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Types of Kimono
An Info Page : How to pick a Kimono that's right for you
Much like the difference between black tie event attire and a summer linen shirt, within Kimono Fashion, there is a ranking in terms of a Kimono's formality. Ranging from wedding and award ceremony attire to casual day outfits, bath houses and summer festivals.
The highest ranking types of Kimono are worn almost exclusively at extremely formal events.
In general, the higher the rank, the more expensive the Kimono, as it is made of silk.
Casual Kimonos have more of a variety in materials like polyester, linen, or hemp, and tend to be more affordable while Yukatas are made of cotton and are basically only worn at bathhouses called Onsens or summer festivals called Natsu Matsuri.
Although the ranking of Kimonos remain the same, there are different options for married and unmarried women, as well as men.
Keep reading to see some some examples for each and how to tell the difference!
Table of Contents :
・Married / Mature Women (late 20's-early 30's+)
・Unmarried Women and Young Girls
・Men and Young Boys
For kids' Kimonos (7 and under), please refer to the page What is Shichigosan?
For Married / Mature Women
1. Kurotomesode
The Kurotomesode is the highest ranking Kimono and is usually only worn by married women or women in their 30s and above. As this is an extremely formal attire most women wear this only once or twice in their lifetime.
At weddings, this is worn by the bride and groom's mothers as well as at formal, black-tie events or parties, award ceremonies and funerals.
To signify its ranking in formality, it will always have 5 crests called 'mon' - 2 in the front, and 3 in the back. The Kurotomesode is also recognisable by its elegant black silk base ('kuro' in Kurotomesode meaning black) with beautiful traditional Japanese detailing centred on only the bottom half of the Kimono.
2. Irotomesode
The Irotomesode is the second highest ranking Kimono and is considered similar in ranking as a Kurotomesode in terms of occasions where they are worn, with the key difference being that it has colour ('iro' in Irotomesode means colour).
This is usually worn by married women and women in their late 20's to early 30's and over who are wedding guests as well at any other formal events or parties.
Just like the Kurotomesode, to signify its ranking in formality, it will always have crests called 'mon', however, this may vary between 0, 1, 3, or 5 crests. The higher the number of mon the more formal it is. The Irotomesode is also recognisable by its colourful yet elegant silk base with beautiful traditional Japanese detailing centred on only the bottom half of the Kimono.
3. Houmongi
The Houmongi is the third highest ranking Kimono and is a semi-formal Kimono that is worn for 'hōmon or houmon' meaning to call or visit.
This is usually worn by married women and women in their late 20's to early 30's and over on any semi-formal occasions. Although this is less formal in comparison to the first two Kimonos on this list, it is still a considerable fee for silk to be sent to cleaning, and so it is mainly reserved for parties or any special occasions.
Houmongi does not have any mon or crests and come in a few materials and have more variation in designs in comparison to the traditional detailing on Kurotomesode and Irotomesode. The standard material for Houmongi is silk, however, in recent times there have been more polyester Houmongi available in order to allow for more convenience to be hand-washed at home.
The designs are also not limited to the bottom half but are instead spread out to both the top and bottom half of the Kimono. Despite there being more variation in designs, it is still a semi-formal attire so the designs tend to be more on the simple and elegant side.
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Some more examples of Houmongi
4. Komon
The Komon is a casual Kimono that is worn by both unmarried and married women alike. As this is casual attire, this is where you can find the most creative freedom in terms of building an outfit!
This is considered a day to day outfit worn to go out, wearing it with friends and family or as a couple too. You can keep it simple and more elegant and traditional looking or pick a fun pattern and pair it with your favourite boots to create a new look.
Komon is usually characterised by a repetitive design throughout the full length of the Kimono and can come in a wide variety of materials, patterns, and designs. Materials can vary greatly - silk, cotton, hemp, linen, and polyester to name a few. This makes Komon a much more affordable and accessible option that can even be hand-washed at home, making it much more convenient, while still allowing everyone to enjoy exploring the world of Kimono fashion.
5. Yukata
The Yukata is the most casual type of Kimono, often being categorised separately from a Kimono as Kimonos are generally considered a more proper attire.
The main difference between a Kimono and a Yukata is that Yukata is a single, thin layer whereas Kimonos have an inner layer that is worn to protect the actual Kimono from sweat, so it need not be washed often and damaged. Although this may usually be too hot, there are also summer Kimonos wherein both layers are light and breathable.
Yukata started off as a bathhouse Kimono, with people wearing it after their onsen experience, however, over time this has evolved to be a Natsu Matsuri (or summer festival) attire as well, as the material is much thinner and suited for the hot summer.
However, as it is so casual, you will almost never see anyone wearing this outside of a matsuri or onsen. Yukatas have a wide variety in design and is usually made of cotton,
making it the most affordable.
You will find that although most Japanese people today do not own Kimonos unless passed down, they will own at least one Yukata for the Natsu Matsuri season.
For Unmarried Women and Young Girls
1. Furisode
The Furisode is the highest ranking Kimono worn by unmarried women and is considered a ceremonial Kimono and is easily recognisable from its long sleeves and vibrant, youthful designs.
Young girls aged 7 years and older, until they are married, or around their late 20s, will wear a Furisode. This is worn as an attire for a wedding guest, or ceremonial photoshoots like Shichigosan, 13 Mairi and Seijinshiki as well as graduations.
Being of the highest ranking formality, the Furisode is always 100% silk and quite heavy and so, is mainly reserved for extremely formal, special occasions.
