Types of Kimono - Iromuji

After seeing formal types of kimono, we'll now feature maybe the most versatile kind of kimono, that can go from quite formal to informal: the iromuji.

A red one-crested iromuji.

Iromuji (approximately "plain color") is a solid color kimono. It can be actually plain or have discrete damasque-like patterns (in a fabric called rinzu), but no colorful motifs. From a distance, iromuji will always look solid. It's worn by married and unmarried women, and can have any color except for white or black - since plain white or black kimono have other connotation, as we'll see ahead.

Note: In kimono culture, black isn't considered a "color" (iro). That's why irotomesode (color tomesode) and kurotomesode (black tomesode) have slightly different connotations and formality, like we've seen on the Tomesode section of this series.

Althou they can be plain, most iromuji have a soft motif/texture when you look up close. 

This damask-like effect is called rinzu. Photos from Kuwashi Rental and Sarakimono.

The most common tones for iromuji are subdued, giving this kind of kimono a dignified and mature feel (flashy colors are related to youth in kimono aesthetics). Since it's very discrete, iromuji is often worn during the japanese tea ceremony (cha-no-yu), that pursues an aesthetics of simplicity. Iromuji allows the focus to be on the ceremony itself (a colorful furisode, for example, would be a too bright distraction, as well as too formal, in most types of tea ceremony).

Examples of iromuji. The color possibilities are endless! Pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, 

orange, brown, reddish, gray, and so on... Notice how the tones tend to be soft or grayish.

 

 

Subdued tones, thou, are a tendency, not a rule, so there are also pretty vivid 

iromuji out there! =) Above, two examples: deep red and deep purple iromuji. 

Photos from muhvi on Immortal Geisha and Akiko Hiramatsu on kimonosnack.

Not only for tea ceremonies, iromuji is also adequate to wear from wedding receptions to graduation ceremonies (not if you're the one graduating!), formal and informal parties, and general social events like gatherings, dinners, exhibitions or concerts. This is because it can be matched with several kinds of obi to achieve various levels of formality: the formal fukuro obi, versatile nagoya obi or even the casual hanhaba obi.

Iromuji also can be found with a variate number of family crests (kamon), another important element in kimono formality. A kimono with no crests is very informal, while a kimono with 5 crests shows the higher level of formality. Iromuji can go from no crests up to one, three or full five crests, but usually have one crest (ideal for tea ceremony) or quite formal 3 crests*.

 

These coordinations of uncrested iromuji and obi with no brocade look "casual-dressy"

to me... maybe a good style for a go-out day? From Nadeshiko Peace.

Combined with brocade obi, iromuji become more formal, 

and can be worn in several kinds of events. From Nissen.

The obi musubi (knot) most commonly worn with iromuji is the classic otaiko (or just taiko) musubi. But, being this such a versatile garment, other musubi can be worn. Iromuji photos are quite hard to find compared to other kinds of kimono (people tend to like kimono with motifs more, I think...), and obi musubi isn't my forte - so I'm making a few suppositions in this point. Apart from taiko (which I'm certain it's adequate for iromuji) I think I've also spotted it being worn with tsunodashi musubi** (that usually looks like a "floppy" taiko with inside "wings"), bunko musubi (shaped as a big bow on the upper part of the obi) and others. These are more informal choices, thou, not fit for tea ceremony, for example.

Left: the classic taiko musubi, a formal choice, but that can also be worn in semi-formal situations - with a non-brocade obi, like in the "casual-dressy" examples of iromuji above. From Bushoan. Right: a variation of tsunodashi musubi (not floppy, but has "wings"). Tsunodashi is less formal than taiko, but with brocade obi it may have a festive and bit more formal feel, I guess? From muhvi on Immortal Geisha.

So, this is the basic about Iromuji. On the next part of this "Types of Kimono" series, we're going more and more informal with Edo-komon and Komon. See you! ^^

*On another small note: There are no kimono with 2 or 4 crests, if you're wondering. 
They're always put in the same position:

1 crest: under the eri (collar) at the back.
3 crests: same of one crest, plus the both front sides of the eri.
5 crests: same as three crests, plus both sleeves (over the elbow, more to the back)

** Tsunodashi musubi is also known as Ginza musubi. I spent quite a while trying to figure out the difference between them (they looked the same to me!) until I found out it's indeed the same knot. ^^;