Let's Appreciate Kimono!

This may have been the first time I've ever been emotionally moved by a piece of clothing (unless you count the Louis Vuitton bag I bought at my local pawn shop.  But that emotion was different).  

So often, I see kimono designs that are exquisitely precise and detailed.  They are gorgeous.  But when I rounded the corner to see if my local, kimono shop had changed their display kimono, I literally gasped out loud. 

Note the long sleeves.  This is a furisode kimono, worn by a young, unmarried woman, for a formal
occasion (since I am married, this is not a kimono for me.  Sad).  The obi is hanging to the right.

Without a doubt, this is the most beautiful kimono that I- in my limited experience- have ever seen.  Techniques similar to those used in watercolor painting create a stunning work of textile art.

Bottom, left hem detail.  Shades of sea glass fade to ink.

Dreamy ripples are accompanied by the detailing on the obi, of proud sailing ships with snapping pennants.

A very foreign element on a very national form of dress.

While the obi complements the kimono to perfection, I was having a hard time imagining a young woman wearing such a pattern.  Something about the combination seemed off.  So I asked a friend, who confirmed my hunch.  The obi's more subdued colors and maturity of subject matter don't seem to belong to the kimono's targeted age demographic (remember, the long sleeves are for the young and unmarried).  In general, according to Kimono: Fashioning Culture (and my friend),  age-appropriate color choices begin with the almost-gaudy combinations for children, and gradually fade to the soft colors acceptable for older woman.  The ocean kimono- with its vivid teal, chartreuse, and indigo- is in the perfect color range for a young, unmarried woman.  The obi, with its mauve, persimmon, and lilac, would be better suited to a more mature lady. 

As for the occasion on which one could wear the ocean kimono, my friend tells me this pattern is appropriate for a very limited range of activities.  Tea Ceremony, or perhaps a koto (stringed instrument) performance, make the "acceptable occasion" list.