like an upside down V). You should see some excess fabric behind where these two pieces meet; pull this piece forward through any openings between them until all three pieces are touching each other and lined up evenly against each other’s fronts.
Conclusion
If you choose to wear a kimono, we hope you can learn how to fold it with these instructions. No matter where you are, it is always important to have good manners and respect for others. Some people may not understand what this traditional garment means; however, if they see someone who is respectful towards others and willing to go out of their way for them then maybe they will learn something from that person!