Keitai to Kimono no Kaimono

That's "cell phone and kimono shopping", by the way. XD

Right-o, so long before I actually came to Japan, I had two Major Purchases I wanted to make.

Firstly, I wanted a real formal kimono, with all the trappings. Belt, cords, scarves, underkimono, sandals, the works. I already own a yukata (casual cotton summer kimono), but for most formal occasions, it's about as appropriate as a T-shirt at a wedding. Hardly satisfying when one wants to attend a tea ceremony, wedding, graduation, or the like.

And secondly, I had been informed (correctly, as it turns out) that it is virtually impossible to have a social life in Japan unless one possesses a keitai denwa, or mobile phone. So, obviously, I wanted one of those too.

( Now, my highly intelligent and thrifty Dutch mother did her very best to raise me in both of those traditions... )

Neechan Dekai!

A minor but entertaining anecdote from my day of kimono shopping:

The shirt I wore today is...flattering. Not skimpy or tight by any means; it's long sleeved, close-collared, and shows no skin at the waist. It just happens to be made of a loose weave that kind of, well, clings. It's ridiculously comfortable and perfect for the cooling autumn weather, so I threw it on this morning without a second thought.

The result? The word of the day was dekai.

( 'Mama! That girl's huge!' )