There's that awkward period between the warmer months and cooler months where you don't actually know what to wear because one minute it could be 80 degrees sunny and another minute it could be 65 degrees and cloudy. How do you take what you've been wearing during those sweaty summer months and translate them into the fall?

I won't go too much into detail in this post since I've already talked about layering in my last one.

This is just a quick, SUPER SPEEDY post on an outfit I styled on Polyvore and since I liked how it turned out, I thought I'd share it with you guys. Hopefully you get some inspiration from this!

Transitioning by asmallbit featuring a knapsack bag

SUMMER ELEMENTS
1. The bustier (personally my favorite): Easy to wear for the summer, whether you like wearing them on their own, with a sweater, or under a sheer top.

2. Denim shorts: Do I even have to explain this!?

BRINGING IT ON OVER TO FALL

1. Some days will be a little cooler than what you're used to during those hotter months so I suggest wearing something light but still breathable. That's where the kimono comes in. The print on this one is absolutely stunning. The red also helps make it more fall appropriate as it reminds me of the changing colors of the leaves!

2. Thigh high socks: This is optional but it's a nice little layer of extra warmth in case you get cold easily.

3. We don't want the shoes to cut your legs off, since wearing thigh highs can be tricky so wearing the same color shoe will definitely help lengthen your legs. Black is always a slimming color, so that's why I chose it over any other color but feel free to experiment!

4. During this time, a lot of people are going back to school, so I included a backpack as an accessory. It's a casual element of this outfit and the brown just helps warm everything up.

5. Beanies! Hats aren't my favorite thing to wear because I am so picky about my hair but I think it adds a down-to-earth feel and brings the whole outfit together.

MAKEUP

1. This is up to you. I took the red from the kimono and translated that on the lips.

2. The eyes should be clean and natural because the rest of the outfit is pretty bold, with all the lace and studs and flowers going on. But you can opt for mascara to accent the eyes a bit.

JEWELRY

1. Keeping it simple. Like I said, there's already quite a few things going on and I don't want it to become cluttered. The bracelet is gold to match the hardware on the shorts.

2. The cat ring is just for fun but also because it reminds me of Asia for some reason and I don't know. It just goes with the kimono and flowers and such.


If you want the specifics, please visit my Polyvore!


Until next time,
{muah}
~Jenn

A few months ago, I decided to teach myself how to speak Japanese. Of course, it's not exactly as easy as pouring myself a cup of tea or learning how to sit with my legs crossed. So I thought to myself...how on earth am I going to do this?

Well, eventually, I came to the conclusion that it would help to read children's books...in Japanese. The language would be minimal and the story would hopefully be easy to follow.

Why the long and unnecessary prelude to a post that the title already gives away?

The information that I am about to indulge is from a children's website that teaches kids about the history of the kimono. As someone who is unfamiliar with the history of Japanese costume, looking toward educational websites for kids is the best way to go about learning it.

If you'd like to see the actual site, click here.

What exactly did I learn?

1. The word "kimono" actually meant clothing but now it refers to a specific type of clothing, the one that we are most familiar with.

2. The kimono that we know of now originated back in the Heian period, which moved the norm of clothing from trousers and skirts to kimonos made from the straight-line-cut method.

3. The straight-line-cut made worrying about body shapes and silhouettes unnecessary. Plus, folding it was a cinch!

4. Kimonos can be layered for all weather types, making them a vital part of the Japanese's everyday lives.

5. Eventually, people started thinking "Oh hey, I'd like some colors and patterns in my clothes" so kimonos were constructed using colors that represented class nobility or just to distinguish the seasons.

6. Over time, the color and pattern of the kimonos became part of the samurai's uniform, showing which domain they were a part of.

7. In present day Japan, kimonos are reserved for special occasions, like festivals or weddings.

Here are some pictures of what a kimono looks like!

I really want to go visit Japan one day so I can wear a kimono and go to a summer festival and eat takoyaki :')

Are there any cultures you're interested in or maybe a place you'd like to visit? Let me know down below!


Until next,
{kiss kiss kiss}
~Jenn

Ever since I came across the book, The Art of Edo Japan by Christine Guth (which I still can't find in stores...), I have been fascinated by all sorts of old time Japanese culture and costume.

So I did some googling, as any curious person would.

The first website I happened upon was called the Costume Museum. There, I was entranced by all the different garments worn by different people for a stunningly large amount of various occasions. Some were for formal wear in the summer, some for courtiers, and even one for a high class prostitute. Absolutely amazing.

One thing I really admire about traditional Japanese clothing is how refined and sacred it is. I'm not really referring to religion here when I say that. It's more like the fabric's purpose stems beyond creating an aesthetically-pleasing palette...it protects the body. As if the human body was so sacred that it needed to be kept away from the human eye, unless you were worthy enough to see it.

Aside from that, I also enjoy looking at the variety of patterns that each robe or kimono bears. Each one emits a separate ...feeling... or aura? I especially love the whimsical looking ones.

Here are a few of my favorites from the website I mentioned above! (all from the Edo Period)

INFO: Court lady in formal dress: She is wearing a juni-hitoe or twelve layered garment. The dress is from the Momoyama era and her hair style is called sage-gami or lowering hair.
THOUGHTS: I'm not a fan of the green and red color combo reminiscent of a certain wintry holiday but I do love the sheer white fabric piece hanging in the back. I think the design is so beautiful.

INFO: Young unmarried woman at nobility in private: This is what a princess of the Imperial Court would wear if she attended a private ceremony with her family. Her dress is made of a silk crape cloth and features patterns of cherry blossoms and chrysanthemums.
THOUGHTS: I love this. The red is so classic and pure. The decoration of the flowers is like the icing to a cake, pardon the cliche. It has a way of looking proper but not so stiff as the ensemble before.

INFO: High class prostitute: The first thing I noticed was that her feet were bare. Apparently, this is according to ancient rites but a pair of geta or wooden sandals can be prepared if she plans on walking outside.
THOUGHTS: Another thing I noticed was the large obi in the front and its shape. I wonder why it's shaped like that. Maybe it's supposed to cover something? I also think the pattern of the garment is a little odd. At first, I thought it looked like roulette wheels but now it just looks like warped geometric futuristic pizzas. Does that make me sound stupid or what?

INFO: A beautiful girl performing the Komachi-odori dance: A man named Tokugawa Iemitsu went to Kyoto and because of this, a few young ladies decided to dance around the streets during Tanabata night to welcome his arrival. This is where the Komachi-odori comes from!
THOUGHTS: What I enjoy about this costume is the color palette and how summer/spring appropriate it is. The pattern also reminds me of starfishes. I get super happy just looking at this!

INFO: A bride: She is wearing a Shiromuku or pure white dress. This garment is often worn by brides of high class samurai or just well-off folk in general. The white color is traditional of weddings while the red peeking through represents happiness.
THOUGHTS: Not to ridicule the Japanese but the cap that she's wearing reminds me of a shower cap seen in present day. I think the covering of the hair is meant to follow the whole "sacred" business but I would've preferred some kind of veil over this limp white sack.

I hope I didn't bore you with all of this. I just wanted to share something interesting and something I find wicked fascinating. :)

Let me know what you think!


Until next,
{kiss kiss}
~Jenn