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The obi for ordinary wear. For girls. For women

The obi for ordinary wear. For girls. For women.png A servant with tucked sleevesThumbnailsThe hakamaA servant with tucked sleevesThumbnailsThe hakamaA servant with tucked sleevesThumbnailsThe hakamaA servant with tucked sleevesThumbnailsThe hakamaA servant with tucked sleevesThumbnailsThe hakama

The Japanese woman’s pride, however, is the obi. It is often the most costly of all her apparel. It is about thirteen feet long and thirteen and a half inches wide. The obi for ordinary wear is made by sewing together back to back two pieces of cloth, of which the face is commonly of stiff stuff like satin and the lining of crêpe, or other soft silk or cotton. But the obi worn on formal occasions consists of a single piece of double width, which is folded in two lengthwise and seamed; it is made of taffety, satin, damask, or gold or other brocade. The Chinese satin has at one end the name of its loom in red thread; and imitation satins and sateens have similar names at the same end; and this end is always exposed to view when the obi is worn. When sewn, the woman’s obi is padded like men’s.