Japanese Robes

Is it odd to wear a kimono to the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC?

I was planning on going to the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC this year. And I was hoping that some people who have been there before could tell me if it is odd to see someone wearing a kimono (who isn't Asian). I was thinking of wearing one but I don't want to stand out too much. Could someone help me out here?

Public Comments

1. Yes, it would be unusual and cause some heads to turn, but if you're comfortable with it, there's no reason not to wear one. Be aware, though, that the Japanese element to the festival is relatively minor.
2. It would be odd for an Asian and for a non-Asian. Everyone goes down there in jeans, a coat, and a camera around their neck basically. But don't let that rain on your parade if you don't want it to!
3. Well, if you don't want to stand out, then being a non-Japanese wearing kimono in ANY situation (no matter where you are) is a bad idea. It's pretty much an automatic guarantee that you will stand out. If you don't mind too much, see if you can get a nice spring-appropriate komon or iromuji and nagoya obi to wear. You might also want to see if you can get some friends to join you, and visit the Immortal Geisha forums and see if anyone there is planning a kimono meet-up for sometime during the festival that you could join.