My Big Modeling Debut in the Fashion World

During the rehearsal

Okay, so maybe it wasn't a big debut and I don't know if you can count kimono as being in the "fashion world," but I did model.

I know a family who owns a kimono shop and school in Omura. Ladies take classes to learn how to dress themselves (beginner) and others (intermediate) in kimono. Last weekend each level had tests and one of the test-takers for the intermediate test needed a model, so the family called on me. I don't really know why, they know plenty of people (really, this is probably the most well-connected family in Omura), but they asked for me. Regardless of the reason, how could I turn it down?

Me and my friend who also modeled

Sunday morning, despite my fever (I caught a cold, I made it through all of winter and it's dreadful flu season unscathed, but I catch a cold in May, go figure), I went to the school.  First I got my hair done.  They teased it and poofed it, used gel and hairspray. I really had no idea what to expect before I looked in the mirror, but it turned out pretty cool. Next came my make-up, just some eye shadow, eye liner, blush and lipstick. I also put on my brown contacts I got in Korea. (I also got green and blue, but brown is supposed to make my eyes look bigger, so I thought that would be fun. It was.)

Finally came the kimono. There are so many layers and elements to kimono, it's pretty cool, but also seems kind of tiresome. The kimono was a very traditional Japanese-y print. It was beautiful! The knot in the back was really cool too, looks hard to do.

Two of my Japanese friends and also
the daughters of the shop owners

Finally came the modeling. I had to walk on a stage, pose, go right, pose, turn and show the back, repeat on the left side and one last pose in the middle before retuning to the back. It was pretty nerve wracking and I thinks it's safe to say I was not the most graceful model of the bunch (5 girls) and that's being generous. But that's okay! They weren't judging me, just the kimono. 

It was really like being on Project Runway. After everyone went individually, they brought everyone out and the test-takers were asked to comment on their work and then answered questions from the judges. We were also asked to make some comments, I said it was fun. My Japanese is not so hot when I'm sick, my brain can't handle it I think, so I kept it simple.

While the judges tallied scores, some of the teachers at the school competed (for fun) in obi (sash) tying race. It was really cool and very impressive.

My team didn't win and I don't actually know if the lady who dressed me passed, but I assume she did because I looked great!
It would be cool to do it again next year and maybe I'll take a class or two. It would be fun to know how to tie obi and such.

Two of the boy ALTs modeled yukata (summer kimono),
but it wasn't part of the competition.