Akiko Yosano's View of Costume

Abstract

Akiko Yosano played an important role as a poetess and a critic for about 40 years from 1901. This study aims at making clear her view of costume.
She was forced to wear boy's clothes in her infancy. This peculiar experience was the origin of her fondness for bright costumes throughout her life. Costume was an important medium when she gave expression to her feelings of “love, ” “youthfulness” and “motherhood.” She had an idea of praise for physical beauty. She thought that costume should bring out the beauty of the human body and not simply cover. This idea and her experience of visiting Europe led her to advise Japanese women to wear Western style clothes. But it was not simply a matter of copying Western style clothes. She recommended them to make their dresses using fabrics for Japanese clothes, because it was an economical and easy way. Her opinion originated from her daily life and she had foreseen the new era.