Kimono

The kimono (着物, kimono?)[1] is the national costume of Japan. Originally the word "kimono" literally meant "thing to wear" (ki "wearing" and mono "thing")[2] but now has come to denote a particular type of traditional full-length Japanese garment. The standard plural of the word kimono in English is kimonos[1], but the unmarked Japanese plural kimono is also sometimes found.

Kimonos are T-shaped, straight-lined robes that fall to the ankle, with collars and wide, full-length sleeves. Kimonos are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial)[3] and secured by a wide belt called an obi, which is usually tied at the back. Kimonos are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially zōri or geta) and split-toe socks (tabi).[4]

Today, kimonos are most often worn by women, and on special occasions. Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of kimono called furisode,[4] which have floor-length sleeves, on special occasions. A few older women and even fewer men still wear the kimono on a daily basis. Men wear the kimono most often at weddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or very formal occasions. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in the kimono because they are required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever appearing in public.[5] They commonly wear the kind of casual Japanese attire that is referred to as yukata, which is of plain unlined cotton.

(source: Wikipedia)