You will most commonly see a Furisode worn for Seijinshiki, the biggest coming-of-age ceremony in Japan celebrating the age of 20, or more recently 18 as well, similar to a Quinceañera or Sweet 16 in other cultures. Parents on average will spend up to 7000 dhs on the Furisode rental alone, not counting accessory rental, hair, make-up and dress-up services.
2. Hakama
The Ceremonial Hakama is the second highest ranking Kimono worn by young women and girls.
Although this is categorised as a type of Kimono, the Hakama is specifically the name of the long skirt or wide pants worn over the Kimono.
Much like the Furisode, it is also mainly worn in graduations, though it can be worn on any other occasion as well.
The regular Hakama, on the other hand, is a sport attire regularly worn by practitioners of traditional Japanese martial arts such as Kendo, Aikido, and Kyūdō. Worn by both men and women, it is a unisex attire that was once worn by Samurais as it was better suited for running and horse riding.
We currently do not have any Women's Hakama available for rental, however if you already have one or you'd like to request a rental in advance, we would happy to help you!
3. Komon
The Komon is a casual Kimono that is worn by both unmarried and married women alike. As this is casual attire, this is where you can find the most creative freedom in terms of building an outfit!
This is considered a day to day outfit worn to go out, wearing it with friends and family or as a couple too. You can keep it simple and more elegant and traditional looking or pick a fun pattern and pair it with your favourite boots to create a new look.
Komon is usually characterised by a repetitive design throughout the full length of the Kimono and can come in a wide variety of materials, patterns, and designs. Materials can vary greatly - silk, cotton, hemp, linen, and polyester to name a few. This makes Komon a much more affordable and accessible option that can even be hand-washed at home, making it much more convenient, while still allowing everyone to enjoy exploring the world of Kimono fashion.
4. Yukata
The Yukata is the most casual type of Kimono, often being categorised separately from a Kimono as Kimonos are generally considered a more proper attire.
The main difference between a Kimono and a Yukata is that Yukata is a single, thin layer whereas Kimonos have an inner layer that is worn to protect the actual Kimono from sweat, so it need not be washed often and damaged. Although this may usually be too hot, there are also summer Kimonos wherein both layers are light and breathable.
Yukata started off as a bathhouse Kimono, with people wearing it after their onsen experience, however, over time this has evolved to be a Natsu Matsuri (or summer festival) attire as well, as the material is much thinner and suited for the hot summer.
However, as it is so casual, you will almost never see anyone wearing this outside of a matsuri or onsen. Yukatas have a wide variety in design and is usually made of cotton,
making it the most affordable.
You will find that although most Japanese people today do not own Kimonos unless passed down, they will own at least one Yukata for the Natsu Matsuri season.
For Men and Young Boys
1. Traditional Hakama + Haori
The Traditional Hakama is the highest ranking Kimono worn by young boys and men. Although this is categorised as a type of Kimono, the Hakama is specifically the name of the long skirt or wide pants worn over the Kimono.
This particular traditional Hakama set of a black-striped Hakama, black Kimono and black Haori jacket is the most formal attire worn even by the groom as the classic Japanese wedding attire, as well as any other very formal events.
It is important to note that the Haori must have 5 crests or 'mon' - 2 in the front and 3 in the back - in order to signify its high ranking.
2. Irobakama + Haori
The Irobakama is the second highest ranking Kimono worn by young boys and men. Within this category, there is a wide range in ranking depending on how many mon or crests the Haori jacket has.
There can be any odd number of crests between 0-5, with 5 being of the highest formality, like for Seijinshiki - the biggest Japanese coming-of-age ceremony for turning the age of 20, or more recently 18 as well, where this is worn.
Wedding guests will also wear this instead of the traditional Hakama to differentiate themselves from the groom as well as at any other formal events including black-tie events and parties, with the number of mon varying depending on the formality of the event.
3. Hakama
The Hakama on its own without the Haori jacket is worn by young boys and men as well. You can think of the level of formality for this attire much like the difference between an outfit with a blazer or just a shirt and pants without a blazer.
This is considered a casual outfit and is also a sport attire regularly worn by practitioners of traditional Japanese martial arts such as Kendo, Aikido, and Kyūdō.
Worn by both men and women, it is a unisex attire that was once worn by Samurais as it was better suited for running and horse riding.
4. Kimono
The Kimono is a regular, casual attire worn by young boys and men.
Often confused with a Yukata, the key difference lies in the inner layer worn underneath to protect the Kimono, and reduce the number of washes as Kimonos were usually made of exclusively silk.
However, as some men, particularly Muslim men, would opt for a non-silk option, all of our Men's Kimonos are made of alternative materials like polyester or linen, making it more affordable as well, while looking almost exactly like a regular silk Kimono.
As we custom make these Halal Men's Kimono, we also have the option for you to have your own Kimono custom-made with your material of choice, either in your favourite colour or even a cool textile pattern that you'd like!
Click here for more details on Custom Men's Kimono.
4. Yukata
The Yukata is the most casual type of Kimono, often being categorised entirely separately from a Kimono as Kimonos are generally considered a more proper attire.
Yukata is a single, thin layer made almost exclusively of 100% cotton and started off as a bathhouse Kimono, with people wearing it after their onsen experience, however, over time this has evolved to be a Natsu Matsuri (or summer festival) attire as well.
However, as it is so casual, you will almost never see anyone wearing this outside of a matsuri or onsen.
For men's Kimono and Yukata there is virtually not much difference between them aside from the inner-layer and material, so you can wear a Yukata as a Kimono as well by wearing an inner layer inside.
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