Getting Dressed: Nagajuban
Beneath the kimono a nagajuban is worn. A nagajuban (or juban for short) is bascially another kimono, usually shorter than the outer one, worn as underwear, complete with the long kimono sleeves, which are neatly fitted inside the outer kimono's sleeves. Silk kimono are difficult to clean and often delicate, the nagajuban (sometimes just called a juban) helps keep the outer kimono clean by keeping it off the wearer's skin.
Jubans are most often made from silk, but are also available in synthetics, including washable fabrics. I own some synthetic ones (mostly for summer wear, as I can launder them myself), as well as some silk ones. I also have a few vintage ones, one of which predates WWII. Many nagajubans have removable collars, to allow them to be changed and easily washed, without washing the entire garment, which can cause wear and tear on both the silk and on one's wallet.
Bascially, only the collar of the juban shows. Sometimes you can get a peek at the inside sleeve of the juban, which is considered titillating. However, having the juban's sleeves hanging beyond the end of your kimono sleeves is equivalent of having your slip showing, and is tacky, not sexy. The trick my kitsuke sensei taught me is to take up the excess sleeve length with a discrete fold and some tailor's tacks.
While only the collar edge of the nagajuban shows from beneath the outer kimono, womens' jubans are often as beautifully ornate and patterned as the outer kimono. They are considered a 'hidden smartness' and play a large part in the whole concept of iki in kitsuke. Just like everything else in Japanese culture, there are certain rules regarding the wearing of juban. The prime one being that for a kurotomosode (a mostly black, very formal kimono worn by married women), the juban should be pure white. Red juban are considered very iroppoi (sexy) and I tend to agree. I have seen elegant, cute, sexy and downright wacky patterns for juban fabrics.
Jubans are most often made from silk, but are also available in synthetics, including washable fabrics. I own some synthetic ones (mostly for summer wear, as I can launder them myself), as well as some silk ones. I also have a few vintage ones, one of which predates WWII. Many nagajubans have removable collars, to allow them to be changed and easily washed, without washing the entire garment, which can cause wear and tear on both the silk and on one's wallet.
Bascially, only the collar of the juban shows. Sometimes you can get a peek at the inside sleeve of the juban, which is considered titillating. However, having the juban's sleeves hanging beyond the end of your kimono sleeves is equivalent of having your slip showing, and is tacky, not sexy. The trick my kitsuke sensei taught me is to take up the excess sleeve length with a discrete fold and some tailor's tacks.
While only the collar edge of the nagajuban shows from beneath the outer kimono, womens' jubans are often as beautifully ornate and patterned as the outer kimono. They are considered a 'hidden smartness' and play a large part in the whole concept of iki in kitsuke. Just like everything else in Japanese culture, there are certain rules regarding the wearing of juban. The prime one being that for a kurotomosode (a mostly black, very formal kimono worn by married women), the juban should be pure white. Red juban are considered very iroppoi (sexy) and I tend to agree. I have seen elegant, cute, sexy and downright wacky patterns for juban fabrics.
Men's kimono are usually fairly subdued in pattern and colour,but a man's nagajuban allows him to discreetly wear a garment with very striking designs and colours.
The juban adds another layer of complexity and stylishness to kitsuke...it's more than just underwear.
Some nagajubans of mine. The one hanging up is vintage. It is also a little too long for me, so I need to shorten it before I can wear it. I could wear it and draw up the excess, but that is more work and adds bulk that I don't want. Most women have nagajubans custom-made or at least altered to fit their height. Ideally, the juban should hit just above the anklebone. The red and white juban is made of cotton and a washable synthetic. Note the "silk" is only on the lower half of the skirt and on the sleeves of the top. Red jubans are considered very sexy. The white juban in the foreground is one of my favorites to wear. The big white thing with cranes is not a juban at all, but an uchikake or wedding overrobe.
The eri (collar) is stiffened using a piece of plastic. The concept is just like that of the collar points used in men's dress shirts. It makes the eri "pop" and helps acheive a crisp look.
