Zen and Japanese Home and Garden

In case you are not familiar with the summer version of the kimono – also known as the Japanese Yukata - now is the perfect time to learn.  With the warm weather approaching, a yukata is the perfect robe for lounging around the pool, after a shower, or just relaxing at home.  These cotton robes are designed to look similar to a kimono, but without the formality of silk.  Because they are made from cotton, these delightful robes use patterns that are lighter and less saturated with color, making them the perfect accessory for summer.

Shaped like a capital “T” with wide arms in an angular pattern, the Japanese yukata is designed to be worn loosely, but it can also be cinched together with a matching fabric sash.  Like a traditional kimono, the hem of most yukatas falls about 56” long, skimming the ankle. But unlike the kimono, the Yukata is not worn in formal ceremonies.  It is more likely to be worn after a bath or as a stylish cover-up when sitting by the pool. 

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Spring may have just begun, but in the fashion world it is already fall.  So don’t feel guilty if you’re sights are set on summer.  Now is the time to start putting together the primary pieces of your summer wardrobe, and for many women that will include a Kimono robe dress. 

If you’ve never worn a Kimono robe dress or its lighter-weight cousin, the Yukata, then you are in for a treat.  These comfortable and colorful robes are a hallmark of Japanese culture, and one of the most recognizable articles of clothing in all of Asia.  While they may not be quite as common in Western cultures, many women are starting to embrace their versatile good looks. 

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A fashionable woman is always looking for that “signature” item that will define her style for the coming season.  Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind handbag, a beautiful handmade pendant or a stunning silk scarf, this single accessory can dictate the colors she chooses for a seasonal wardrobe while giving her a unique sense of style.  The addition of Shibori silk scarves can do wonders for a woman’s spring fashion ensembles. These beautiful hand-dyed works of “wearable art” can jazz up a monochromatic outfit or act as the finishing touch that ties various pieces together.

Unlike many other popular accessories for women, Shibori silk scarves are not mass-produced; each scarf is a one-of-a-kind creation that is hand-made by the artist, one at a time.  The Japanese word “shibori” refers to the art of dying cloth by binding, folding, stitching, and twisting the fibers.  Because each of these beautiful shibori silk scarves is unique, you will never find anyone wearing the exact same scarf. 

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Until you watch the video now being shown at ChopaTV and on Chopa.com, it is easy to think of Japanese kimono robes as “just another piece of clothing”.  Despite the fact that the word “kimono” actually means “thing to wear”, these stylish and colorful robes are anything but ordinary.   

You may be wondering, “How are Japanese kimono robes and yukatas so different than other robes or loungewear?” 

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Some of the most unique jewelry in the world is not made of precious stones and gold; it is made of porcelain, silver, bamboo and natural fibers. That’s why women who like to accessorize with jewelry are so attracted to the fine Tibetan jewelry by Chopa.

The extraordinary Zen Buddhist jewelry found at Chopa.com is filled with some of the most enduring Tibetan symbols.  Some of these symbols remind us to live fully in the moment in every part of our lives.  Whether you choose a bamboo pendant or an eco-friendly art glass piece, it is the symbolic nature of this jewelry that makes it truly unique.

A “Tree of Life” pendant made of warm earth stone is a metaphor for a lively spirit, and is based on the artist’s original drawings.  It is strung onto a 16” silver-colored nylon cable with a silver-plated lobster clasp closure. 

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