Kimono Challenge Introduction Post

A few years ago there was a kimono challenge that went around the community for some time. I really enjoyed reading everyone's posts to the questions, but didn't participate since at the time I didn't have a blog, or even much experience with kimono. Now that I've finally got my blog up and running I hope you will enjoy reading my answers to the challenge as much as I enjoyed reading others' all those years ago. There is only one rule: You must post at least one pic or video per question. Here are the questions:

1. How did you find out about kimono.
2. What are your dearest kimono items.
3. What are your most used item(s) (not counting juban, date-jime, etc)
4. What are your least favourite item(s) so far.
5. What are your favourite co-ordinations so far.
6. What things do you like and not like about kimono.
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that...
8. Your want to buy list (or would buy if you had money/occasion to wear it)
9. Biggest fears and wishes when it comes to kimono.
10. My biggest inspirations in kimono
11. My kimono collection.
12. The evolution of my kitsuke

Thanks to Kira Kira Kimono for starting this challenge

I'll start with question one this week. How did you find out about kimono.

Memoirs of a Geisha. I suspect this is how many people first became interested in kimono. I remember seeing the trailer for the first time and thinking how beautiful the whole movie looked. Before that I had had interest in anime and manga and while I had noticed some of the characters wearing kimono, I never really paid much attention to it. When MoaG came out I rushed out and bought the book and read it in a matter of days. I then rushed out and bought the DVD and watched it so many times. I was obsessed with it and in love with everything about it. My 16 year old self dreamed of moving to Japan and becoming a geisha and wearing those beautiful kimono. I began scouring the internet and almost right away found Immortal Geisha Forums and Naomi's blog . I soon learned how incredibly inaccurate MoaG was, but I did learn that wearing kimono was entirely possible.
Not that I bought any at that point. I didn't take the plunge into buying kimono items until 2010. This was my very first kimono

Red omeshi komon with floral medallions.

I hope you've enjoyed this first post. I hope to post these challenged weekly You can like my facebook page to get updates on new posts!