How to Style a Silk Kimono: Nine Looks for Women and Men

A much-loved pair of jeans, a white tank, a plain dress. Chances are you already own the beginnings of a good kimono outfit. Here are nine ways for women and men to work with the sleeves, borders and length of the piece they choose.

1. Denim cut-offs and a short floral kimono

Coming off the beach, pull on denim shorts over your bikini and slip into a short kimono. Here, an orange bikini top picks out the fine ecru flowers against black. The hem leaves the shorts in view, while the wide sleeves give an otherwise spare outfit a little swing.

Short black kimono with ecru flowers, worn open over an orange bikini top and denim shorts.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Black and ecru short kimono

For lunch, swap the bikini top for an ecru tank and add flat sandals. Wear the kimono open to show the waistband of your shorts, or cross the fronts and tie the matching belt for a little more coverage.

Shop the black and ecru short kimono

2. Light denim and a paisley jacket

Light-wash jeans, a black tank and a short kimono jacket worn open. In the photograph, the tank echoes the dark ground of the print, letting the ecru paisley stand out. Tuck it into the jeans to keep the waistband in view beneath the soft fronts.

Seated model wearing a black kimono jacket with ecru paisley motifs over a black tank and light-wash jeans.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Short paisley jacket

To take the look from lunch to dinner, keep the jeans and wrap the jacket like a blouse with its matching belt. If you like wearing it this way, check the closed-fit guidance on the product page. The fronts should still overlap comfortably when you sit down.

Shop the short paisley jacket · Find my size

3. A kimono jacket over a white tank

A white tank and faded jeans make a familiar starting point. What changes the outfit is the border of this men’s kimono jacket. Worn open, it frames the white and picks out the orange in the blue and beige print. A close-fitting tank leaves the wide sleeves free to fall away from the body.

Seated man in a blue, beige and orange printed kimono jacket, white tank, cuffed jeans and black loafers.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Men’s blue and orange kimono jacket

Here, turned-up jeans show a little ankle above black loafers. Keep that gap if you swap the ripped denim for straight linen trousers. It takes the outfit out to dinner while keeping the same ease through the shoulders.

Shop the men’s blue and orange kimono jacket

4. Red and turquoise for a seaside stroll

For a walk above the bay, wear this long printed kimono open over a red tank and pale blue jeans. The red picks up the flowers in the print, while the faded denim softens the contrast with the turquoise. Tuck the tank into the jeans so the waistband shows between the two long panels.

Long multicoloured kimono worn open over a red tank and pale jeans, with a straw hat and a round woven bag overlooking the bay.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Long turquoise, pink and yellow kimono

The straw hat and round woven bag make a lovely pair here. Their natural colour echoes the yellow borders without adding another print. For the walk down into town, finish with flat sandals that fasten securely at the ankle.

Shop the long turquoise, pink and yellow kimono · Compare long and short cuts

5. A green kimono for a slow morning

In the photograph, the long kimono falls over the edge of the chair. A glimpse of black at the neckline leaves the rich greens of the print in focus. For an easy morning at home, slip the kimono over a tank and soft shorts. The pockets have plenty of room for your phone or even a paperback.

Woman seated cross-legged on a chair, wearing the long green printed kimono over a black top.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Long green printed kimono

Tie the belt loosely, then sit down to see how the fronts overlap. If you’re between sizes, take your measurements with your usual layers in mind. A little room lets the panels settle back into place when you stand.

Shop the long green printed kimono

6. A long men’s kimono with pale denim and paisley

Pale jeans, bare feet and a long kimono left open. In the photograph, the denim brings light to the dark ground of the print. Turquoise and burgundy paisley moves with the fabric, while the contrasting border draws a line down each side. For the same effect with a top underneath, choose a plain crew-neck tee short enough to show the waist of the jeans.

Barefoot man wearing a long open turquoise and burgundy paisley kimono with pale jeans ripped at the knees.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Men’s long paisley kimono

For an evening at home, trade the denim for soft midnight-blue trousers. Cross the fronts and tie the belt loosely to one side. It gives the waist a little definition and leaves the wide sleeves free to drape.

Shop the men’s long paisley kimono

7. Matching palazzos with a seventies feel

The print brings two separate pieces together. Black and ecru diamonds and curves echo across the wide-legged trousers and the matching kimono. A close-fitting black top gives the eye a resting place between the prints and brings the waist of the palazzos into view.

Black and ecru geometric kimono and matching wide-leg palazzo trousers, worn with a dark top.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Kimono and palazzo set

For a terrace lunch, leave the kimono open and wear slim sandals. For evening, try a sculptural earring and leave the neckline bare. The print already does plenty of the dressing up.

Shop the kimono and palazzo set

8. Black for evening, lifted by a fan print

Layer the fan-print jacket over a black tank and black trousers and watch how the texture changes. The dark ground blends into the outfit while the pale motifs trace the swing of a sleeve. It’s an easy way to dress for a concert or dinner and still wear your favourite trousers.

Black kimono jacket with pale fan motifs, worn over a black top and trousers in front of a wooden door.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Black fan-print jacket

Leave the jacket open and let black shoes continue the line of the trousers. For jewellery, a small gold hoop will pick up the fabric’s subtle gold accents when they catch the light.

Shop the black fan-print jacket

9. Breakfast by the pool

Tea poured, orange juice on the table. For breakfast by the pool, slip the long blue kimono over a black tank and lightweight shorts. In the photograph, the glimpse of black at the neckline sets off the sweeping ochre and gold motifs. The matching belt ties the two printed panels together.

Barefoot woman in a belted blue kimono with gold motifs, beside a teapot and a glass of orange juice by the pool.

L’Atelier de Sonja · Long blue kimono with gold motifs

Knot the belt loosely at the waist so you can sit comfortably over breakfast. When you’re ready to cross the terrace, slip into flat tan sandals. The warm leather shade picks up a little of the colour in the print.

Shop the long blue kimono with gold motifs · Wearing loungewear outdoors

Which kimono will you reach for tomorrow?

Often it comes down to one detail. Try your kimono open, then belted if the cut allows. Notice where the sleeves land, which colour shows between the fronts and how freely you can move. Keep the version you feel like walking out of the door in.

The sari silk in these pieces

All nine pieces are made from a new fabric made from 70% recycled silk fibres and 30% rayon (viscose). Sonja designs the clothes and selects the fabrics, colours and prints. Her partner workshop in Pushkar, Rajasthan, makes each piece by hand.

Read about fabric composition

Explore these silhouettes in our women’s and men’s collections.

Women’s kimonos →

Men’s loungewear and long kimonos →

Men’s kimono jackets →