What’s That Thing? Part 6

I loved this question and noticed that it’s really hard to find English writing on the subject, so this is a great opportunity to teach ^^! Anonymous asked: “I’ve recently seen things about transparent kimono and it’s making me kinda curious, but obviously with Google search it just comes up with awkward sales deals and such so I was hoping I could ask you! Is this actually a thing? Is it seasonal? Do they wear extra layers or is it just not very transparent?” I know exactly what you’re referring to. They’re called Hagoromo (羽衣) and are named after the feathered robes that gods wear to fly to heaven. They’ve been used on stage for a very long time, but have recently become popular for weddings as it gives the traditional bride look an extra air of elegance and, well, a bit of an ethereal quality. They’re always worn on top of a furisode, usually a plain kakeshita, as they are incredibly sheer and more of an accent piece than a “main” piece of clothing. They're used in lieu of traditional uchikake. Here’s an example of what a hagoromo looks like on a modern bride: Front:

Back:

Images courtesy of Watabe Weddings. Sometimes the hagoromo are just plain, but ones with flowers or patterns, like on the example above, are the most popular. They’re always worn like a hikizuri as the trailing section gives the illusion of a woman transformed into an ethereal being. Here’s another example in purple: Front:

Back:

Images courtesy of Watabe Weddings. Since weddings take place all year round, hagoromo tend to be all seasonal and are not usually tied to one specific time of the year. Often times they’ll feature non-classical flowers such as orchids (like in the image above). They make for truly memorable outfits that will have people talking for many years to come. Due to cost, hagoromo will likely only be used for weddings in the future, but I wouldn’t be surprised if slightly shorter versions start popping up for Seijinshiki.

Image courtesy of Makaranya. If you’re having problems finding hagoromo then try searching for “Ōgan Wasō” (オーガン和装), which literally means “Organza Japanese Style Clothing” as some sellers will list them under both names ^^