Putting the nagajuban on. Please don't make fun of the unattractive picture of me. I'm not quite this homely in person. I am pulling out the lapels to verify I have everything even and centered. You can't see the back, but there's a fist-sized gap between the collar and my occipital bone (the bump at the base of your skull). This makes the kimono drape properly and it's considered sexy.
Next, wrap the right side firmly against your body. Right side is always against you, unless you are a corpse, then you wear it the other way 'round.
Bring the left side over. The juban is pretty snug against my butt across the back. Tie the juban closed using a koshihimo (cord). You want to tie it fairly tight across the crest of your hipbones (techincally, the iliac crest) so that it doesn't hurt. If you tie the damn thing around your waist, you will feel as if you are are slowly being sawed in two. Not fun. Don't tie a square knot! It digs into your skin and leaves an unsightly lump! I use a little twist technique and then wrap up the excess around the rest of the cord. Note how the mune (chest) of the juban forms a triangle. For married women, the neckline is deeper and the angle more acute. Unmarried girls have a wider, shallower neck (45 degrees, actually. my kimono sensei made me practice and practice and even measured it).
Old skool would use another himo (cord) to hold the chest area flat and in place, more modern folks use an elasticated belt, with pinchy clips on the end. They work great. It's fun to make my Sensei say "elastic" because she can't! It comes out ehrastrick!
Here I am adjusting the juban. See that pink belt? I've sewn it to the back of the juban to help me keep my neckline in place. It's an easy way to save time and make the overall result nice. There should be no wrinkles on my back, so I have to gently tug the excess down under the belt so it all smoothes out. Note the gap in the neck!
Finished in less than five minutes! Here's the front!
Here's the side!
Here's the back!
Here's the end!
The juban adds another layer of complexity and stylishness to kitsuke...it's more than just underwear.
Some nagajubans of mine. The one hanging up is vintage. It is also a little too long for me, so I need to shorten it before I can wear it. I could wear it and draw up the excess, but that is more work and adds bulk that I don't want. Most women have nagajubans custom-made or at least altered to fit their height. Ideally, the juban should hit just above the anklebone. The red and white juban is made of cotton and a washable synthetic. Note the "silk" is only on the lower half of the skirt and on the sleeves of the top. Red jubans are considered very sexy. The white juban in the foreground is one of my favorites to wear. The big white thing with cranes is not a juban at all, but an uchikake or wedding overrobe.
The eri (collar) is stiffened using a piece of plastic. The concept is just like that of the collar points used in men's dress shirts. It makes the eri "pop" and helps acheive a crisp look.
Putting the nagajuban on. Please don't make fun of the unattractive picture of me. I'm not quite this homely in person. I am pulling out the lapels to verify I have everything even and centered. You can't see the back, but there's a fist-sized gap between the collar and my occipital bone (the bump at the base of your skull). This makes the kimono drape properly and it's considered sexy.
Next, wrap the right side firmly against your body. Right side is always against you, unless you are a corpse, then you wear it the other way 'round.
Bring the left side over. The juban is pretty snug against my butt across the back. Tie the juban closed using a koshihimo (cord). You want to tie it fairly tight across the crest of your hipbones (techincally, the iliac crest) so that it doesn't hurt. If you tie the damn thing around your waist, you will feel as if you are are slowly being sawed in two. Not fun. Don't tie a square knot! It digs into your skin and leaves an unsightly lump! I use a little twist technique and then wrap up the excess around the rest of the cord. Note how the mune (chest) of the juban forms a triangle. For married women, the neckline is deeper and the angle more acute. Unmarried girls have a wider, shallower neck (45 degrees, actually. my kimono sensei made me practice and practice and even measured it).
Old skool would use another himo (cord) to hold the chest area flat and in place, more modern folks use an elasticated belt, with pinchy clips on the end. They work great. It's fun to make my Sensei say "elastic" because she can't! It comes out ehrastrick!
Here I am adjusting the juban. See that pink belt? I've sewn it to the back of the juban to help me keep my neckline in place. It's an easy way to save time and make the overall result nice. There should be no wrinkles on my back, so I have to gently tug the excess down under the belt so it all smoothes out. Note the gap in the neck!
Finished in less than five minutes! Here's the front!
Here's the side!
Here's the back!
Here's the end!
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots at 8:39 PM
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