Apparel and Undergarments

What was worn with the armor, and under it. Jinbaori surcoats, kimono, hakama, and the layers that a suit of armor was designed to sit on top of rather than against bare skin.

The jinbaori is the piece most people come here for. Sleeveless, open at the sides, worn over a full suit — it was never protective and was never meant to be. It kept rain off lacquer, and more usefully it was where a commander put the colour and pattern that armor itself could not carry. Brocade, bold linings, a family crest across the back. On the battlefield it was the closest thing the period had to a uniform of rank.

Underneath, the practical layers matter more than they look. Armor worn directly over ordinary clothing chafes at the shoulders and slides at the waist. A proper set of undergarments is the difference between a suit you can stand in for an hour and one you take off after ten minutes.

Everything here also works on its own, away from armor entirely — which is why a fair number of these leave as gifts rather than as parts of a set.