masako23さんの おぼえた日記 - 2024年4月4日(木)

火曜の次男の大学院の入学式に着物で行ったと書いた。
褒めてくれる人もいるが、あからさまに非難してくる人もいる。着物の着方に難癖をつける、いわゆる「着物警察」だ。
久しぶりにそういう輩に出会った。彼女はいきなり近づいてきて、「随分弛んだ帯ね。そのままだとお太鼓結びが崩れてしまうわ。直してあげるから次の駅で降りなさい。」と来た。
私の持っているフォーマル帯は50年以上前のもので、今の帯の倍の分厚さがあり、重い。なので今風なシャープな帯結びはできないし、少したるませる結びの裏側が見え、より豪華に見える。
そこを真っ向から否定してきた。売られたケンカは買わねばなるまい。ただし大人の節度の範囲で。
こういう時は「慇懃無礼」に限る。しかも京言葉はまさにそのために生まれた言葉だ。
「ご心配ありがとうございます。お気に召さん着姿で申し訳ありません。」意味するところはこうだ。「見ず知らずなのに無礼な奴やな。いきなりディスるって何様やねん？」
「お言葉を返すようですけど、この帯古くて分厚くて堅うて、今風なシャープな線は出ませんねん。せやけど、この緩いカーブも一部お太鼓らしいかな、思いまして。」
→「家族からもらった大事な帯だ。どこの馬の骨か知らんアンタに触らせるわけないやろ。帯結びの形は一つやない。テメーの浅い美意識押し付けんな」
「緩う見えますけど、今まで落ちたことあらへんし、後は家に帰るだけやし持つと思います。ご親切にどうも。」
→「ほっといてくれ、かまうな。あんたの心配なんか要らんわ。」
彼女はムッとして黙った。こちらも黙ったまま。こういう輩は着物文化を守るといいつつ着物を着たい人の気持ちを害し、下手をすると手数料と称し金をとる偽善者である。
好きにさせておくと犠牲者が増える。ただでさえ着物を着るのを諦め手放す人が多いのに、こんなやつをのさばらせてたまるものか。
ちなみに、私の帯は彼女の指摘に反し、家に帰るまで無事でした。

I wrote that I wore a kimono to my second son's graduate school entrance ceremony on Tuesday.
Some people praised me, but someone blatantly condemned me. They are the so-called "Kimono Police," who make it difficult for people to wear kimono.
I met such a person for the first time in a long time. She suddenly approached me and said, "Your obi is very loose. If you leave it as it is, your o-daiko knot will fall apart. I will fix it for you, so get off at the next station.
My formal obi I have is more than 50 years old, twice as thick and heavy as today's one. It is impossible to tie a sharp obi knot in the modern style, and the back side of the knot, which is slightly slackened, can be seen, making it look more luxurious.
That is what I have been rejecting outright. I had to fight back to her. But only within the bounds of adult moderation.
In such a situation, "condescension" is the only way to go. And that is exactly what the words of Kyoto was invented for.
"Thank you for your concern. I apologize for my uncomfortable attire. "The meaning is this. "You're a stranger, but you're so rude. Who do you think you are to suddenly diss me?"
"I hate to contradict you, but this obi is old, thick, and stiff, and it doesn't have the sharp lines you see nowadays. But I thought the gentle curves of this obi are part of what makes it so unique."
→ "It's a precious obi given to me by a family member. I wouldn't let you touch it, you don't know where it came from. There is more than one way to tie an obi. Don't impose your shallow sense of beauty on me".
It looks loose, but it has never fallen off, and I think it will hold."
→ "Leave me alone, I don't need you to worry about me."
She became miffed and shut up. I remained silent as well.
These people are hypocrites who say they are protecting kimono culture but harm the feelings of those who want to wear kimonos, and if they are not careful, they take money as a commission.
If they are allowed to do as they please, the number of victims will increase. There are many people who have given up wearing kimonos, and I don't want this kind of person to be allowed to live in the world.
By the way, my obi, contrary to her point of view, was safe until I got home.