RARE, AUTHENTIC VINTAGE JAPANESE YUKATA COTTON KIMONO / ROBE / DRESSING GOWN with SIMPLE TIE BELT - PALE IVORY with TRADITIONAL FLORAL DESIGN IN DEEP WINE REDS - with SILK OBIJIME BELT CORD INCLUDED - EXCELLENT VINTAGE CONDITION FOR ITS AGE - CIRCA 1940s

It is rare to find an older authentic, vintage, yukata in good condition with such a pretty design.

The base cotton is good quality, strong cotton which is fairly soft. The kimono is fully hand stitched. 

This yukata kimono is a typical design for its period and colouring being a pale ivory / off white with large flowers in two shades of deep wine red and deep grey leaves. 
I think the pattern has been hand crafted possibly by stencil work. 

I am also supplying a belt. This item did not originally come with a belt. Kimono are normally worn with a special obi belt which would be bought separately. (see my other listings). On this occasion, I have supplied an authentic. period, obijime cord to tie this kimono closed. It is vintage and gently used. It is mostly a deep hot pink with one end in ivory with panels in silvery grey and deep pink and so it complements the kimono pattern colours very well.

OBIJIME -The obijime is a traditional kimono accessory, It is a long cord that is tied round the centre of the obi to keep everything in place and finish it off. A new Obijime normally sells for well over £10 on their own, so this is a good bonus.

In Japan yukata are worn for casual summer occasions/festivals.

This yukata is a vintage one with some age. It is fully hand-stitched, partially lined, with good quality,  cotton and a pattern that does not look contemporary. It also is a shorter length than contemporary kimonos which are very long indeed and has a longer sleeve drop which is very attractive. These all indicate age.

This yukata is partially lined in just the shoulder area in white cotton and the seat area in the outer fabric, which is quite typical for this kind of summer wear kimono.

Authentic Japanese, women's yukata can be very long indeed but this one is not nearly as long as contemporary kimono, so should not need to be shortened depending on our height.

AGE & CONDITION: This yukata seems to have a little age. It is partially lined, fully hand-stitched, good quality cotton, is shorter than contemporary kimono, has a longer sleeve drop and has an older style of patterning and colouring. I would guess it is early to mid Showa Period (1926-1989). So Circa 1940s.  It is difficult to be accurate about dating some traditional kimono as they have been made in similar ways for decades.

The item is in excellent vintage condition for its age. So although there are no conspicuous faults, there are some minor issue to consider. On the back near the waist there is a small yellow mark. There are some tiny speckles here and there.  This issue is reflected in the low price. It is a vintage, gently used item in great overall condition for it age but please do not expect it to be like brand new.

SIZE: This yukata is a fairly average size for a vintage yukata. It is a much shorter than a contemporary yukata (which tend to be very long indeed). This is a great bonus as it makes it a much more 'normal' wearable length, (depending on your height). I think it would be a couple of inches above ankle length on an average women of 5'3" tall. 

It should fit a range of sizes as it is a wrap round style, up to a maximum of UK size 10/12 but please check the measurements against your own dressing gown.
Cuff to cuff width is 126cm/49.5”
The overall length is 135cm/53".
The width across the back (side seam to side seam) is 57cm/22.5”.
The width all around the kimono at the waist, from the front of one side, all the way round the back, to the front of the other side, is about 49"/125cm and please remember you need a good crossover in front.
The obijime belt cord is about  56"/142cm long.
The weight of the set is about 510g.

The vintage yukata I offer are not the same as many of the modern yukata kimonos sold in the UK, or to tourists in Japan which are often made in China and of poor quality cotton or synthetic but rather these garments are genuine, Japanese, vintage, traditional, hand-stitched or partially hand-stitched (unless otherwise stated) garments.

WHY CAN SOME WOMEN'S KIMONO BE SO LONG? Contemporary and formal kimono are very long indeed. This is because they are traditionally shortened by hitching up at the waist and hiding the excess fabric behind the wide obi belt that would traditionally be worn with it.

YUKATA comes from “YU” meaning bath and “Katabira” meaning under-clothing. Over one thousand years ago court nobles wore linen Kimonos or “yukatabira” which were draped loosely over the body after taking a bath. Yukata gradually became worn by the warriors, who would also use the yukata like a towel to dry after a bath. The general public began to wear cotton kimonos about three hundred years ago when the Japanese public bath became popular. These kinds of light weight cotton kimonos were worn everyday as casual clothing after taking a bath—bathrobes! Now the yukata is widely used for everything from traditional Japanese dance, for summer festival wear and casual wear in the summer, to simple night attire. Today, yukata generally means an unlined cotton kimono for casual wear.

Washing information - Cotton yukata can usually be successfully hand or machine washed at low temperatures. However occasionally older vintage yukata can have colour runs in water so please test before washing and always wash separately. I actually washed this yukata in my washing machine, separately at low temperature and it came out well. The silk belt should not be washed.

If you need any more information or pictures just send me a message.If you need any more information, please send me a message. 

All information is to the best of my knowledge. Please bear in mind, that colours do not always show absolutely accurately on photos and on monitors although they should be close to reality.

My items are mostly vintage and are not returnable unless grossly mis-described, so please check the details and measurements before bidding/buying. Please be aware that vintage clothing does not usually 'look like new' even when it is in excellent condition. Some slight general signs of ageing and use should be expected. If these are conspicuous, they will be mentioned in the description.

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