浴衣、着物＆ BE YOURSELF!

浴衣、着物 ＆ BE YOURSELF! 

I can't remember how old I was the first time I ever wore a Yukata or a Kimono, but I do remember how uncomfortable it felt having my friend's aunt dress me, pulling me this way and that, tugging here and pulling there. I remember thinking "Oh God, I can barely move. How am I supposed to do this?" and I remember my friend's boyfriend snapping pictures as I stood there with a complete look of confusion and fear on my face. Now, I wasn't a stranger to Japanese wear. I had seen many girls walk around donning their cute colors, and had seen different styles in magazines. I'd always thought it was cute and even owned two myself, but had never had the courage to try it myself. 

Until the day I misunderstood something that was said to me and I was forced to give it a go. Ao's mom decided we'd go to a festival being held in Nagoya, which meant we "had" to dress up. I now know you don't actually have to, but at the time, I knew nothing, so I just stood there and endured it to the best of my ability. Once they were done, I found it almost impossible to sit and walk and despite all the things I was wearing, I felt naked somehow. It was definitely an unusual feeling. Even though it was hard for me to walk most of the night, I got used to not actually being able to breath and had quite a bit of fun. 

I thought that it was a rental at first, but in the end, they told me to keep it! So it was another to add to my collection =) 

Since then, I've gotten dressed many more times and now, I feel relatively comfortable in such clothing, though I definitely wouldn't make a habit out of wearing it every day. I've even come to appreciate the fact that someone can help you get in to it. When Ao's aunt first did it for me way back when, I was horrified, almost, but now, I don't mind. It's part of the fun. 

I have a bunch of magazines I need to look through in order to pick a new kimono for the new years. Take's mom advised I look in to something red, since I don't own one yet and because she thinks it would suit me. I told her I wasn't sure if I had the money for a new one this time around and she told me not to worry about it, so I'm guessing it's going to be a gift? Such expensive gifts...  But if she HAS to get me something, I would love: 

Anyway, I recently started reading a new blog about a woman who incorporates kimono and yukata in to her daily life as much as possible. I'm amazed at how confident  she is in her wear despite the fact that her current location doesn't really call for it, especially on a daily basis. I need to learn from her. I've always been shy about what I really enjoy and tend to do my best to simply blend in with the others. That has to stop. I should enjoy what I like, even if it does make me stand out a bit. Now, I'm not saying I want to run around in Japanese wear all the time. As I've said, this is something I just wouldn't feel physically comfortable doing. It means I want to mimic her ability to do what makes her smile and feel beautiful despite the norms around her. 

But why should I feel embarrassed about practicing things I enjoy if they in no way, shape, or form, harm others?