Plaid Underpants Kimono

[Hirsty]

So on FaceBook George Takei shared this link. The woman claims to be honouring her Scottish and Japanese heritage.

Whilst I have no issue with the mash up of Scottish and Japanese cultures, in fact I find it laudable to have an interest in your heritage, I was a bit concerned that, rather than using actual tartan, she used second hand men's plaid underwear.

Maybe it is just me, but if you are going to do something do it right and do it respectfully.

There was a lot of comments on how tartan is "hot" and "uncomfortable". Obviously, they are unaware of the different weights and that pure wool tartan is actually very comfortable. Even if it was the case, surely the many silk options would be preferable and even more in keeping with it being a kimono.

http://mymodernmet.com/handmade-kimo...40a3a6bbddd67d

Let us know your thoughts.

[MacEanruig]

Oh, we've already discussed her fashion here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-reddit-93124/

[lschwartz]

So on FaceBook George Takei shared this link. The woman claims to be honouring her Scottish and Japanese heritage.

Whilst I have no issue with the mash up of Scottish and Japanese cultures, in fact I find it laudable to have an interest in your heritage, I was a bit concerned that, rather than using actual tartan, she used second hand men's plaid underwear.

Maybe it is just me, but if you are going to do something do it right and do it respectfully.

There was a lot of comments on how tartan is "hot" and "uncomfortable". Obviously, they are unaware of the different weights and that pure wool tartan is actually very comfortable. Even if it was the case, surely the many silk options would be preferable and even more in keeping with it being a kimono.

http://mymodernmet.com/handmade-kimo...40a3a6bbddd67d

Let us know your thoughts.

Well, there are a few things she said in the above article, or other places I read about this, that for me tends to mollify any problems with what she did...

She sewed it as a modern piece of clothing, not as a traditional kimono, blending two cultures. So, it isn't a kilt and it isn't a kimono.

She was obviously looking for inexpensive fabrics as she went with men's boxers and DRESS SHIRTS for her fabric instead of going out and buying plaid or tartan fabric. I can appreciate her wanting to not spend a lot of money on an experiment.

I agree that just using 1-3 different plaid patterns would have been more appealing to the eye, the patchwork quilt effect does work for it.

Overall, I found it interesting but not offensive.

Larry

[FossilHunter]

I got the impression from the article that the kimono was meant to be a piece of fashion art rather than a practical, traditional, garment. That being the case, I can see why she would choose fabrics that evoke tartan, rather than tartan itself. Tartan is expensive and she doesn't mention a connection to any particular clan or tartan so generic plaid and check fabric makes sense as something to evoke an impression of Scotland in clothing without getting too specific.

That's my impression anyway.

[ibrew4u]

She’s also not smiling in any of her photos, so she must not be happy about what she’s done.

[FossilHunter]

She’s also not smiling in any of her photos, so she must not be happy about what she’s done.

I think she's going for the stoic Japanese maiden look.

[Tobus]

"A photograph is a most important document, and there is nothing more damning to go down to posterity than a silly, foolish smile caught and fixed forever." - Mark Twain

[Kiltedjohn]

Whilst I have no issue with the mash up of Scottish and Japanese cultures, in fact I find it laudable to have an interest in your heritage, I was a bit concerned that, rather than using actual tartan, she used second hand men's plaid underwear.

Maybe it is just me, but if you are going to do something do it right and do it respectfully.

I don't have any problems with the use of secondhand materials. As an economy measure, it need not be anything less than respectful. Consider the Italian Chapel in Orkney: https://scotlandschurchestrust.org.u...mbholm-orkney/

[Hirsty]

It is not so much the material being secondhand, I have a secondhand kilt, it is the fact that it is used underwear.

If you want to honour your heritage surely you can put a little more effort into it than using preowned undergarments.