Kimono : fashioning culture /

Anthropologist Dalby lived as a geisha for a year in Kyoto gathering data for her doctoral dissertation, published as Geisha (CH, Jun'84). Her inquisitive mind and popular writing sytle illuminate Japanese cultural subtleties not ordinarily understood by non-Asians. In this historical survey of the kimono's development from the 4th to 19th century, Dalby reveals aesthetic details and symbolic meanings related to kimono colors and layerings associated with gender, age, rank, and occasion. Although most urban Japanese business and professional men have adopted the Western suit for daytime wear outside the home, many women confined to homemaking maintain the traditional kimono but have assimilated a few foreign modifications, e.g., the Gibson-girl-inspired sokugami hairstyle, and the exaggerated boxy taiko obi (sash), which curiously resembles the bustle. The "Women Who Cross Their Legs" chapter, which discusses 20th-century Japanese attitudes toward the kimono and its nonfunctional role in modern settings, is charming. Complemented by some 250 illustrations (mostly black-and-white line drawings) the text is useful as a reference tool. There is an efficient combined glossary/index. All levels. B. B. Chico; Regis University (CO)

Dalby, author of Geisha (Univ. of California Pr., 1983), has written a lively, informative study of the kimono, tracing its evolution throughout Japanese history to its current status as the national dress of Japan. Her book's coverage includes all types of ``native'' dress, past and present; her unique position as a Western ``insider'' allows her to demystify the complex social mores connected with wearing the kimono. The work is also notable for reprinting and translating sections from 17th-century pattern books and for its discussion of the Heian (794-1185) color palette. Jill Liddell's The Story of the Kimono (Dutton, 1989) and Alan Kennedy's Japanese Costume: History and Tradition (A. Biro, 1990) cover different aspects of kimono history and textile design. The three books nicely complement one another, providing almost complete coverage of the subject. At once scholarly and enjoyable reading, Kimono is recommended for academic and public libraries with collections on Asian culture.-- Katharine L. Kan, Aiea P.L., Hawaii (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.