Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Kimono My House: Recycled Kimono Couture

Every decade or so, I get suckered into buying a kimono. I think it is going to look elegant and flowing and beautiful and I will lounge around looking elegant and flowing and beautiful. It turns out that there is absolutely no activity in my life for which a kimono would be the proper attire, including lounging around. Thus the recycled kimono couture. This one is called "Geisha in Paris."


This was a lovely black kimono with white silk lining. I took fabric off the length and panelled it into a frontpiece, creating a sort of '40s-look kimono blouse.

Close-up of front panelling

Kimono waving

What really makes this blouse is the two buttons up near the neckline. Knowing my passion for buttons, my friend Chris got these for me in an antique shop in Paris. They are little scenes of Paris on paper behind plastic domes, and they're quite fragile, so they are removable when and if I ever wash the kimono.

Button one. Can't get a really good picture because the plastic reflects light causing glare.

Button two. Note the hand-stitched button holes.
Au revoir—I'm off to eat sushi and will try not to dribble wasabi on my blouse.

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