Yukata

This week we didn't have much chance to study Japanese, so we convinced our tutor to have dinner with us and then teach us how to wear our yukata.  A yukata is a light robe, a lot like a kimono, but not as heavy.  Men and women wear yukatas in the summer time.  We had a chance to see many families dressed in their yukatas.  The little kids were unbelievably cute.

I don't think any style of dress looks as elegant as a kimono.  A kimono is modest yet feminine.  It can be a work of art.  It can cost as much as a work of art.

A few weeks ago I saw an obi that was $450.  I found out that is cheap.  A friend of a friend bought an obi for $10,000 dollars!  That is the most expensive belt I've ever heard of.  And that was just the obi.

Saturday I saw some kimonos and obis in that price range.  I've never seen a price tag with 1,000,000,000 on it before.  Now I have.  On a silk yukata.  It was extraordinarily beautiful.  But the price was out of this world.  Can you imagine spending $10,000 on one item of clothing?  And then you still have to buy the rest of the outfit.  No thanks.

I'll stick with my $15 cotton yukata that I got off of the clearance rack.

Funny story.  My  belt isn't actually tied.  The knot is permanent and it velcros down.  I bought the equivalent of a yukata clip-on tie!  What a nerd.