Obi , is a sash for traditional Japanese dress, keikogi worn for Japanese martial arts, and a part of kimono outfits.
Nowadays, a woman's wide and decorative obi does not keep the kimono closed: this is done by different undersashes and ribbons worn underneath the obi. The obi itself also requires the use of stiffeners and ribbons. There are many types of obi, and most of them are for women: wide obis made of brocade and narrower, simpler obis for everyday wear. The fanciest and most colourful obis are for young unmarried women. The contemporary women's obi is a very conspicious accessory: sometimes even more so than the kimono robe itself. A fine formal obi might cost more than the rest of the entire outfit. Obis are categorised by their design, formality, material, and use. Informal obis are narrower and shorter.
Women's obi
The wide women's obi is folded in two when worn, to a width of about 15centimetres (5.9in) to20centimetres (7.9in). It is considered elegant to tie the obi so that the folded width is in harmony with the wearer's body dimensions. Usually this means about a tenth of her height. The full width of the obi is present only in the decorative knot, musubi.
A woman's obi is worn in a fancy musubi knot. There are tens of ways to tie an obi, and different knots are suited to different occasions and different kimonos.
There are many different types of women's obi, and the usage of them is regulated by many unwritten rules not unlike those that concern the kimono itself. Certain types of obi are used with certain types of kimono; the obis of married and unmarried women are tied in different ways. Often the obi adjusts the formality and fanciness of the whole kimono outfit: the same kimono can be worn to very different situations depending on what kind of obi is worn with it.
Nowadays, a woman's wide and decorative obi does not keep the kimono closed: this is done by different undersashes and ribbons worn underneath the obi. The obi itself also requires the use of stiffeners and ribbons. There are many types of obi, and most of them are for women: wide obis made of brocade and narrower, simpler obis for everyday wear. The fanciest and most colourful obis are for young unmarried women. The contemporary women's obi is a very conspicious accessory: sometimes even more so than the kimono robe itself. A fine formal obi might cost more than the rest of the entire outfit. Obis are categorised by their design, formality, material, and use. Informal obis are narrower and shorter.
Women's obi
The wide women's obi is folded in two when worn, to a width of about 15centimetres (5.9in) to20centimetres (7.9in). It is considered elegant to tie the obi so that the folded width is in harmony with the wearer's body dimensions. Usually this means about a tenth of her height. The full width of the obi is present only in the decorative knot, musubi.
A woman's obi is worn in a fancy musubi knot. There are tens of ways to tie an obi, and different knots are suited to different occasions and different kimonos.
There are many different types of women's obi, and the usage of them is regulated by many unwritten rules not unlike those that concern the kimono itself. Certain types of obi are used with certain types of kimono; the obis of married and unmarried women are tied in different ways. Often the obi adjusts the formality and fanciness of the whole kimono outfit: the same kimono can be worn to very different situations depending on what kind of obi is worn with it.