Silk Kimono Robe
One of the most desirable souvenirs from Japan is a luxurious silk kimono robe, but if you’ve been to any of the Japanese department stores such as Isetan you would have been bowled over looking at the extortionate prices they can run to, especially the hand-painted robes. If you are also of typical Western size and not of dainty Japanese stature you also might have struggled to find one that fits well. There are tourist outlets such as the popular one in Omotesando, Tokyo (near Harajuku/Yoyogi/Shibuya) but the choice and quality in such places can be not quite as good as you might like.
So it’s good news that you can order silk kimono robes on the internet, without having to force your husband to trawl the shops in the last hours of his business trip to Japan! Here are justgoeast.com’s top five picks for the discerning woman:
Hand-Painted Kimono
This hand-painted pink kimono is, in our opinion, the most feminine and elegant of three 100% silk designs in the same style offered by The House of Silk. The understated floral motifs on the upper left and lower right quadrants areas reflect balance and harmony, and a further motif on the rear is a nice touch. The same company offers a sexier black design with larger hand-painted motif and a somewhat bright purple design, too, so check them out too if that’s the look you’re going for.
Buy this if you’re looking for: a traditional Asian look and feel; a hand-painted design; an air of feminine elegance.
More details about this robe/how to buy
Silk Dressing Gown Kimono
I’ve thrown this wildcard into the selection for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s a unisex gown – so you can wrap hubby in it too! Secondly, because of the price; it’s the cheapest of all of the kimonos here. This is mainly because it is produced in Thailand out of a silk blend, meaning it is a composite of silk with other similar fabrics (so purists look away now!). Still, I like the design, the price and its practical unisex use, so I think it’s worthy of inclusion in this round-up.
Buy this if you’re looking for: practicality rather than knockout sensuality; an affordable kimono robe for everyday bedroom/bathroom/housewear.
More details about this gown/how to buy
Sexy Black Kimono
Different yet again is this third offering from House of Silk. The Asian flowery design goes out the window with this knockout plain sexy number. You can’t beat black to flatter the figure and help a girl radiate sensuality, and this slinky little number presses all the right buttons. One point to note: like the previous pick, it’s not 100% pure silk, but a 50-50 blend with artificial fabrics, so bear this in mind. A plus for this kimono robe is that it comes in a good range of sizes, none of this “one size fits all” lottery you find with other robes.
Buy this if you’re looking for: an air of sexy elegance; a more “westernised” robe without floral designs; something to fit us larger ladies.