This summer is perfect for a yukata debut!! Information on the latest fashion trends (yukata)
They’re the easiest to wear traditional Japanese fashion and they’re perfect for fireworks shows and summer festivals! A feature on yukata, summer kimono overflowing with elegance. We deliver the scoop for people who want to try wearing one this year.
(Top image: Tobu Department Store, Ikebukuro)
The fashion trend of 2012 is orthodox Japanese design.
They putting together a dressing service in the same salesfloor where you buy your yukata!
If you’re looking for yukata in the city, the first place you’ll want to visit is a department store stocked with lots of taste and merchandise. Among your options, Tobu Department Store’s Ikebukuro Branch offers more than 300 yukata just for women, boasting the best selection in Tokyo! First of all, we’ll learn about 2012 trends and yukata at the Tobu Department Store in Ikebukuro.
The person who helped us for the story is Kayo Kurihara, Tobu’s buyer for kimono and other Japanese goods. In a few words, what’s the trend for this year?
“The trending colors this year are navy and black. Dark blue motifs have been used in yukata since the old days, when they were once dyed blue with indigo. Indigo-dyed cloth has an insect repelling effect, making it the perfect summer wear. I recommend adding accents with the obi color to coordinate a cute but adult ensemble.”
Another special feature this summer is the popularity of old style patterns and traditional Japanese motifs.
“In our store we’re recommending Japanese flower motifs. For Japanese-styles, flowers that anticipate the next season, other than cherry blossoms, are in style. That’s why yukata have lots of autumn flowers, such as frilled pink carnations. This year, there are also lots of goldfish patterns coming out.”
Tsukuriobi¸ which do not need to be tied, offer peace of mind for beginning wearers. When you can’t decide on the color, choose one color from the yukata’s pattern and then pick out an obi of a similar but slightly darker color.
Sample price: 14,490 Yen
The trend for yukata bags is boxy designs overflowing with Japanese style. They go perfect with any yukata design, so try adding one to your outfit.
Sample price: 10,290 Yen
Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro
Recommended yukata collection
Left, frilled pink carnation pattern. Right, cool white and aqua. This year there are many yukata featuring not only dark blue, but also designs with blue variations. Left: yukata, 31.500 Yen and obi, 10,290 Yen. Right, yukata, 34,650 Yen and obi, 18,900 Yen.
Left, featured goldfish pattern. Right, traditional tie-dye. Depending on the matching obi¸ you can sport a variety of looks. Left: yukata, 29,400 Yen and obi, 10,290 Yen. Right: yukata, 63,000 Yen and obi, 21,000 Yen.
Left, a retro design with a bird pattern on vertical stripes. The men’s yukata on the right displays a stylized lion pattern. Smartly dressed. Left: yukata, 8,190 Yen. Right: yukata, 10,290 Yen. Sample prices. *Obi are sample products.
A cool grey yukata for when you want to dress without hesitation. Since grey is a color used for clothes like regular office wear, the beginning yukata wearer can put it on without hesitation. Yukata, 35,700 Yen and Obi, 13,650 Yen.
Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro (Kimono Shop on 7th Floor)
1-1-25 Nishi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Tel. 03-3981-2211 Hours: 10AM to 8PM
http://www.tobu-dept.jp/ikebukuro/
*The above hours of operation apply to the 7th Floor. Hours may differ by floor, so please check other floor hours on the website.
*Yukata are available until August 9.
Wear them like Western clothes! Retro-modern yukata
The shop is located in Shibuya PARCO part 1. It carries a large number of Japanese accessories like ornamental hairpins as well as Western-style goods with Japanese patterns, and is a recommended place for finding souvenirs.
In addition to traditional yukata¸ retro-modern design is very popular with Japanese women. Furifu, one of the stores we visited for this story, is representative of kimono shops that stock this popular style. We asked Nozomi Okamoto, manager of Furifu’s Shibuya store about it...
“Furifu’s yukata boast contemporary design arrangements with dashes of Taisho-era motifs. They are distinctive at first glance, but many designs are close to those of Western-style clothes, which actually makes them easy to wear for beginning yukata wearers.”
In addition, the allure of modern yukata is that you can enjoy coordinating them based on lots of different concepts. People who want to enjoy different yukata styles should pay close attention to modern-style yukata, but so should people who want to enjoy yukata freely and lightheartedly with a Western sense of dress!
Furifu Shibuya Store
Yukata and fashion collection
A dark blue yukata looks cute with an obi and accessories! Yukata, 13,440 to 39,900 Yen,. Obi are in the 10,000 Yen range. Men’s yukata also available.
This yukata with large flower print has the elegance of a dress. The use of accessories like an obijime (*1) and obidome (*2) are a point of dressing.
If you visit the shop look at the staff and the mannequins for fashion tips. The manager Ms. Okamoto is coordinating three different obijime!
Pay attention to how the obi is tied. Here Ms. Okamoto combines a hanhaba obi made especially for yukata with a heko obi to create a glamorous obi knot.
Around 200 different types of yukata are sold in a single summer. Novelty designs, such as checked patterns, are also available.
Another goldfish pattern sighting! Different goldfish patterns are employed in other yukata as well. This motif is drawing huge attention this year.
*1 A cord used to secure the obi. *2 An ornament attached to the obijime.
Furifu Shibuya Store
PARCO part 1 15-1 Udagawa-cho Shibuya-ku Tel. 03-3464-5159 (direct line). Hours: 10AM to 9PM.
http://www.furifu.com/
http://www.parco-shibuya.com/page/
*Yukata are available until the end of August.
Great for beginners! Low price yukata
Aqua City Odaiba, where the store is located, is great for shopping and sightseeing.
The store sells only women’s yukata and clothing.
For people who want to enjoy wearing yukata lightheartedly, we recommend Fashion Center Shimamura, which is opening more than 1,200 outlets across Japan. Because this is the same store that specializes in affordable prices, like ladies t-shirts starting from 500 Yen, they are offering yukata as well as yukata/obi/geta package sets starting from 2,900 Yen!
According to this shop, “This year, we are selling yukata with retro patterns on basic fabric dyed in colors like white and the trend-conscious dark blue. We have a great price range for those who want to get their hands on the latest trends every year. Also, the package sets include a tsukuriobi, which do not need to be tied, so first-time yukata wearers can put them on easily.”
If you can get a fashionable yukata at a price that is so easy on the wallet, is there any choice but to make this the year of your yukata debut?
Fashion Center Shimamura
Yukata Set Collection
Dress adorably in a retro flower pattern on a black background and red obi, 3,900 Yen.
Sharp, cute colors for going out at night to a fireworks show or a summer festival. 3,900 Yen
A blend of linen and cotton has a suppler and cooler drape than cotton-only fabrics. 5,800 Yen
If you go for dark blue, how about trying something more stylish in a linen blend? 5,800 Yen
Of course, they also have girlish colors like pink and red. 3,900 Yen.
This is surprisingly only 2,900 Yen! The cool, summery color palate is alluring.
Fashion Center Shimamura Aqua City Odaiba
Aqua City Odaiba, 4th Fl., 1-7-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Tel. 048-652-2111 (Head Office) Hours: 11AM to 9PM
http://www.shimamura.gr.jp/
http://www.aquacity.jp/
*Yukata are available until mid-August.
*Products, prices and services at each shop/facility may differ.
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