KIMONO SCHOOLS

     The article called "Kimono Schools" describes one of the famous Japanese traditional attires for women, which is kimono. The author of the article, Liza Dalby, discusses how women used to pass on the knowledge from mother to daughter about how to be geisha and wear kimonos properly. However, nowadays, there are specific schools or institutions, which educate a future geisha. Dalby writes, "They give classes that range from basic kimono wearing to advanced techniques of tying the obi in facsimilies of daffodils or folded cranes" (p. 98). The school teaches women of different ages, because every age, starting from young girls and ending with elderly women, have to know certain rules and appropriate techniques of wearing kimonos and also how to behave while wearing one. The author also desribes her own experience of wearing a kimono, which grew from a very basic to a more professional and knowledgeable experience.
    The second part of the artilce stresses the point about how wearing a certain type of foreign clothing changes one's personality and attitude. For example, Dalby was comparing the American and Japanese culture and clothing style, mentioning that she felt akward speaking English while wearing a kimono (p. 99). It turnes out, that being geisha is not easy, and definitely not cheap. Dalby writes, "About ten thousand dollars is needed to purchase a minimum wardrobe; a young geisha is thus likely to start her career in debt for the loan to buy kimono" (p. 99). Many people consider kimono to be a native dress, however the author states that there are many types of kimono which can be worn for different occasions in the modern world.

Price of a Kimono
Never knew kimonos were so expensive. Geisha girls are known to have a weakness and passion for collecting kimonos. However, the price tag can be quite high. Kimonos are known to be the greatest expense in their budget. Turns out a Geisha needs to have at least ten kimonos when she begins her career. In order to do so, she will need $10,000 to purchase them. Most of the time Geisha girls find themselves in debit because of their need to obtain a collection. Another reason why it's such a expense is that "Geisha will appear before guests only in silk kimono and, further, only in certain kinds of silk kimono" (pg. 100). Evidently, it's not cheap being a Geisha Girl!

It is quite fascinating learning about the traditional Japanese dress form known as the Kimono. Developing Geishas would learn from their mothers who were former Geishas. However, the middle class now have the ability to become Geishas and wear the kimono. Institutions now provide women with education on how to develop the kimono image. However, these schools are still not educated on the genuine traditions of kimono dress. This knowledge is embedded in former Geishas who have passed down their skills and expertise to their children. No matter how hard women try, kimono dress is a skill that must be mastered and not easy to do so.


 The Kimono is usually worn by Japanese women and young girls. Kimono is supposed to be worn with dignity and neatly. Kimonos have their own school and they are persuading the public that only they hold the secret to Kimono success from having the proper way and style of wearing the garment and raising it up. Liza Dalby states, "All this originates from bourgeois notions of how the upper crust once dressed-and,in particular from the somewhat stiff samurai class tradition,where propriety was the sole aim of women's dress and demeanor."(pg.98) The Kimono is worn and it is definitely not cheap! The women put a lot of their time and money into looking the way that they really have to in order to achieve their level of culture.