Photography by: Anna Reagan Photography
Did you know that one of my favorite garments to wear is a kimono duster? I love the versatility of styling that this garment possesses. It also speaks to one of my most favorited personal style traits of, “easy elegance.” I like pieces that have traits of elegance but can also work for everyday wear, and the kimono duster provides me with that aspect beautifully. I also like garments that provide great fluidity. It just gives me an overall feel of regal romanticism and femininity that I often try to embody with my wardrobe. You would think that since I love them so much that I would have a closet full of them. Surprisingly, I don’t. I only own 3, including this one. I rotate these throughout my seasonal capsules. One of them doubles as a dress, which also gives me the ability to restyle it in multiple ways. You can check this particular piece out here.
I acquired this vintage beauty from a good friend of mine who is a bonified vintage connoisseur. She occasionally has these vintage garage sales to purge her insanely large inventory of vintage goodies. She used to have an online shop but has since gotten rid of it. These garage sales are always full of past treasures that’ll have any vintage lover geeking. Every time that I would go, I would always be in search of kimono dusters. Each time I would leave with a handful of goodies, but none of them were kimonos. Excited about my new pieces, but bummed about not being able to find the one piece that I really wanted, I would always put a little bug in her ear that if she was ever out thrifting for herself and she found one, to let me know.
On one of my visits to check out her new home, catch up, sip her famous coffee, and exclusively shop some random picks that she thought that I would love, my kimono dreams became reality. As I tried on the few pieces that she had picked out or me, I again mentioned about finding a kimono duster. She told me that she didn’t have any in her inventory, but then pulled out this beauty from her personal closet. Reluctant to give it away, because I mean look at it, she gifted it to me as a late birthday gift. I was too hype! Now I don’t know if this was planned or if she just got tired of hearing me talk about it, but either way, I was excited. Knowing her, it was probably more of the later, but hey, it’s perfectly ok, lol.
With an ornate design of a cascading dragon that snaked the back, this was truly a treasure of the orient. The obvious origin of Asia’s cultural influence and the celebration of the Chinese New Year with their significant dragon was a great nod to the traditional or original kimono. The satin and silk composition added such a luxe and rich feel to the look. x 2 came from the bonus feature of this piece. I didn’t show this via my pictures, but it is reversible! What? Not only did I get a bomb kimono, but I also got 2 for FREE! The other side has the same design as the front, but it’s in black. You can see where I folded the front of the kimono to create flaps to feature a small black trim along the front. Perfection!
I decided to keep the outfit simple by pairing it with one of my favorite bodysuits that features a front racer style and a pair of tan joggers from my latest shopping obsession, Ava Giselle Collection. They are a non-sustainable, small, black-owned business. If you missed the post on how I sustainably navigate this non-sustainable brand, and why I love it, check this post out here. I garnished this look with my favorite, gold accessories and felt great about this addition to my wardrobe. Leave your thoughts on this look below, and let me know how you like to style your kimono duster if you own one. If you haven’t subscribed to my newsletter yet, you’re probably unaware of the exclusivity that my crew receives. It’s never too late to join, so you can easily subscribe here! If you’re looking for a more personalized option for finding your most wanted items on your shopping list, Book my Personal Shopping package here! If you want to chat first, let’s schedule your FREE 15 min. Garb Chat here. As always, the appreciation of you being here is great! Until next time, Be Guiltless about your Garb!
A Tip from your Stylist
When you purchase pieces that provide you with dual function to your wardrobe, you increase your styling options greatly. A part from those special pieces that we purchase for very specific occasions, we should always be able to re wear our pieces in different ways. A piece with only 1 styling option in your wardrobe is a waste of time and money.
Her Guiltless Garb
Kimono: Vintage / Bodysuit: Francescas / Joggers: Ava Giselle Collection / Necklace: Ellie Vail / Hoops: gifted
