This Is Why Your Kitsuke Sucks! // Most Common Kitsuke Mistakes And How to Fix Them 

Kimono success story! I recently came into two antique formal kimono. I was referred to this channel to learn to wear them, which has been extremely helpful. I have done much binge-watching to learn as much as I can, but I needed a juban to wear them properly. There is a kimono store in town that has always been a little intimidating. I practiced my Japanese words and went there. The staff was friendly, but guarded until I used my kimono dressing words and asked for the proper items, like Billy taught me in these videos. Then the lady gave me so much help and showed me around the store. She helped me find a juban and asked me to come back and bring my kimono so she could help me learn to wear them and we could match obijime to the obi. She asked me to please come back anytime to the store two separate times. She suggested items, gave me tips and brought out things from behind the counter. I got tears in my eyes. I feel so much more confident to learn now. Thank you Billy!!

This is incredibly helpful. Once I finish making kimono that fit me properly, I'll be able to start practicing!

Something that I found that was an absolute game changer with my Ohashori was to properly bind my chest and fill in the hollow between my shoulder blades and my hips slightly more with padding. This kept my Ohashori flatter, and it helped me to be able to actually level it off properly without the collar and my skirt being completely off grain and so it bubbles weirdly. TLDR: proper👏🏻 foundational 👏🏻layering 👏🏻is 👏🏻important.👏🏻

I have watched multiple obiage tutorials and you are the first one to show tucking in the ends of the obiage under the part around the waist! I've always, always suffered from my obiage disappearing because of my bust and none of the suggestions I've read on the Internet have helped. I had basically resigned myself to having an invisible obiage. I will definitely try your trick next time!

I LOVE how you demonstrated the obiage with the different patterns! That was so satisfying to watch, absolutely genius 😍 I don't wear kimono myself but I love learning (about anything!) from people who are passionate and knowledgeable, so I really enjoyed this video even if it's not "relevant" to me. Also marzipan Ritter Sport is one of my favourite things 😊

I just wanted to say that I think the ensemble you wear in this video is the most beautiful I have seen you in. The combination of the textural appearing juban collar, the floral kimono but most especially the obi with its large floral motifs work together so perfectly! And the butterfly is just the icing on the cake.

Thank you for including the part about how to put on nagajuban to get correct collar placement. This has been one of my main struggles! I’m looking forward to really practicing that now that I feel I have a better understanding on it.

Thank you so much for this video ! I work at a pretty classy restaurant and waitresses like me have to wear a kimono. I’ve been taught one for 1 and a half hour and then « take your kimono home and train by yourself. You can find tutorials on RU-vid ! » I tried many times and somehow achieved to wear it but it just wasn’t looking as good as it should and I took me more than 30 mins (I was still proud of myself knowing I’m a perfect beginner haha) so these tips will thankfully help me (with the ohashori being my biggest issue) !

That "important advice" near the end of the video is so true... I already lived through the experience of being frustrated to the point of tears and locking myself up... In Kyoto after buying a whole kimono set. In the end I just called it quits and rented a kimono the day after. But it did teach me an important lesson about just enjoying the process instead of just trying to get everything perfect every time. Thank you so much for this video! It covered many issues I have with the kimono I own which are all second hand and clearly not all of them are the best fit for me 💜💜

Love this Billy! Thank you! I so love your videos!❤❤❤❤❤

Thank you for this!! It was very helpful!

Thank you for all this wonderful and patient detail you went into. Loved this video!

This helps me a lot Billy, thank you. I've been trying to and wearing kimono for 2 years-ish now and learned how to dress myself by your video's and meeting up with people who had experience with this. I've improved a lot (and bigger kimono helped a lot too!) even though I started out with nagoya obi which went against several people's advice. The obiage will forever be my nemesis (and too short obi..) but your example helped me big time!

Everything on the ohashori helped me immensely! ❤

Your video helped me a lot! I am usually a bit lazy when it comes to wearing kimono but with your videos I more and more can really see how my kitsuke improves and I can finally enjoy wearing kimono for dance practice and performances.

Many help ful tricks and good advice again. Thank you for sharing this with us all ❤

This was super helpful! I'm struggle most with the collar and the ohashori, so I'll be sure to implement these tips.

Thank you for this video! My absolute favorite reference is the Ritter Sport - one. It´s just perfect!

