Nagare Haori - Black

流れ (nagare): "flow, the current of a stream."

Edo-period townspeople lived under law after law from the shogunate limiting how lavishly they could dress. Rich merchants answered with plain dark haori, the jacket worn open over kimono, lined in silk far finer than anything on the outside. The look had a name, ura-masari, the inside outdoing the outside, and the expensive part showed only when the haori swung open or came off.

The black rayon falls past the hip, a broad band collar runs down both open edges, and the wide sleeves reach the wrist. When you walk, the hem and sleeves trail half a beat behind you, which is the whole idea of nagare, flow.

Throw it over a white tee, black jeans and white sneakers, the outfit in the photos, and it does the job of a light summer jacket. Asian sizing runs small, so check the size reference before you pick. Five other colors of the same cut hang in the haori jackets.

• Fabric: soft, lightweight rayon with a fluid drape
• Front: open, no closures
• Sleeves: full-length wide kimono sleeves
• Fit: long and loose, falls past the hip
• Sizes: S to XXXL, Asian sizing that runs small
• Size reference: 6 ft 2 in, 172 lb wears XL; 5 ft 11 in, 198 lb wears XXL

Measurements for every size are in the size guide.