Layers

I absolutely love the tradition they have in Japan where they layer kimonos on top of kimonos, mixing colors and patterns. Green over orange over blue, checks over flowers over stripes and polka dots. It doesn’t seem that it should work, and yet it does.

An example below. You can see the layers at their necklines and the hems. I count 4 kimonos, one on top of the other. Then wrapped at the waist, an extra layer, the obi with a totally different color and design. Amazing.

A few years back, I was at a show wearing a hitoe, my unlined blouse/ jacket and I was cold. That single layer was not enough because my booth was in a corner that was not getting any heat. I was standing there surrounded by my clothes, freezing cold and slowly this thought moves into my brain, ‘Hey! You’re cold! Put on something else!’

Such a good idea. I added another hitoe on top. Not only was I warmer, I loved the look. A hitoe on a hitoe, my version of the old Japanese style of kimonos on kimonos.

For example, as a base, this one in a black and white design of abstracted plants.

Then on top, another in mostly black with a diagonal shibori design.

And why not, it’s cold, one more layer, a trench coat in a red and black butterfly design.

How about one in all blues? Two hitoes and a trench. The lighter color in between to emphasize the different layers.

This can work too, only [only!] two layers in red.

Three layers, the middle one with a bit of pizzaz, a bright coral under a purple with large shibori dots and under them all, one in magenta with small shibori dots.

It’s getting cold out. Bundle up! Stay Warm! Wear layers.

It’s here! The holiday season has arrived. First up, Thanksgiving. Whether with a crowd or in quiet solitude, I am sending you all my wishes for a fantastic and very happy one!