Thank you for this video, it helped me to move on in kimono dressing. I love your videos, they have taught me so much. You explain things simply and very clearly. I can see the progression ever forward from your beginnings. I look forward to you releasing something again because it's always very interesting. Arigato gozaimasu!

I love this video and it's idea. I'm guilty of mainly onemistake but I would say on purpose : I do keep my kimono shorter lately because I find it more practical like this when I have to walk the whole city in kimono....

I've got all the issues, so thank you a lot, I will fix them next time! The thing I am still concerned about is how to wear shibori obiage properly.

18:03 I used to live in Europe, and I went to Germany and got this chocolate, and I love it so much! This fills me with joy! ☺️

Thank you, I learned so much in this video! Inspirational, I made me eager to get back in kimono.

Super informative, thanks.

Wow! That's a lot trickier than I thought. Looks beautifully simple when it’s done. I heard you say "Arbeit, arbeit, arbeit" (work, work, work for non-German speakers). Ich bin drei-viertal Deutsch.

Thank you so much for this video❤ it helps a lot 🧚🏼‍♀️

First off= I really love the colour & ombre of your hair: it's lovely! I don't wear kimono, but I find the garment beautiful &- thru your channel on & off these past few years- have learned of its intricacy: I never knew there were so many layers!?!! I really appreciate these pointers & explanations. Watching the video, I felt I'd at least know what to look out for if I ever dared try 2 try my hand at kitsuke....( & although I'm not German, I did catch what you said😸😸😸) Thank you for another wonderful & insightful video!

Great video as always!! I congratulate the women who practice female kitsuke which is more technical than male kitsuke 👏👏👍!! Thank you very much for this excellent video Billy👏👍😊!!

Thank you for that video, it's so helpful. For me obiage is like the end boss of a video game XD absolutely have to practice more

Thank you for the video. I wished I saw your video before going shopping. Only saw it right now and now I'll try to use the advice, that I could follow.

Now I need a kitsuke video for men. I can do pretty good for myself, but I'm lost on how to help my husbands kitsuke and how to keep things from falling apart throughout the day. Its frustrating.

This is such a great video! I definitely have been gulity of many of these mostly because all my kimono are family kimono and absolutely do not fit me. I'm super excited to make my own that will fit me properly and so all my photos won't look so off.

Thank you so much! I’ve been practicing putting on my new kimono for two weeks, and it’s been rough😂

I'm going to try your juban tips! I've been having trouble with my kimono collar for ages and suspected I wasn't doing the juban correctly, but I didn't know how to fix it

Work, work, work, work! ❤

Oh Sybille!

All of this was incredibly helpful! Especially the Ohashori! That alone will help me so much. Thank you for this so much!

I've been enjoying all video! They are so helpful and encouraging. I so appreciate the availability. Though, I've come into a snag, I want to book a lesson with Billy. Can anyone tell me the process. I've gone to her website but no actual access. I've sent a comment under the questions about kimono; that doesn't seem to connect me either. Appreciate any suggestions.

Lovely kimono today.

I did not know that lower belt need to hold end of eri, it really helped with my ohashori

This is a really helpful video! I figured out that all of my kimono are 22cm too short from my hip bone and I have a whole collection of kimono I spent years collecting that don't fit because my hips are too wide 🙃I am going to go cry now

Billy thank you soooo much! This helped a lot! Also seeing you in western clothes was kind of a shock! I’m not used to it. 😂

Why my kitsuke sucks this much? Answer: 1) I don't have a kimono with my size 2) I don't practice often. So I forget. 3) I'm always stressed out.😅😂😅😂😅😂😅 Ps: thank you for your videos. Always looking forward for the next.

I finally got a furisode and a houmongi for myself, I plucked up the courage and bought it, even though I'm a male, but I'm non-binary, so it doesn't matter to me. Your video is being very important for my kitsuke, thank you!

In one of your previous shows you said "no" in German. That's when you were dyeing with tumeric. Thanks now I know the proper way of saying it.

I like how it wasn't just Ritter Sport, but the best flavor Ritter Sport.

