You call that a maiko/geiko costume? Part 2 : Geiko
I'm back for the 2nd (and final) installment of this series. I might do a "You call that an Oiran/Tayuu costume?" post if I find enough (ancient) pictures.
As a review, here's part 1 to this 2-part series. You call that a maiko/geiko costume? Part 1 : Maiko
Watch out, this is going to be a Mamechiho and Kikutsuru-fied post XD
Thanks to Onihide, ewoodham, mboogiedown, Harumei and momoyama from Flickr
Off duty geiko and senior geiko (if it is not a special occasion or performance) wear normal kimono. So if you want to cosplay as one, learn how to wear a kimono properly.
Mamechiho off duty
Junior and performing geiko, however, wear the full geiko look. Here's how to achieve that look:
1. Hair. Geiko wear wigs (katsura) in a shimada mage hairstyle, a bit similar to what brides wear (taka shimada) but not as high up in the head or as tall in the silvery ring portion as you can see below on Kikutsuru.
Erikae of Kikutsuru of Miyagawa-cho
Now there are a few stuff to delve when it comes to the hair (sometimes they style their own hair) but I don't want to elaborate on that as it will be very complicated.
2. Kimono. Normal sode (sleeve depth) length for geiko, still in hikizuri style.
Mamechiho dancing
Notice the trailing kimono and the short sleeve depth. Geiko are considered as women of marriageable age yet chose not to marry and thus assume the look of a married woman. A married woman does not wear furisode kimono so geiko do not wear furisode kimono either. Those are reserved for maiko.
Also, while maiko have tucks in their shoulders and sleeves, geiko do not have these tucks. Remember that these tucks signify that maiko are young, practically like children. However with a geiko's status as a woman, she cannot have any of these tucks anymore. She does not need them anyway, especially for the sleeves, as her sleeves are already shorter in length.
3. Obi. Geiko wear obi GENERALLY in the taiko musubi. I say generally because sometimes, they do wear the tsunodashi musubi or yanagi musubi but those are reserved for either the stage or very informal occasions.
Mamechiho's obi when she had her erikae.
4. Obiage and obijime. Obiage most of the time are red with the full get-up. Other colors (especially white and pink) come up too but during formal occasions, only red is used. Obijime are, well... just normal anyway and in any color (even for formal occasions). Unlike maiko who wear their obijime with obidome, geiko wear theirs tied normally with a square knot. Obijime for geiko are required as the taiko musubi cannot hold its shape without it. Maiko however, can forgo the obijime (especially during formal occasions since obidome are informal) since the darari obi can hold its shape without the obijime.
Kikutsuru wearing red obiage and purple obijime
5. Nagajuban. Unlike maiko who wear exclusively red juban, geiko wear red and pink and white, and rarely, sky blue. In Gion Kobu juban is one sign of independence. If you're still wearing red, then you're still dependent on your okiya. If you're wearing pink, you're already a jimae... or something like that. In Miyagawa-cho, it doesn't really matter. Complicated stuff.
Mamefuku of Gion Kobu and Mamechiho during Hassaku 2010
Geiko Yasuha of Miyagawa-cho (there's also a Yasuha from Gion Kobu) with a rare blue nagajuban.
*Gasp, it's not Mamechiho or Kikutsuru! LOL*
6. Footwear. Geta or zouri. No more okobo for geiko as once again, it is for children.
Geiko Kikumaru of Miyagawa-cho wearing zori.
*It's not Mamechiho or Kikutsuru either but Kikumaru is Kikutsuru's sister in the Hanafusa okiya (not san-san-kudo)*
Kimiha of Miyagawa-cho wearing (komachi/ukon) geta during her erikae.
*Too lazy to gasp*
Futatsuba geta on retired geiko Konomi (center) of Gion Kobu. Mamesuzu on the left and Kogiku on the right.
Futatsuba geta are actually very comfortable to walk in and are perfect for people who are flat footed.
7. Make-up.
Oshiroi of course, red and black eyebrows and eyes, red lips (NOT FULLY PAINTED, NOT RIBBON OR HEART SHAPED EITHER!), soft pink on the cheek and eye area.
8. Eri-ashi. Nihon ashi for everyday, sanbon ashi for special occasions.
Nihon ashi on Fukunao of Miyagawa-cho. Geiko paint the lines by herself.
Sanbon ashi on retired geiko Kotoha of Gion Kobu during her erikae. It is painted much lower than the ones on maiko or the nihon ashi for everyday use so that it will be seen with the katsura. Unlike the nihon ashi, sanbon ashi are painted by a make-artist who is employed only during special occasions.
9. Kanzashi. Unlike maiko, geiko wear very few ornaments on her hair, usually just 1 or 2 and a comb. If they choose to wear hanakanzashi, they're still governed by the same seasonal rules that maiko follow.
I think I've covered everything... if I have missed something I'll just add it to this post.
OMAKE
My favorite geiko(because they're just too kawaii and kirei not to post)
Mamechiho-san
Kikutsuru-san
Back to part 1: You call that a maiko/geiko costume? Part 1 : Maiko
Ookini for reading my 2 part lecture. I hope you learned lots.
