THE KIMONO Traditional wear, nightclothes, or cultural appropriation?

Abstract

This thesis hopes to investigate how the kimono has gone from being everyday wear in Japan, to loungewear in the West. A brief historic overview of the kimono, both in Japan and in Europe will be given, as well as how the garment is worn today. I will also delve into the semantic shift of the word kimono in both Japanese and English, to investigate how the meaning of the word has changed historically. The concept of cultural appropriation will also be discussed, in relation to the kimono. These things will be explained with the help of various books, articles, and a self-conducted survey, in which the contemporary views of both Japanese and non-Japanese people will be given. Finally, the results of my findings as well as the survey will be given, and a discussion will be had concerning the modern view of the kimono, as well as its place in the context of cultural appropriation.