Our Miss International 2018 bet Ahtisa Manalo was in Kaga City, Japan recently, and her photos were dreamy. A social media-favorite was when she posed in a pink floral kimono.
In an Instagram post, Ahtisa shared that a kimono isn’t just a simple fashion statement, but that it takes a lot of work and dedication to wear one. “For me wearing a Kimono is an experience,” she wrote. “It is a very detailed task. [Five] people helped me wear my Kimono and style my hair.”
It’s an interesting insight especially for those who don’t understand how tedious it can be to wear a traditional kimono. Apart from the silk robe, you also have to consider the undergarment (nagajuban), at least two sashes (koshi-himo), a large outer belt to tie around the kimono (obi), a decorative sash to keep the obi in place (obi-jime), and a wide sash placed under the obi (date-jime). There are also certain steps to follow and, as Ahtisa mentioned, it might need multiple people to accomplish the task. Yeah, it’s serious business.
Aside from touring, Ahtisa is in Japan to compete in the Miss International 2018 pageant, which will be held in Tokyo on Nov. 9. As of writing, the beauty queens just left Kaga City.
Best of luck to Ahtisa, as well as the other ladies, on their upcoming pageant!
Photo courtesy of Ahtisa Manalo’s Instagram account
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