THE HAKAMA.
Socks are made with a thick cotton sole and a cover of common cotton or calico, black or white, which comes up only to the ankle-bone. They are split between the big toe and the next for holding the thong of the clogs. They are kept from coming off by two or three small metal clasps catching a cord behind the heel.
SOCKS.
Now the Japanese suit is complete. In summer we wear the yukata, or the coarse unlined cotton kimono, at home, or an unlined dress of cotton or other material with underwear when we go out. We always put on our clothes by folding the left over the right. The clothes are folded one by one, that is, the underwear is first folded left over right, over it the doublet, and lastly the kimono which, if double, are folded in pairs. The principle in putting them on is that their bands shall alternate right and left and the folds form gradations widening with the outer garments, so that from the bands one can tell the quantity of clothing a man has put on. We wind the obi over the kimono. If it is the unlined crêpe, we merely wind it round and either tuck in the ends under the folds or tie them behind; but if it is the square obi, we leave behind one end about ten inches long and winding the obi twice round, fold the other end, the tip of which is tucked under the fold, at such a length that a foot or so of the doubled end is left over. The two ends are tied together in a double knot with the two extremities slanting upward one on each side of the knot. The knot is tied behind over the spine, the obi being wound just above the hips. Over the kimono we wear the haori. The haori is neither a greatcoat nor a coat properly so called; for we wear it on all occasions and indoors, and yet we may on informal occasions take it off without breach of good manners. Indeed, a man who walks abroad without a haori would be in an entirely different position to one who goes about in shirt sleeves. The crested haori, which is invariably worn on formal occasions, is a ready means of identification; and accordingly, when we are unwilling to attract attention or to risk recognition, the uncrested is commonly put on. The hakama is worn when we have to be properly dressed, on occasions, that is to say, when one would wear a frock-coat or an evening dress; at schools and in government offices the hakama is indispensable when Japanese clothes are worn. In putting on a hakama, the front band is first brought flush with the upper edge of the obi and the ends are each passed once and half round the body and tied behind under the knot of the obi; and then the board at the back is perched over the same knot to prevent its slipping down, and the ends of its bands are tied in front.
The socks are worn with all clothes except the yukata; but many people go about barefooted, save in winter. The white is the colour worn on formal occasions; but the black is popular as it wears better than the other and does not betray the dirt when it is soiled. Only young children wear socks of other colours, such as red and yellow.
CHAPTER VIII.
FEMALE DRESS.
Attempts at Europeanisation—Difference between Japanese and foreign dresses—Expense and inconvenience of foreign dresses—Japanese dresses not to be discarded—How the female dress differs from the male—Underwear and over-band—Haori—Hakama—Obi—How to tie it—The dress-obi—The formal dress—Home-wear—Working clothes—The sameness of form—The girl’s dress—Dress and age.
