Erikae Observations

(Source: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/m12212356movie/31352359.html)

As I was flipping through images on a website about geiko, I kept noticing some girls with purple obijime for erikae (the geiko's debut). I guess that intrigued me, so I decided to look up what girls in different districts wore for erikae. They all had the same general presentation, but it was mostly the obijime and obiage that differentiated the districts.

Common factors:

• Black formal hikizuri
• Gold base obi
• Red nagajuban with gold design
• Geta (Usually senryou style, but could be toothed. A few wore zori for rainy weather.)
• White embroidered haneri
• Bekko and tama kanzashi
• Katsura with metal "wings" in back

District-specific factors (most common presentation):

• Gion Kobu (example - Kyouka)
• Red obiage with white or metallic embroidery
• White obijime
• Pontocho (example - Ichino)
• Red shibori obiage
• Purple obijime
• Miyagawacho (example - Toshimana)
• Plain red chirimen obiage
• Purple obijime
• Kamishichiken (example - Katsuru)
• Red shibori obiage
• White obijime
• Gion Higashi
• Not enough evidence to speculate

Unique factors (attributed to personal style preferences or unknown factors):

• Fukue (Miyagawacho) wore white obijime.
• Ichimomo (Kamishichiken) wore a white obiage with red embroidery.
• Hanao (shoe straps) were generally white or light pink with metallic underside, but some wore red.
• Some had a kanzashi unique to them (ex. Ayano with rose maezashi kanzashi)

If you have any other observations you'd like to share, please leave a comment!