Furisode
The furisode is the standard formal kimono for unmarried women.
There are three types of furisode – o-furisode (large), chu-furisode (medium) and ko-furisode (small). Furisode with the longest sleeves (about 120cm) are called hon-furisode.
The sleeves of the o-furisode reach almost to the hem. It is worn by the bride as one of her wedding outfits during her wedding reception and would have 5 light, undyed family crests. For a highly-patterned furisode, a single embroidered crest is used instead so that it does not stand out. Chu-furisode have calf-length sleeves, and are worn at the coming-of-age ceremony. However, many people now wear an o-furisode as it is more formal and can be worn at wedding receptions and other events as well. Furisode kimonos are now usually made from glossy monrinzu (patterned satin) or mon isho chirimen (crepe) with an elegant pattern. The sleeves of ko-furisode reach the knee, and are worn together with a hakama for graduation ceremonies.
Many different kinds of obis can be worn with furisode. A zentsuu (full-patterned) or rokutsuu (partial-patterned) Nishikiori obi or a Karaori (Chinese weave) obi matches well with the prints of the kimono. Some suitable prints for the obi are ox-carts, fans, butterflies, shippou (a geometrical design of circles), tortoise shell and tatewaki (a geometrical design of curved lines). The nagajuban should be a specific one made for furisode and the obiage should be a soushibori obiage. Either a gold-thread hiragumi (flat braided) or marugumi (round braided) orijime can be used. The zori and bag can be made from the obi fabric, leather or brocade.
[quote style=”boxed”]In Japanese
振袖
未婚女性の第一礼装が振袖です。
大振袖、中振袖、小振袖とあり、一番長い袖丈(約120cmあまり)のものは本振袖といいます。大振袖は、 袂が裾近くまでの長いもので、 結婚式でお色直しに着る正式のもので、染抜き五つ紋付です。総模様という全面に豪華な模様が広がる振袖だと紋が目立たなくなることもあり、一つ紋を縫紋でつけることもあります。成人式の振袖などは、中振袖という膝下のふくらはぎ位のものですが、その後披露宴などにも着られて袖が足元に近いほど大振袖の礼装になります。振袖の生地は最近は光沢のある紋綸子や上品な地紋のある紋意匠縮緬などが主流です。小振袖は、膝丈程度のものをいい、卒業式などに袴とともに着られます。
帯は様々に変わり結びが楽しめます。全通や六通の錦織または唐織の袋帯で、着物の柄模様に負けないはっきりとした色目の帯の方がアクセントとなって全体の着こなしを引き締めます。 文様は御所車、檜扇、蝶、七宝、亀甲、立涌などがよいです。長襦袢は振袖用のもの、帯揚げは総絞りのもの、帯締めは幅広の平組や丸組の金糸入りのものであれば好みのものを選べます。草履やバッグは帯地の織物、牛皮革、綴れなどを合わせます。
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