Style Tips: September

One of the lolita blogs that I follow does an article on style tips for each month. It's a pretty fun idea, so I thought I'd start doing it too, only for kimono ^_^

Please note that most of these tips are completely from my own opinions and small bits of knowledge I've picked up or noticed over the years I've been into kimono. As such, they shouldn't be taken as any sort of steadfast rule, but instead as guidelines on how to dress in tune with your surroundings.

Also, most of my style tips are applicable for the Northern Hemisphere only - maybe even specific to London, which is where I gained all my personal knowledge about kimono in cold weather! However, if you're able to withstand the heat, these may also apply to those in tropical countries as well. ♥

Here goes!

1. Start preparing for the upcoming cold weather early: air out your warmer kimono ahead of time so that if there is a sudden drop in temperature, you're not caught without anything to wear!
2. Things might start to get a little chilly later this month so switch out your yukata and summerweave kimono for a warmer hitoe when you begin to feel that nip in the air.
3. If you find it too cool for summerweave fabrics yet too warm for hitoe, compromise by wearing a ro juban under your hitoe kimono. Alternatively, layer up a little with a lace haori or shawl.
4. As a precursor to colder weather ahead, your han'eri, obi, obiage and obijime (and even tabi and zori!) should no longer be usumono.
5. At night, temperatures can dip pretty low, so keep a thin pretty shawl in your bag when you go out.
6. This month marks the beginning of autumn, so slowly phase out your summer colours of blues and purples, and start introducing small amounts of orange, yellow, brown and red to your ensembles.
7. Autumn's most common seasonal motifs are chrysanthemum flowers and turning maple leaves, which are worn throughout September, October and November.
8. The Japanese usually decorate their house with pampas grass around this time of the year (tradition dictates that this will ward off illness for the year) so wear pampas grass motifs earlier in the month to keep in season.
9. Other in-season motifs to keep in mind: Bush clover, Chinese bellflower, crickets, dragonflies.
10. September's moon in considered to be the most beautiful of the year. Until/On Tsukimi (the moon-viewing festival) which is on 22nd September and 20th October this year, wear kimono and obi with moon motifs.