There’s nothing more lovely than young girls wearing summer kimono. Every weekend in August there are fireworks festivals all over Japan, and slender girls in gaily colored kimono stroll the streets, hair artfully arranged in an updo, sheer declarations of the joy of feminine beauty.

Inspired by their loveliness, I went shopping in the posh Ginza district and bought a flirty kimono, a coordinating obi sash, and matching geta slippers. I arranged my hair so it swept off my face, then started to dress.

An hour later, frustrated by the endless layers of fabric and the 10-foot long obi sash that I couldn’t figure out how to tie around my body, I called my mother-in-law for help. My husband came home a while later to find us sweaty from the exertion, and me, wrapped up like a brightly patterned burrito.

Inspired by the artfully tied obi sash and draping sleeves of kimono, bag manufacturer Otani created a line of graceful bags that creatively meld the shape of kimono into accessories. The Obi Rucksack, when worn, resembles the ornamental knot at the back of the kimono. The Furisode Kimono Bag was inspired by the sleeve of formal kimono worn by unmarried women, and the Obi Waist Bag incorporates the texture and pattern of the kimono stash. It’s the perfect, stress-free way to incorporate kimono into your life.