My New Love Affair with Kimonos & How I Like to Wear Them

I have to admit, last year I wasn’t that crazy about kimonos. They kind of look like a dress—or worse, a robe—and the whole dress with shorts thing just didn’t look right to me. But like with many other trends, seeing everyone else wear kimonos over and over again started to wear me down, especially when I saw the way my favorite fashion bloggers were styling them. I started to like them a teeny bit…and then I got my first one, and I had to have another…and another—and now I’m obsessed!

So, why do I love kimonos so much? They add color, style and flair to outfits that would otherwise be kind of plain. Also they are perfect in the spring, when I want to wear a cami and shorts but it’s just too cold. They will be great for summer too, when I head indoors into freezing air conditioning. This year instead of carrying a boring sweater around for all those air-conditioned buildings, I can wear a gorgeous kimono instead! Also, I personally love wearing itsy bitsy Daisy Duke shorts and I never want to give them up, but sometimes I feel like they are not modest enough for a woman my age. So when I throw a kimono over my tiny outfit, I get the best of both worlds—I still get to dress like Daisy Duke, but my rear end isn’t hanging out for everyone to see 🙂

How to Wear A Kimono

My favorite way to wear a kimono is open and untied, over a simple tank top and frayed denim shorts. The busier the kimono, the more simple the rest of the outfit needs to be. If my kimono has a loud print, I’m going to wear a solid colored top and shorts underneath. This gives the kimono a chance to shine and be the focal point of the outfit.

I’ve also noticed that my sweet spot for a kimono is about midi length. That gives it enough length to look pretty and flowy, but not so much that it looks like a bathrobe. Also I tend to like ones that have no ties and just hang open, or that tie right under the chest, in the front. The ones that wrap around and tie at the waist tend to look too much like a house robe—and I don’t think I’ll be wearing that around town!

So anyway, let’s get to it…here are my favorite ways to wear a kimono:

Boho Print Kimono

I’m totally in love with boho prints this season, and I just adore spicing up a very simple neutral look with a boho kimono. It’s such an easy way to to boost your style up a notch. You can shop this look here.

Sheer Kimono

I love the soft, airy feel of a sheer chiffon kimono. This one comes in a gorgeous boho print and it’s only $15! I love how it looks over jean shorts, but I will also wear it over a white bikini this summer on the beach. You can shop this look here.

Black Lace Kimono

I don’t wear black that often, but when I saw this lace kimono I knew I had to have it. I decided to pair it with pink denim shorts to make the outfit a little more fun, but it would be super cute with regular jean shorts too. You can shop this look here .

White Lace Kimono

I loved my black lace kimono so much that I had to have a white lace one too. I paired the white lace with regular denim jean shorts and added a pink cami to give the outfit a little pop of color. You can shop this look here.

Kimono Swim Cover-Up

This sheer floral kimono looked like it would make a gorgeous beach cover-up, so I wore it over a bikini with wedge heels when I went to Jamaica a few months ago. I really loved the look and got many compliments. You can shop this look here.