heian costume for women - wordpress.com · heian costume for women ... heian japan. it is also the...
TRANSCRIPT
Heian Costume for Women
The following slides are a brief look into
the typical costume worn by women during
the Heian Era
Karaginu-mo (Juni-hitoe)
– Costume Museum, Kyoto
Karaginu-mo is the more accurate term for a
court lady‟s formal robes in 11th Century
Heian Japan. Commonly referred to as juni-
hitoe, the characteristic of the costume lies in
the stacking of the colors (kasane no irome)
made visible at the bottom of the costume, at
the collar, and at the armholes by the
progressive shift of each layer (Sugino, 2002)
The juni-hitoe embodied many of the most
important values in Heian Japan. The
painstakingly selected colors of the many
layers symbolized elements from the natural
world, such as the natural beauty of the maple
tree or the iris. Each color scheme was only
to be worn during the appropriate season or
special occasion, such as certain festivals. To
wear the a color out of season, or even to get
the color wrong for one of your layers, was to
invite mockery from other women and brought
embarrassment on the woman who erred
(Morris, 1994).
The Karaginu-Mo (Juni-Hitoe) consisted of
the following articles of clothing:
Kosode - (Short sleeve) Traditional robe style of
Heian Japan. It is also the term for the
undergarment of both women and men‟s clothing.
Karigino - Chinese styled jacket worn over the
Uwagi and Mo for formal occasions. Traditionally
lined, and the collar folded out.
Uwagi – The top layer uchigi. Sometimes when
of higher rank it could have simple embroidery
patterns woven into the cloth and/or stamped.
Uchigi - The outside uchigi was called uwagi and
the ones worn under it were called kasane-uchigi.
The highest ranked court ladies could wear
patterned silk; the ordinary court ladies wore
unpatterned waves similar to modern habutae.
They were also called the itsutsuginu or kinu.
Hitoe - Type of underwear, sometimes referred to
as the chemise, worn beneath the uchigi and over
the kosode and hakama or nagabakama. It is the
first visible layer.
Nagabakama - (divided skirt) Formal version of
hakama worn by court women.
Mo - Train or apron-skirt worn over the juni-hitoe
for formal occasions. It was considered very formal
and was required of women of the court while on
official duty
The Layering effect is one of
the most important aspects
of the Juni-hitoe. While
almost all of the robes are
the same lengths and width,
how they are layered plays a
very important part in the
over all look.
The Mo is one of the most elegant „accessories‟
worn with the Juni-Hitoe. Pleated at the top
much like hakama are (the split-skirt pants) it is
4-6 panels of fabric sew together and often
either embroidered or painted. (Shikibu et al,
2003)
The sash could be a simple as a border-dyed
band to this more intricate lined band with a
braid woven in and out of it for added
decoration.
The motif design usually represented the wearer‟s office
of state, family significance, location or even their
favorite flora and fauna (Dalby, 2005).
This Mo has an embossed and
embroidered sash. But
otherwise very similar painted
images on the apron.
It also has a small braid
woven through it for
decoration. This technique
is something we‟ve found
very common in the clothing
of both men and women of
the Heian Court. (Sei, 1991)
Here we have a close up detail of
the motifs used on our two
examples of a Mo.
Both have very traditional themes
of the time.
The next set of pictures
give examples of some of
the color choices women
of the Heian era might
have worn.
Pine Tree colors - All season wear (because the
pine tree is evergreen and unchanging)
Maple colors - Autumn wear Chrysanthemum - Autumn wear
Apricots “Beneath the Snow” – Winter Wear
Apricot – Early Spring
Citrus – Early Summer
And our first attempt at a Heian Lady‟s Court
Dress: Karaginu-mo
Acknowledgements
Much thanks to Kat “Crimson” Griffin for her photos from
the Kyoto Costume Museum and to the Museum for the
incredible effort of presenting this time period to the
public.
To Gille, Sakada and Kaede for the inspiration, and
encouragement during this project.
Works Cited
Bryant, A. E. o. E. (2004). Sengoku Daimyo Homepage:
http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/.
Costume Museum, I. (2009). Costume Museum, Kyoto (Japanese Version):
http://www.iz2.or.jp/
FUYUya (2008). HEIAN Kasane no irome: http://www.fuyuya.com/kasane/kasane-
index.htm.
Dalby, L. C. (2001). Kimono: Fashoning Culture. Seattle and London, University of
Washington Press.
Dalby, L. C. (2005). Life and Culture: http://www.lizadalby.com/TofM%20SUBJ.html.
Harvey, S. M. (2009). Juni-hito Sytles of Heian Era Japan:
http://www.clotheslinejournal.com/heian.html.
Morris, I. (1994). The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan, Kodansha
International.
Shikibu, M., Izumi Shikibu, and Sarashina (2003). Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan.
Mineola, New York, Dover Publications, Inc.