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Upon first starting out with kimono, you are likely overwhelmed with choice. What do you need? Where do you start? Can I buy this? Is it okay to wear that?
If you are feeling stuck & confused, know that it’s okay and your feelings are valid. With varying opinions, different kitsuke schools & everyone saying something else, it’s understandable.

Which obijime do I recommend you should purchase for your first one(s)?
Go with something simple, preferably a casual obijime. These will be the ones you will get the most wear out of and are the easiest to coordinate when you first start out.
As tempting as it is, please try to avoid picking something that looks fancy. The kimono that will go along with that are likely not the easiest to start out with. Do some good old research, see what is actually worn with specific formality levels of kimono and go from there.
I would also encourage you to avoid anything that has a specific season for now, due to limitation in wearability. It’s fine if it has motifs for multiple seasons on it, this will allow you to wear it more.
Obijime with a single or two colours will allow you to mix and match with many kimono & obi, now ánd in the future. Colour wise, with the exception of full black(!), pick whatever you fancy. My very first obijime was blue because that is my favourite colour.

How do you select your obijime that matches your (first) kimono outfit?
Obijime are accessories that should ideally match both your kimono & obi, meaning that it’s likely that both of these items are selected before the obiage sash & obijime.
Coordinating kimono is a process that can be very enjoyable and something you are able to pour lots of creativity into once you get the hang of it. More info on how to coordinate your obijime is available *here*.

What are the things that you should pay attention to?
Two things come to mind, seasonality and formality. These will indicate when during the year and with what kimono you can wear the obijime. These “rules” will help you out as rough guideline but aren’t super strict.
Formality and its different levels within the world of kimono but something that we don’t think much about in our daily lives these days. From going to a café with friends to milestone celebrations like weddings and everything in between. You can find the article on formality *here*.
The second point is seasonality. When something is appearing in nature, you wear kimono with that specific motif on it until it stops appearing. Summer items are more airy for the cool breeze to flow. Lots of blossoms are worn in Spring, whereas leaves are popular for Autumn. Some items have no specific season and can be worn whenever you fancy.
The article on seasonality can be found *here*.

Do obijime have measurements?
Just like with kimono, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all. Even within the same formality there is a difference as a lot of them are hand braided.
The way some obijime are braided also offer some stretch which means that the range of people who can wear it is bigger.
The article on measurements can be found *here*.

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