The non-influencer way to wear a kimono
Yeah, of course you can just belt it, but every Street Style report's already covered that:
Trend alert! East meets West: style this Zara kimono over classic blue jeans, basic tee and heels to look like every other influencer who woke up like this - professionally coiffed, with natural makeup using 12 different products.
Also, gone are the days when I dreamed of being that gal, so overly produced to make cheap Fast Fashion seem as expensive as the original runway look.
Now I care to know my references so I don't call any polyester robe with floral print a kimono.
And I have zero patience for fabricated "effortless glamour" - which doesn't mean I'm sloppy.
The Zen monk workwear...
Can't be sloppy in a Buddhist temple.
You'd better keep your dignified manners even during Samu, aka your daily grind of cleaning, chopping wood, plucking weeds in the garden, cooking, doing the dishes… in fact, these chores aren't any less holy than the activities you'd perform in the meditation halls - but you do need functional clothes.
While traditional kimono or monk robes require following many rules concerning age, gender, ranking, season, occasion etc; wearing many different undergarments; and choosing the appropriate sash from an array of different materials, with different knotting styles, the traditional working costume was made simple:
(Drawstrings for compulsive sleeve-pullers were my addition)
This is a pretty relaxed piece, but it's still based on the kimono pattern so it works better when you keep your poise: nothing forced, just calm and graceful like a Zen monk taking care of the temple's garden.
Or scrubbing the toilets.
And it usually comes in neutral colours, since you're not supposed to stand out in a Zen temple.... but make it magical girl:
Retro videogame print and cute sleeve flaps: shop Samue jacket