That was very interesting. I've never thought "my kitsuke sucks", mostly bc I've dropped such negative language a long time ago (especially about smtg as trivial as clothing). I only own 2 kimono, both of which I received from my former baito boss, and since she was smaller than me, they're a bit short... I will keep in mind your recommendations on size to buy from now on, but I won't let these 2 kimono go because afaik I'm the only person who will think of her when they wear her kimono (she had no kids and afaik no younger relatives who would inherit her other kimono). I guess I'll wear boots with them to justify the length! It's funny bc this is really not how I learned to tie the obiage at work (another job I had was a waitress in a very fancy restaurant, w/kimono as uniform). I'll try it next time! I find it hard to find obiage 2nd hand but it seems like something one could replace with a stole or similar piece of fabric, would you happen to have recommendations on that?

im sorry to bother you but a year ago you made a video for sewing a hakama. will you ever make a mens' hakama video?

Greetings I’m a plus size woman and I struggle to find kimono to fit me

In terms of the back seam, how far can it be off centre? I have a few kimono that are small in the hip area and need to know 😅

Hi! Thank you so much for this video, it is very helpful and I'll definitely apply all your advice to my kitsuke (I'm a beginner so right now it really sucks). But when I was in Napan and wore kimono a few times I was told that since I'm very tall I don't have to have ohashori as the nice ladies who were dressing me were unable to make it nice enough. Or I would have to have special tailored kimono to my height. Have you ever met with this opinion?

hi!! i would like to have a confirmation for the obiage part ... actually i'm making a cosplay of princess peach in kimono (mario kart tour version) i haven't find an interesting obiage so i have to sew it .... i hav calculate for 6cm width at the end is it right if i unfold it i have 30cm width? the 6 cm + 2/3 of the 6 (the last fold ) multiplicated by 3 because yo first fold it 1/3 and 1/3 ( so (6+(2/3*6))*3 ) or am i wrong? and for the length something like 1m50 is ok or not? i'm a bit worry i need to finish it for next 10th july --'

Very helpful, Billy! I'm planning to head out this week-end to see the cherry blossoms in my area (this season came very early, I hope there's still some left!), and I was about to look up some kitsuke tips and somehow you read my mind! I definitely will use this as a reference going into the future. Thank you! Also, I love that orange and white nagajuban, I'll have to find a pattern like that somewhere for next year (*￣▽￣)b

Recently I've seen some people go forego the emon completely. Are they just from a different kimono school?

Thank you so much! I have been practicing kitsuke by myself for a few years now and I never came across a lot of these tips. I am very hourglass shaped but also very thin so I always find kimono to look strange on me without padding but this is all super helpful♡

I know I need better ties. Can the clip belt be made? I'm plus-size and in USA so I've been sewing my own Kimono.....Or can I buy the clip blet for very large girls?🤔

Very helpful, thank you very much! 💙 why dont you start a webshop tho? A korin belt is nowhere to be found here (Belgium) and would love to buy from you. Maybe consider selling basics around the world?

Thank you sooo much for taking the time to make this video. I tend to make hems touch the top of the foot but not much longer/lower as I don't want my hem to drag on the ground. Many of my kimono events are outside and I am terrified of ruining my collection, or someone else's, by getting it muddy. I still struggle with the erisuke but I will try this method to tie it. One of my biggest issues is the ohashori which looks frumpy no matter what I do as I'm chunky and have a belly even with padding and compression garments. I'll have to see if I can get a lesson to understand how to work with my body! I think the biggest beginner mistake I see is people pulling the back of the collar against the back of their necks rather than give it space to "breath." Doing this one thing improves their comfort and appearance imho.

This helped enormously. I'm making kimono for dolls, and your channel is the best source online! I do have a question. I'm one of those over abundant busty types. Ages ago, in the '80s a cousin said some Japanese women will wear an elastic wrap or chest binder to keep a flatter profile, and that it was Always recommend for European women when wearing kimono for formal events. Is this still a thing?

I know this Ritter Sport! 😀

Very informative video. Thank you for blessing us with content, queen 🎉 👑 🎊 #queenmatsunaga #matsunagaclan #kimonodivas #billyfansunite ❤

I have several kimonos, length wise they are my size yet none of them fits me at the hips, so I wear them like long coats :')

похоже я всегда завязывала подол слишком высоко, а вниме он бывает чуть ли не до середины икры, особенно если девушка делает какую-то работу по дому или активно двигается, так что я думала что до лодыжки нормально

I know this isn't really related to the video but is it wrong to want to become a Geisha. I'm not Japanese, I'm not a resident of Japan, I don't live in Japan currently, I'm transgender (hardly any male Geisha), I'm on the spectrum, I don't currently know Japanese, and I have zero connections. If there is even a chance of being able to pursue a career as a Geisha, what would you recommend I do?