A Few Tips for The Beginner (Women's Kitsuke)

I've been meaning to write about this topic for a while, I've seen over the past few months more and more people getting interested in wearing kimono (especially in the UK). So I thought I'd share a few things I've learnt over the years.
Sizing.

Get the right size kimono! seriously. I've seen some shops saying kimono sizes are all 'one size', there not (even by Japanese sizes). Buying a kimono that fits you will make putting it on a lot easier, the most important measurements that you need are your height and the width between your wrists (when you hold out your arms) and maybe your hip measurement if your a little plump. The length of the kimono should ideally be the same height as you, so you can get a decent ohashori out of it. I've seen some people wear kimono that are just way too small for them, so when they sit down they they show the whole world their underwear! or their boobs, but I don't want to get into that.

Start small
If your just starting out, get a yukata. These are informal, cotton kimono (think jeans and t shirt) and they are easier to put on. They're cheaper and require less accessories to put on, 3 koshihimo, 1 datejime and 1 obi ita are needed for yukata. Once you've mastered putting on a yukata, you'll have the skills to put on a kimono.

Elastic Koshihimo

Another accessory I would recommend, to even seasoned pros. The typical koshihimo is made from muslin and these have no give, so if you tie tightly your going to feel it! With elastic koshimo you don't have this problem. These koshihimo I find are much more comfortable then the muslin kind as they 'expand', especially useful if your going to eat! These koshihimo cost much more then the standard muslin kind however I feel they are worth every penny. So if your staring out, I would suggest you buy elastic and not muslin.

Obi Clip

I'm all for shortcuts and one of these will help you tie a short obi and a otaiko with minimal effort.

A adjustable juban

A adjustable juban is a godsend, it mean you only need to change the sleeves to make it fit any kimono so more money for other kimono. I will post up a tutorial on how to make a normal juban into a adjustable one.

Flatten and Padding

I have to admit this is a slight pet peeve of mine, kimono wearers who don't bind their chests. If you have a chest bigger then a (UK) A cup, I would suggest you bind those babies down! A sports bra or Ace bandages will do, this will help keep your collars from moving around. Also if you have a hourglass shape then padding your waist (ideally you will want  to be a cylindrical shape) will help with a slipping obi.

Synthetic Kimono

If your just starting out wearing kimono I would suggest you stay away from the vintage kimono, sure they're pretty and made from silk but more often then not they are tiny! I'm 5ft and skinny, and even I have some trouble getting into vintage kimono! That's not to say anyone bigger then 5ft can't get into vintage, I'm just saying it takes some advance kitsuke which I might get into later in another post.
Synthetic or poly kimono on the other hand come in a variety of sizes other then 'tiny'. Poly kimono also comes with the added advantage of being washable, silk kimono are not. So if your going to go out on the town or eat, your not going to have to worry if you spill a drink or brush up against a dirty wall. Rain will also stain silk so if you live in a rainy country, you might want to look into buying synthetic.
Practise!!!!!!!

The only way your going to get better is to practise, rinse and repeat.

Now as a beginner your properly reading this and thinking wtf! but bear in mind these are just my own personal suggestions, what might work for one person might not for another. You can take it or leave it.
These tips are things I've picked up over the years and I'd thought I'd share. If you have any other tips, leave a comment and I'll add them in.