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Bridal Overgarment (Uchikake)

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Kimono

Title: Bridal Overgarment (Uchikake)

Material:

embroidered silk

Place of Origin: Japan

Date: Shōwa Period, 20^th century

Height(in): 60.00	Width(in): 53.50
	Depth(in): 3.00

Credit: gift of the Sexton-Kraus Family

Object No.: 1995.016.001

In Japan, the bride's traditional wedding ensemble includes a heavy overgarment called an uchikake that is worn loosely over a white wedding kimono and obi sash. The uchikake developed around the 11th or 12th century as a ceremonial garment worn by high-ranking women of the samurai class over kosode, the standard dress of women, regardless of class, that was the forerunner of today's kimono. It continued as such into the 17th or 18th century when it began to be regarded more and more as a wedding garment.

Uchikake are often called "wedding kimonos" by Westerners, but the design of the garment and the manner in which it is worn differ from those of kimono. The uchikake, with its thickly padded hem, is meant to trail along the floor behind the bride and for that reason is typically longer than the bride is tall. Even in the past uchikake, despite being overgarments, were seldom worn out-of-doors, but were restricted to the raised floors of residential interiors where outdoor footwear was removed before entering. Auspicious emblems of felicitations adorn bridal uchikake, and are carefully chosen to enhance the bride's image of gentility, grace and femininity.

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