The design of the kimono has not changed much since its beginnings. It is like a modern bathrobe in that it opens in the front, wraps closed and is tied in place with a sash. They can be made with fabric like cotton or silk, come in different colors and can also be embroidered.
Variants of the kimono design exist. One is the yukata, a lighter kimono worn in summer. Another is the furisode, a kimono with long sleeves that unmarried women traditionally wear to special events.
The kind of sash a kimono uses is the obi, which like the kimono comes in different styles, colors and fabrics, and also can be embroidered. Unlike a bathrobe, the obi is wrapped around the person two times, then tied in the back. Differences exist between men's and women's kimonos, men's being less brightly colored and decorated than women's. One kind of obi style is the hanhaba obi, which is half as wide as other obi, and is worn at home.
The obi can be tied in various ways to form different kinds of bustles. One style of tying the obi is the cho cho musubi, which looks like a large bow tie. Another way is the taiko style obi, which looks similar to a semi-flattened, horizontal tube.
The sides of the kimono are wrapped left side first, right side second. Then the obi is tied over the kimono. Putting on a kimono and tying the obi takes practice. Another person may also be needed -- even for people who are practiced wearing a kimono.
For a kimono to be properly wrapped, married women should make the kimono’s neckline form a “U” shape at the back of their necks. Unmarried women should wrap the kimono so that the neckline forms a "V" shape at the back of the neck, and should not let their collarbones be seen.
For a properly-worn obi, married women must not tie the obi's bustle in a way that is too large or elaborate. Unmarried women wear the obi higher than unmarried women.
One accessory of the kimono for men is the pouch and the netsuke. Kimonos don’t have pockets, so the men would use separate pouches. The pouch strings pass underneath the obi, and the netsuke is tied to the ends of the strings to keep them from going back down.