Kimono Hardcover – November 1, 2001

In 1983, with the publication of a book on the history of the geisha, Liza Dalby, a Ph.D.-trained anthropologist, established herself as America's leading expert on the material culture of Japan, a distinction she still enjoys.Her book "Kimono: Fashioning Culture," issued ten years later, focuses on kimono of the 17th to the 20th centuries. Per her introductory remarks, Dalby was less interested in detailing the evolution of clothing over the full history of Japan than in shedding light on key fundamentals of Japanese material culture."Kimono: Fashioning Culture" runs nearly 400 pages and has three major parts. The first, "Clothing and Culture," lays out Dalby's approach to her subject matter, addresses the structure and functions of the kimono, and examines the kimono in the Meiji period (1868-1912) during which Japan was exposed to western influences. Part Two, titled "Kimono in the Modern World," deals with the impact of westernization as indicated by Chapter 4: "Women Who Cross Their Legs." In Part three is more of a grab bag, exploring color preferences of the Heian period (894-1185) court culture, Moronobu's Fashion Magazine , and geisha and kimono. Not included in the book are photographs of exquisite kimono, but these are available in many other books. In this instance, on the other hand, we benefit from Dalby's unique ability to read the unspoken meaning of Japan's iconic cultural phenomena, and I was not surprised therefore to see a leading semiotician--Roland Barthes--cited in her bibliography.

For those interested in the subject, a comprehensive and easily read guide to the kimono.

I bought this for my granddaughter. She is interested in Japanese, the culture, fashion, and language. She is learning Japanese. She voiced an interest in finding more information on Kimonos.

I always pick the super saver shipping option, just because I'm patient, and when I order an item like this it's for pleasure not work. I was in school when I ordered this so the timing really didn't bother me, so when I opened the package when I returned home I was pleasantly surprised to see the seller had hand written me a note apologizing for the delay because "Wife had foot surgery. I became her chauffeur". It's okey dokey! And thank you for the note, though I wouldn't have known otherwise.I'm happy I have the book! It's in great condition and it's exactly what I was looking for. No torn pages, no damage except for a little loving on the corners, but that sort of thing happens just from using it.

Had my reservations at first (geisha??? covers with exotic Japanese women???) but Liza Dalby has come through. I kowtow to her and her anthropologist's analytical pursuit of the origins of kimono. This is a seriously good book. So good I went out and bought hardcover and paperback editions, because the hardcover edition has extra color pages explaining the Heian Era color schemes of dress. Dalby has included an incredible level of detail, so if you're obsessing about getting things right, you need this book. I've read other kimono books but this is the only one I know written in English *and* by a woman expert. Fashionistas, you need to read this. You will never ever wear your kimono - ahem, I mean "kosode" - "the wrong way" again.

This is an essential book, I think, for clothing designers, people who like Japanese style, and fabric makers -- as well as others. Dalby's knowledge of Japan and women's kimono fashion is based on personal knowledge in the culture, including a stint as an "American geisha" in Japan and all the kimono wearing that involved. She also did terrific book research. One of the intriguing parts of the book is the revelation of the fashion art of woodblock print (ukiyo-e) artists. The book becomes a double pleasure of fashion AND art. Her prose explains kimono to you with ease, and it reads like tips from a favorite friend. Even for a man who never expects to wear a yukata again, I enjoyed it tremendously.

This may not be the definitive book on the topic, and it may not be the most academic work on the topic, but it is certainly the most approachable book I've encountered. It's engaging, clever and detailed, without being dry or dragging. For costumers, historians, and aficionados of Kimono and Japan, this is a must-have book even if you plan to later read more academic texts. It makes kimono history and culture very accessible.

the pictures were nice, but I think more information about each picture would have helped. there were also a few pictures that had been flipped that were a little distracting. all the kanji would be backwards and everyone in the picture would have their kimono on the wrong way. also they dropped japanese terms without giving any definitions. a pretty book, but not as nice as i expected, if i had seen it in a store before i had bought it instead of getting it off of amazon i probably wouldn't have gotten it.

Article reçu selon la description du vendeur, le delai de livraison correspondait avec ce qui avait été indiqué.

Amazing book and fast delivery