2008-09-25

Kimono = hat

Found this photo at an antique store a couple months ago:

An excellent illustration of the important principle that for men, kimono = hat. (Not cap. Hat.)

A few decades ago, every man could wear one and look good. Nowadays, it's still possible, but a lot harder. Most men need a boost from either circumstance (Kimono: I'm performing traditional Japanese music! Hat: I'm playing trombone in a ska band!) or age (Kimono: I'm 70! Hat: I'm 70!). And if you fail to pull it off, well, you feel kind of awkward.

That seal at the bottom left says "Igarashi" (五十嵐), by the way.

Here's a close-up of the sake distribution nexus:

The brand of choice: Shirayuki ("White Snow", add a Hime ["princess"] for "Snow White"). Nice wig on the right, too. You won't see that outside of a wedding or a chindon'ya these days. Well, maybe in Kyoto.

The woman in the middle is still going strong as a type, though. I think I bought a beer from her just last week.

Popularity factor: 8

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Leonardo Boiko:

Kimono: I’m an obvious foreigner! Hat: I’m an obvious foreigner!

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無名酒:

I remember seeing an Asahi piece on Japanese students going to the Paris fashion shows, and the guy in the shot was rocking the kimono/bowler combination.

Which just goes to show that 東京芸術大学生 can pull off things mere mortals can't handle.

(Incidentally, if you were not aware that 瀬戸内寂聴 had a keitai novel out, let you now be informed.)

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Matt:

L: Aha, indeed.

MMS: Yeah, a bowler would require art school cred anywhere in the (first) world these days I think.

I did not know that about Setouchi. I will look into this. You mean it's currently being serialized, or is the print version already out? I guess she would be used to the bedhopping and tragedy and bitchy cliques required in the genre, given the Genji thing and all.

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Alida:

These transition photos are so interesting. I'd found a few similar on flickr but of course I don't know where they are now.

It is not unlike men wearing kilts these days. Unless you've got the right attitude in place, it's just a guy in a skirt.

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Charles:

Ah, Shirayuki, my favorite brand of yasuzake. I drank over a liter of it one night, actually, my GF and I polished off a whole isshoubin but I think I did about 80% of the drinking. Then I missed shuuden and all the cabs were off duty so I had to walk 9km home.

I'll never remember that night as long as I live.

(Apologies to Groucho for stealing his line)

BTW, it is one of my greatest disappointments that I've never been able to find a nice hat like those in the picture. I just can't find anything that fits. It will probably surprise noone that I have an extremely big head.

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無名酒:

It's done with the serialization, but not in print form yet, I believe.

Funny you should bring up the Genji connection, as she wrote as "Purple" and based it on Genji.

Interview: http://mainichi.jp/enta/book/news/20080925ddm010040190000c.html

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Matt:

Kilt! Another excellent reference.

Thanks for the link, MMS! This will come in handy.

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caf:

Art school cred, or being over 70 also lets people wear geta with an otherwise 'western' clothing combination (at least where i'm living at the moment, anyway).

I don't actually mean 'western' in the sense of cowboy clothes, but I have seen that too.
Japanese cowboys also have art cred.

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