Hello, I have a weird question but maybe you can answer it. When I was a teenager I was gifted a yukata and taught to tie the obi to make it look like a bow. That was cute then, but now that I'm in my mid 30s I wonder if this is still appropriate. Are there other ways to tie the obi of a yukata that are maybe a bit more mature ? I love wearing my yukata, but I'm starting to get self-conscious about maybe being too old for that… (I only wear it for matsuri in Japan so it's not like it's often, but it makes me even more self-conscious because I am very clearly not Japanese so I don't want to look ridiculous.) Thank you !
Hi fellow mid-30's kimono wearer :D It's true some styles can feel a bit weird depending on ages.
Though nothing truly forbids you to keep wearing bunko musubi, if you don't feel confortable with a bow knot or its variations (for ex. this one or this one?), don't despair! there are many (like MANY) other knots which would work with your age and "status" :D
If you wish for something classical, I'd recommend:
Kai no kuchi musubi (clam mouth knot) - a super all purpose knot, worn by women and men alike. It's been around for ages and never went out of style!
Ronin musubi (ronin knot) or katabasami - unisex knots that have been around for a long time too, pretty sturdy and chic.
Karuta musubi (card knot) - easy to tie and quite flat so perfect if you have to ride a car/train or sit on Western chairs.
Taiko musubi (drum knot) or tsunodashi musubi (also called Ginza musubi) - you can fake those ones (usually tied with wider obi) with a hanhaba obi, see examples here and here.
More on the novelty side :
Kamifusen musubi (paper balloon knot) - a more whimsical knot but could still work depending on your style. It asks for preparation but it's very cute :)
Neko mimi musubi (cat ears knot) - there are many variations, with or without hanhaba obi - look at this one for ex
Not-tied obi, a super modern way of wearing obi. Ayaaya has a lot a those, check for example this one and look at her socials for more (especially "frilly" variations)
Any variations of what I call the "waterfall" musubi, where obi ends are elegantly arranged thanks to elastique belts. It's super fashionable atm, see it shown step by step on Billy Matsunaga's channel.
To go further, searching for "hanhaba obi musubi" will gives you a lot of other ideas ;)
Hope it helps, and that you'll have a lot of fun at matsuri!
