Impractical for work.

[jacktellslies]

The development and final adoption of the kosode is related not only to the development of native Japanese domestic architecture but also to leisure activities. Like steppingstones which meander through a garden to invite leisurely, but controlled, walking and to stimulate contemplation of nature's beauty, the kosode, impractical for work or hurried activity, was eminently suitable for thoughtful strolling or for the wearer to sit on his knees. Although all classes wore kosode as a principal outer garment by the end of the fifteenth century, it must be acknowledged that such highly decorated robes as those in this exhibition were reserved for the court and attendants, people at leisure, or special occasions...


Kimono academies have been established in the past two decades which teach women the art of wearing the kimono, not simply how to put on a kimono but how to reflect the spirit that is an aspect of wearing the kimono: "in the manner and movements appropriate to the one who wears it and in the sensitivity to life and nature the kimono fosters."

From Robes of Elegance, Japanese Kimonos of the 16th-20th Centuries,
by Ishimura Hayao and Maruyama Nobuhiko,
from the introduction by Richard S. Schneiderman. 1988.

Comments

Impractical for work?

[brni.livejournal.com]

depends on where you work...