As a review, here's part 1 to this 2-part series. You call that a maiko/geiko costume? Part 1 : Maiko
Watch out, this is going to be a Mamechiho and Kikutsuru-fied post XD
Thanks to Onihide, ewoodham, mboogiedown, Harumei and momoyama from Flickr
Off duty geiko and senior geiko (if it is not a special occasion or performance) wear normal kimono. So if you want to cosplay as one, learn how to wear a kimono properly.
Mamechiho off duty
Junior and performing geiko, however, wear the full geiko look. Here's how to achieve that look:
1. Hair. Geiko wear wigs (katsura) in a shimada mage hairstyle, a bit similar to what brides wear (taka shimada) but not as high up in the head or as tall in the silvery ring portion as you can see below on Kikutsuru.
Erikae of Kikutsuru of Miyagawa-cho
Now there are a few stuff to delve when it comes to the hair (sometimes they style their own hair) but I don't want to elaborate on that as it will be very complicated.
2. Kimono. Normal sode (sleeve depth) length for geiko, still in hikizuri style.
Mamechiho dancing
Notice the trailing kimono and the short sleeve depth. Geiko are considered as women of marriageable age yet chose not to marry and thus assume the look of a married woman. A married woman does not wear furisode kimono so geiko do not wear furisode kimono either. Those are reserved for maiko.
Also, while maiko have tucks in their shoulders and sleeves, geiko do not have these tucks. Remember that these tucks signify that maiko are young, practically like children. However with a geiko's status as a woman, she cannot have any of these tucks anymore. She does not need them anyway, especially for the sleeves, as her sleeves are already shorter in length.
3. Obi. Geiko wear obi GENERALLY in the taiko musubi. I say generally because sometimes, they do wear the tsunodashi musubi or yanagi musubi but those are reserved for either the stage or very informal occasions.
Mamechiho's obi when she had her erikae.
4. Obiage and obijime. Obiage most of the time are red with the full get-up. Other colors (especially white and pink) come up too but during formal occasions, only red is used. Obijime are, well... just normal anyway and in any color (even for formal occasions). Unlike maiko who wear their obijime with obidome, geiko wear theirs tied normally with a square knot. Obijime for geiko are required as the taiko musubi cannot hold its shape without it. Maiko however, can forgo the obijime (especially during formal occasions since obidome are informal) since the darari obi can hold its shape without the obijime.
Kikutsuru wearing red obiage and purple obijime
5. Nagajuban. Unlike maiko who wear exclusively red juban, geiko wear red and pink and white, and rarely, sky blue. In Gion Kobu juban is one sign of independence. If you're still wearing red, then you're still dependent on your okiya. If you're wearing pink, you're already a jimae... or something like that. In Miyagawa-cho, it doesn't really matter. Complicated stuff.
Mamefuku of Gion Kobu and Mamechiho during Hassaku 2010
Geiko Yasuha of Miyagawa-cho (there's also a Yasuha from Gion Kobu) with a rare blue nagajuban.
*Gasp, it's not Mamechiho or Kikutsuru! LOL*
6. Footwear. Geta or zouri. No more okobo for geiko as once again, it is for children.
Geiko Kikumaru of Miyagawa-cho wearing zori.
*It's not Mamechiho or Kikutsuru either but Kikumaru is Kikutsuru's sister in the Hanafusa okiya (not san-san-kudo)*
Kimiha of Miyagawa-cho wearing (komachi/ukon) geta during her erikae.
*Too lazy to gasp*
Futatsuba geta on retired geiko Konomi (center) of Gion Kobu. Mamesuzu on the left and Kogiku on the right.
Futatsuba geta are actually very comfortable to walk in and are perfect for people who are flat footed.
7. Make-up.
Oshiroi of course, red and black eyebrows and eyes, red lips (NOT FULLY PAINTED, NOT RIBBON OR HEART SHAPED EITHER!), soft pink on the cheek and eye area.
8. Eri-ashi. Nihon ashi for everyday, sanbon ashi for special occasions.
Nihon ashi on Fukunao of Miyagawa-cho. Geiko paint the lines by herself.
Sanbon ashi on retired geiko Kotoha of Gion Kobu during her erikae. It is painted much lower than the ones on maiko or the nihon ashi for everyday use so that it will be seen with the katsura. Unlike the nihon ashi, sanbon ashi are painted by a make-artist who is employed only during special occasions.
9. Kanzashi. Unlike maiko, geiko wear very few ornaments on her hair, usually just 1 or 2 and a comb. If they choose to wear hanakanzashi, they're still governed by the same seasonal rules that maiko follow.
I think I've covered everything... if I have missed something I'll just add it to this post.
OMAKE
My favorite geiko(because they're just too kawaii and kirei not to post)
Mamechiho-san
Kikutsuru-san
Back to part 1: You call that a maiko/geiko costume? Part 1 : Maiko
Ookini for reading my 2 part lecture. I hope you learned lots.