Kimono with Glasses, Short Hair or Long Hair: Styling Choices That Look Right
Styling a kimono with glasses, short hair, long hair or curls: which frames work, the hairstyles a rental shop does in 15 minutes, and how men style it.
Sep 14, 2026·✍️ olablog·⏱ 6 min read
Styling a kimono with glasses, short hair, long hair or curls: which frames work, the hairstyles a rental shop does in 15 minutes, and how men style it.
Two things people worry about before a kimono day are their glasses and their hair. Neither is a problem. Glasses with a kimono are an ordinary sight in Japan; a professional hair set turns any length into something that suits the collar in fifteen minutes; and the men's styling question has a one-line answer. This guide goes through the choices so you can decide before you reach the mirror.
Glasses
A kimono's line is vertical and its collar frames the face, so the frame that works is one that does not fight that.
| Frame | With kimono | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Thin metal, round or oval | Excellent | Reads as classic; the Taisho-era look |
| Thin black or tortoiseshell rectangular | Good | Modern and clean; suits a Kimono Ren pattern |
| Thick, bright or oversized frames | Distracting | The frame competes with the collar and hair ornaments |
| Sunglasses | For a modern shot only | A Design Furisode with sunglasses is a deliberate style; a Houmongi with sunglasses is not |
If you wear glasses daily and want photos without them, bring contact lenses for the shoot and put the glasses in the drawstring bag; the bag is large enough. If you keep them on, ask the hair stylist to leave the sides of the hair clear of the temples so the frames sit flat, and to fix ornaments above the ear rather than behind it.
Hair: what the shop can do in 15 minutes
The hair set (¥1,500) at OlaChill's Tokyo Asakusa and Kyoto Kiyomizu shops is done at the counter after dressing and takes 10 to 15 minutes. The DECO option (¥1,100) adds unlimited accessories: flowers, kanzashi pins, ribbons and cords, chosen to match the kimono. Makeup (¥5,000) is a separate option.
Long hair. The classic updo: hair twisted and pinned at the crown or nape, leaving the neck bare, which is the point; the kimono collar is worn back from the nape to show it. A half-up with a large flower is the softer alternative. Both survive wind for hours.
Medium hair (shoulder length). A low bun with pieces pinned, or a side twist. Enough length for an updo with padding, which the stylist adds.
Short hair (bob, pixie). No updo needed, and short hair with a kimono looks sharp and modern. The stylist sets the shape with product, tucks one side behind the ear and adds a single ornament above it. A bob with a straight fringe and a Komongi in a small pattern is one of the best-looking combinations in the shop.
Curly hair. Curls are gathered rather than straightened: a loose high bun with curls left out at the sides, or a full half-up. Do not straighten for the day; the humidity will win.
Very long or very thick hair. Say so when booking; the stylist allows more time and more pins.
Fringes and faces
A fringe is fine and common. Swept to the side it suits a formal set; straight across suits a small-pattern casual kimono. Round faces benefit from height at the crown; long faces from width at the sides (a half-up with volume). The stylist will suggest; say if you have a preference.
Ornaments: less than you think
One large ornament or two small ones. The kimono pattern, the obi and the collar are already busy, and hair that matches the flowers on the kimono looks like a set; hair in a contrasting colour (a red flower on a blue kimono) looks intentional. With DECO you can try more and take some out.
Men
Men's kimono styling is the hair you arrived with, neat. Short hair is combed; longer hair is tied low at the nape. No ornaments. A hat is not worn with a kimono, and sunglasses look best with the Montsuki (¥10,000) in a formal, modern shot. Beards are fine. Glasses are fine.
Makeup
Kimono makeup is matte skin, defined brows, a soft red or coral lip and little contour; the collar and hair frame the face and heavy makeup fights them. If you do your own, keep the lip in the kimono's colour family. The shop's makeup option is done after dressing so nothing transfers to the collar.
Plan your styling
- Decide the kimono first; the hair and ornaments follow its colours.
- Arrive with clean, dry, unstyled hair, no heavy product.
- Bring contact lenses if you want photos without glasses.
- Tell the stylist your preference in three words: "up," "half," or "leave it."
- Ornaments: one large or two small.
Checklist
- Hair washed and dry
- Contact lenses or the glasses you want in photos
- Hair tie and a few pins of your own for the walk home if you keep the kimono overnight
- No necklace; earrings are fine and small ones photograph well
FAQ
Can I keep my hair down? Yes. Loose long hair over a kimono collar is a modern look and the shop will simply tidy it; for photos, it hides the collar line that the dresser worked on, so half-up is the compromise.
Will the hair set survive a full day? An updo pinned by the shop lasts until you take it down. A half-up lasts most of a day with a little tidying.
Can I bring my own hair accessories? Yes; the stylist will work them in. Kanzashi bought in Nakamise or on Sannenzaka the same morning are the usual souvenir.
Do you style children's hair? Yes, for girls in the kimono set (¥8,000): a simple half-up with a flower.
What about a furisode? Furisode hair is bigger: a high updo with several ornaments, and the DECO option is made for it. See the Coming of Age Day and furisode guide.
Book with hair set and DECO
Add the hair set and DECO when you reserve at the Tokyo Asakusa shop or the Kyoto Kiyomizu shop; the timing is in how long dressing takes, and every style is on the kimono rental page.
