The word "kimono" consists of two parts, ki (wear) and mono (thing), thus meaning a "thing to wear".

Kimonos convey a lot of information about its wearer, such as age, personality, marital and financial status. Fabric, colour patterns, form and accessories convey this information and also show the level of formality. For instance, kimonos worn by young unmarried women have longer sleeves and usually are more elaborate.

There are many patterns of kimono for different seasons: for example, cherry blossoms for spring, bamboo or pine trees for winter.

The typical woman's kimono consists of twelve or more pieces to be worn and secured in certain ways, and usually an assistant (kimono dresser) is needed to put it on. Kimonos are always wrapped with the left side over the right, except when used as a burial garment.

Basic layout of kimono is quite simple, since it consists of only four strips of fabric, however, it takes about 10 meters of cloth to make a kimono. Historically, these hand-made silk outfits were taken apart for washing and then re-sewn again.

Silk is still considered to be ideal (and most formal) fabric for making a kimono, though nowadays cheaper synthetic materials are used too. A complete kimono outfit, including undergarments, belt (obi), socks, sandals and accessories may exceed US$10,000.

Most kimonos are standard size, and wearer’s height is of no importance, since the cloth can be tucked under obi, the belt which is tied below the woman's bosom. Obis are quite expensive part of a kimono outfit as they require a lot of time and skills to make. Obi is used both to keep the whole outfit together and to shape the woman's body so that the hip and breasts are not visible.

Some say that kimono is a comfortable garment to wear when worn correctly, others, however, note that woman cannot have a proper meal because of the tight obi.

Geishas wear a special type of kimono which exposes the nape of their neck, they are the only ones who can wear such a kimono. The other distinction of a geisha is white makeup and a decorated wig of a certain shape. Back in the days, instead of wearing the wig geishas had their hair oiled and styled, and not to mess it while sleeping they had to use special hard head support.