Every year (but last year) there is a big event organized by my husband shamisen’s teacher where a lot of people from the traditional Japanese entertainment business and their apprentice and students join. The event is centered on ha-uta (端唄), a type of Japanese singing from the late 19th early 20th, where is added some naga-uta (長唄), dancing and a lot of other attractions. We’ve been participating in the event every year. My husband plays many pieces and for me it was first just a lot of fun watching and listening (before I starting singing too) and a great chance for me to wear a kimono, because everyone is wearing one! Every year I challenge myself with a new pairing kimono-obi, and by wearing it myself. But always with a twist, because in the end I am not Japanese and everyone knows it!!!

The pairing of the obi, the kimono and all the accessories obimi age, obi jime, haori…)  can be really awkward at first since the color scheme and mix can for a western eye be quite a shock or an aggression. But with a bit of imagination and browsing a lot of kimono magazines (my favorite is kimono 姫) it becomes easier every time and quite fun. This year I opted for Japanese traditional patterns both for my kimono and my obi and played with greens, dark blue and ivory (which changes radically from the usual dark grey or black I often use), accesorized with a big broche that Prunellia offered me. Japanese with always a Parisienne touch!! And outside I wear it with high heel boots and a vintage clutch bag of course.