We wear houmongi regardless of age at sociality scenes like party, traditional ceremony and etc.
Kimono designers draw numerous patterns on houmongi to look gorgeous.
Unlike other formal kimono, houmongi has more fashionable and unique elements.
Contents
All about houmong
Women wear houmongi as semi-formal kimono.
Especially, houmongi is very expensive and there are lots of designer’s brand.
Unique features of houmongi
Houmongi has patterns on chest, shoulders, sleeves and hemline part of the cloth.
Unlike tsukesage, houmongi has Eba-moyou(Eba-moyo is the patterns which were drawn with special technique so that the patterns don’t lose the figures at sewing points).
Because of Eba-moyou, houmongi is as beautiful as a picture.
Or a few designs on houmongi gives a simple and polished impression.
We can wear houmongi at new year’s day, tea ceremony, party, entrance and graduation ceremony.
We can wear houmongi as formal attire if it has family crests and if it hasn’t one, we can wear as semi-formal.
The History of Kimono
In meiji period, Houmongi was made as social dress. At that time it was called houmon-fuku.
It was court-dress and had three family crests.
The style of Houmongi
About kimono
Kimono designers draw patterns with Yuzen technique, gold leaf and embroidery.
The cloth is used tirimen, rinzu, habutae, mon-isyou and etc.
Designers sew cloth to make eba-moyou before drawing patterns.
Splendid houmongi are worn at wedding ceremony and simple ones are worn at party.
Recent houmongi keeps in step with the times.
We can enjoy more casual houmongi which uses tsumugi houmongi.
Or gorgeous patterns on the entire cloth.
We wear translucency cloth called ‘ro’ or ‘sya’.
About obi and accessories
Beautiful obi which has gold and silver yarns is recommended.
Light-colored obiage, obijime and nagajuban seems perfect fit.
For ceremonious scenes, it’s better to coordinate with gold,silver and white accessories.
To dress more luxurious, we can put on obidome with precious stone.
Summary
Wearing elegant houmongi is one of the special experience that we long for.
These days, not only traditional patterns but also modern houmongi are produced, so we can enjoy unique styles.
Let’s try new style and have fun!