koshimaki 腰巻

Lit: hip wrap. Part of the formal summer attire of elite warrior women, and placed over the *katabira 帷, it was worn off the shoulders and arms, secured at the waist and loosely wrapped around the lower half of the body. Before the Edo period *uchikake 打掛 were worn in this way in the summer in a manner called koshimakisugata 腰巻姿 (waist wrap style). In the late Edo period, koshimaki were covered with auspicious designs finely embroidered on red, black or brown plain-weave silk nerinuki  練貫. In the 18th century a special obi, koshimaki-obi 腰巻帯 supported the koshimaki and extended the sleeves. By the end of the Edo period this style was standard for attendants in daimyō 大名 and shogunal households.