Japanese Maiko
Current Status: Planning stages
I’ve always wanted a kimono, ever since I was very young. Seeing Memoirs of a Geisha, despite it’s blatant inaccuracies and use of Chinese actors instead of Japanese actors, only added fuel to the fire. I might decide to use my kimono for Dragon*Con instead of Cid, but I think first I want to make kimono for my friend Christina, who has the proper body structure to wear one. Plus, she’s absolutely beautiful and could pull off the Japanese look, being Polynesian in heritage. I always work better when the subject I’m creating for is pretty – it sounds sort of shallow in retrospect, but I like my work being worn by someone who will look good in it.
Now, I could cheat – Simplicity has a pattern out for Memoirs of a Geisha that looks fairly realistic as far as kimono goes (pattern number 4080, if you feel like making one out of a pre-existing pattern).
But I think I want to dabble with my own patterns, which I’ve been working on for a long while. I’m not going to presume to be an expert at the concept of Japanese lifestyle, geisha, or kimono, but I have done a lot of research into this. I think I can manage to make a fairly reasonable approximation of an authentic kimono without a pattern. Obviously, it is not going to be made of silk (way too expensive), but I will at least make it out of something elegant looking. Also obviously, it is not going to be extremely expensive to make, and therefore, it will not be easily pick-apart-able like real kimono are, for repairs. And I will be using a sewing machine, and not hand-sewing. Other than that, it will be a reasonable approximation. I plan on doing some research on obi (the belt-like thing knotted at the kimono’s waist and bust) tying on it’s own – I don’t want to take the easy way out and make the obi a permanent knot, like so many others do. The obi will be worn with the knot in the back, because I am not going to portray Christina or myself as prostitutes.
Now, the point of the kimono is not, as so many Western garb, to enhance the bust – rather, the obi and numerous layers of kimono undergarments (which can go quite high depending on what you’re portraying – geisha, geisha apprentice, known as maiko, or everyday kimono) are designed to flatten out any breasts the subject might have, and give them a rather androgynous form. Femininity is accentuated in other ways – with hairstyle, makeup application, and movement.
Because I plan on making a maiko costume, I will be making layers upon layers of garments, and it will take a while – I expect, close to a month for the whole costume, including accessories. The most important part is, of course, the kimono itself. Kimono are made to be sort of one-size-fits-all, because they were not owned by the individual geisha or maiko, but by the house they were employed by. They would be worn by generations of geisha. This will make creating a kimono a lot easier; as long as I don’t make it too short, or too small, it will fit most body frames except for the incredibly petite and the incredibly obese, or children. There are several pieces to kimono – most of my understanding came from a wonderful website – hanamiweb.com – that has an in-depth discussion on the subject. Here are some images I took from their site for my research:
Another image I lifted from hanamiweb.com is one discussing sleeve length. Apparently this is very important – as shown by the image I’m about to display.
Because I want to make a maiko costume, and maiko are always unmarried females in formal settings, the sleeves will be quite long and possibly cumbersome. All the name of beauty, I suppose.
Before I go too far, I want to point out that the phrases I’m using – kimono, geisha, maiko and obi - are all the phrases used commonly in Western culture. In Japan, the actual terms used vary by location. Don’t presume to gain any insight into proper cultural terms by reading this page – go do your own research. 
The undergarments will also vary. There will be the outer kimono and several other under-kimono, which I have yet to have done the correct amount of research on. However, because I plan on making Christina into a maiko, I can count on it being extensive and time-consuming to make and wear. This section will be updated periodically, as I find the time to do said research.
Next is geta, the traditional footwear of Japan. The geta shown above are pretty standard as far as footwear goes in Japan – everyone wears something similar. They’re basically flip-flops made of wood and elevated on two pegs. However, geisha, specifically the maiko, wear something a little different:
I’m thinking I might have to special-order shoes off the Internet, unless someone can think of something I could make the geta out of. I expect this will be rather expensive, as I will most likely have to order them off the Internet and import them from Japan. I will also have to get special socks to go with them – socks worn with geta are specially made to have a ridge in between the big toe and the rest of the toes. These I can make, however, by getting some decent socks and simply cutting and mending a space for the big toe.
As you can see, geisha hairstyles can get quite extensive. However, I’m pleased, because I’m fairly certain I can make all of the accouterments needed. Whether or not Christina wants to go through the hassle is something I don’t know – I know that if I want to wear a true maiko costume, I will have to procure a wig and make something more permanent, because my hair is not long nor black enough. These pins and combs can all be made using pre-existing pins and combs and simply affixing various pretty things onto them – flowers, which can be bought at Wal-Mart, and other beads, buttons, and things that I find that are appropriate. Anything else I can’t find can be casted ahead of time.
As far as I can tell, geisha use simple but elegant draw-string pouches like the one above for their purses, in which they kept anything they might need – lighters or matches for lighting customer’s cigarettes, identification, money, etc. I already know how to make cute draw-string pouches, so the hardest thing for this is finding appropriate cording, material and decorations. I can probably find all of those things at Wal-Mart despite their currently reduced craft sections. Once I get the materials I can probably knock off eight of the pouches in an hour.
The hardest thing to deal with is going to be the shamisen, which is the preferred instrument of the geisha. I could easily make a non-functional knockoff, and I might for Christina’s costume, but I’ve always wanted to learn to play the shamisen, so I might go so far as to buy an actual one for myself. To make the knockoff, I will probably use foamcore and a lot of paint, coupled with some guitar strings I have laying around.
Geisha makeup is pretty intricate, and I’m not interested in dealing with the fine details. We’ll use modern makeup – I can probably get the white stuff during Halloween sales. Otherwise I’m going to have to go to Hot Topic and get goth makeup, which is a lot more expensive.
All in all, I think these are going to be difficult costumes to make; I might pull out quite a lot of hair in the process (all the more reason to get a wig for me). But once they’re finished I think I will be very pleased with them – they will be the most in-depth and interesting costumes I’ve ever made – aside from Rosso the Crimson, that is. Christina is absolutely gorgeous, so when I finish her costume I will definitely post pictures.
