Uchikake
“Uchikake” is clothes that women wear on the kimono. It is usually gorgeous and thick at the bottom with some cotton. The cotton has the effects to make “Uchikake” look more gorgeous as well as to keep the bottom from rolling up or disturbing the feet. Today it is usually used for wedding, but it was originally a formal dress for women from Samurai families. At that time, the custom of layering had been passing away and people began to drape (“uchikakeru” ) another Kosode over a Kosode as a formal dressing, which is the word origin of “Uchikake” Uchikake of this period is specifically called “Uchikake Kosode” on some occasion. It is said that ordinary people started the custom of wearing it for wedding at the late Edo era. However, it also seemed that ordinary women occasionally wore it for some ceremonies even before it.
Today there is Uchikake for summer, while it used to be only for the season from autumn to spring.
So, it was very thick, and it was allowed to tie Uchikake at the hip to leave the upper body uncovered by it as a summer formal dressing.
This style is called “Koshimaki”