[Evolution of furisode fashion from the 1950′s to 2020′s], handy charts by shop KomonoHana. Please note that the trends shown and describe here are the most notable evolutions - that doesn’t mean everybody was following those trends to the T ;)
1950-1970′s - Showa style
After wwii, a new era began for kimono, trying to recover from harships of wartime. Prototype of modern Seijin no hi was held for the first time in 1946. The economic miracle made possible for ordinary households to own or at least rent furisode outfits, which were in the past mostly only affordable for wealthy families.
Style favored bold embroidery with gold foil etc, and vivid oranges and emerald greens were very popular colors.
New methods and rules for kitsuke/dressing appeared as many people didn’t have the knowledge/means to dress in traditional furisode attire as before:
=> Expensive and heavy maru obi fell out of fashion, and fukuro obi became the norm (only patterned on one side, they are cheaper and easier to produce).
=> Costly and cumbersome layered kimono called kasane also disappeared, replaced by decorative collar called date eri mimicing layers.
1980-1990′s - Bubble style
The economic bubble from that decade saw a big demand for consumer products. Same went for kimono items.
Demand for embroidery and gold foil decreased, but glossy rinzu (raised ground patterned fabric) was super popular. Small scattered patterns were a staple of the period.
Fukuro obi also became longer, making elaborated novelty belt knots possible (before that era, bunko, or fukura suzume for example were the norm).
1990-2000′s - Antique kimono boom
When the economic bubble finally burst, the amount of money spent for Seijin no hi furisode dramatically decreased.
Little by little, antique kimono became fashionable. One reason, beside obvious cost, might have been the huge popularity of Akina Nakamori’s music video [DESIRE - Jônetsu]. In any case, antique/vintage kimono shops opened everywhere.
That decade liked deep, crisp ground colors. Because of the second hand popularity, patterns were often old fashioned, antique ones.
Ready to wear kimono -sometimes designed by Stars of the era- started to become available, with often the promised of being easily washable - something difficult to do with silk kimono.
2000-2010′s - In your face! Ageha’s kimono
In reaction against to “old fashion” feeling of the past decade, style became more youthful and extravagant.
Gyaru magazine [Koakuma Ageha] made the hight ponytail fashionable, and that hairdo became a staple of that style, often embelished with large floral ornaments.
Contrasting colors like white, black, and purple were very popular. More is more was everywhere, with use of glitters, rhinestones, lace, frills, fur, pearls…
The “oiran” style also saw a trend, with furisode worn sexily off shoulder with obi belt knotted up front.
2010′s-2020′s - Between classic and modern
Furisode crazed fashion trends of the past decade became a bit more quiet, and offer diversified.
“Retro modern” furisode appeared, mixing reinterpreted traditional motifs and graphic/geometrical patterns. Colors tended to be really “pop”, not afraid to mix turquoise and bright pink for example.
On the other side of the spectrum, pastel colors were also in high demand.
Hairstyles returned to more classic buns, with notable fact that braids popularity rose.
2020′s~ - Chic and Romantic
Reiwa era is still pretty young, but new trends are emerging nonetheless.
Light, natural colors are fashionable atm, such as light greys or beiges.
Busy patterns are also losing ground, as quiet, or even plain mujifurisode are becoming easier and easier to find.
Cute frilly accessories make a return, with lace, pearl, etc. It can be as headress, or for undershirt, or even gloves.
Western shoes are more and more considered acceptable.
Hairstyle are light and romantic, with loose buns sometimes decorated with dried flowers for example.
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