Long Kimono

Long Kimono Robes That Fall to the Ankle

An ankle hem changes the way you move through a morning. You cross the kitchen and the fabric follows half a step behind, brushing your calf, settling again when you stop at the kettle. Here at Zen Kimono, the Long Kimono collection is built around that long, flowy hem, so one long kimono covers pajamas at seven, a swimsuit at noon and jeans by dinner. Enough fabric to feel dressed without dressing up, and easy enough to become the piece of clothing you reach for most days.

Why a long kimono is worth the extra fabric

Extra length is built into the kimono itself. A traditional kimono is made longer than the wearer, and Japanese women wear the extra length folded at the hips, in a tuck called ohashori.

We kept the generosity and skipped the fold. Our versions borrow that long line from the Japanese kimono, but the length on the hanger is the length you wear: nothing to tuck, and no lesson needed in how to tie it. Call it a floor length kimono, a maxi robe, a dressing gown or a duster. Same idea: a hem aimed at your ankle.

Shorter kimonos flutter. Long ones sway. A midi stops at mid calf, while a kimono long enough to reach your ankles covers more and draws one long, flattering silhouette. Somewhere between a bathrobe and a cardigan grabbed in a hurry, one good long robe ends up doing a lot of jobs in a wardrobe.

There is no thick terry cloth, fleece or flannel here, so it still feels right in July.

Long kimono robes, open cardigans and prints

• Long kimono robe styles to wrap over sleepwear, a nightgown or your softest loungewear.
• Long open kimono cardigans, worn hanging straight like a longline sweater without the heavy knit. Want that open front cropped at the hip? Our Kimono Cardigan collection carries both lengths.
• Long kimonos for women in a range of prints: floral design leads, followed by the crane motif, quiet solids, geometric patterns and intricate scenic prints.
• Pieces for men and women, though most are cut as a womens long kimono and only a few are men's styles.

Long kimono fabrics at full length

Across the long kimono robes here you will find four fabrics, and each one handles length in its own way.

Satin gets the most out of a long hem: its smooth face runs unbroken from collar to ankle, so one lamp lays a pale gleam down the whole garment. It is our closest cousin to a silk robe, with the glow of silk satin and far less fuss than a silk kimono. Long silky panels slide over each other when you sit, and once wrapped, the neckline settles into a soft v neck. A satin robe at ankle length feels like an occasion, even on a Tuesday.

Rayon is soft and fluid, and its drape swings with each step. Cotton breathes and stays matte and familiar on warm nights; a cotton robe is the one to grab after bathing. Polyester is the practical friend of the four, and a good canvas for a bold floral print. The warmth is light: right for early autumn mornings, not for snow.

How to wear a long kimono

• Over pajamas: wrap it over whatever nightwear you slept in, plaid pajama pants included, and a slow morning suddenly looks put together. Slippers are all the footwear it needs.
• Over swimwear: it turns into a cover up long enough to hide denim shorts on the walk back from the water. Over a bikini it hangs like a kaftan, a little boho. Add metallic sandals, a Turkish towel and not much else.
• Over jeans: leave it open over one of your simple tops, a striped tee or a white blouse. It sits just as well over linen trousers, skirts or a sleeveless maxi dress. It is not heavy outerwear, but on a mild evening it can stand in for the light jackets and blazers you would usually grab.
• Belted: pull a woven sash or an obi belt from your drawer and tie a loose knot at the waist for shape. Or leave it open for easy layering; it can be worn both ways.
• Less length for heat: on the hottest days, a Short Kimono stops higher and keeps the same easy kimono style.

Where a long kimono robe fits your week

A slow Sunday of lounging. Coffee in the good mug, a satin long kimono robe over your pajamas, its hem pooled on the rug while you read. You push a kimono sleeve up to the elbow to reach the toast.

A weekend away, or a longer trip to Japan: a few nights in Tokyo, then Kyoto. One long kimono rolls into your bag and comes out for slow hotel mornings and the walk back from a hot spring, then goes over a plain dress at night.

A bridal morning, yours or a best friend's. The bride sits for hair in a soft floral kimono robe over a slip with lace trim, the bridesmaids in theirs, while the room fills with coffee cups and nervous laughter. For weddings and other special occasions, our Kimono Dress collection carries that feeling into the dinner afterward.

Long kimono sizing and layering

Do you have a plus size long kimono?

Yes. The sized styles go up to 4XL or 5XL, and many others come in one size.

What goes underneath something this long?

Anything that sits close to the body: pajamas, lingerie, a swimsuit, jeans with a plain top. Keep that layer simple and let the kimono be the part people notice.

Take your time with the florals, the cranes and the solids. Somewhere in our Long Kimono collection is the one you will want to wrap up in, and once it is on your shoulders, it will follow you from room to room, half a step behind.