Kosode

• The kosode, meaning "small sleeves," was a sort of predecessor to the kimono. This full-length clothing item was worn as an undergarment but eventually transitioned into outerwear. Originally, kosode appeared in white, but Muromachi versions of the garment, especially those worn as outerwear, appeared in muted colors and simple patterns. Kosode had straight, tube-like sleeves with small openings.
  
  

Hitatare No Hakama

• The hitatare no hakama, a two-piece style of dress popular among the samurai class, originally served as a type of casual dress but shifted into formal wear during the Muromachi period. Those made of silk especially served formal purposes, but those made of hemp or linen still worked for informal occasions. "Hitatare" refers to the upper portion of this dress style. This garment has an open front, sides and collar. The bottom half of the sleeves hang free, while the upper half attach to the body fabric. The hakama, or pants, worn under the hitatare have several panels, creating wide-width legs.
  
  

Konôshi

• The konôshi is a type of full-length over-robe that served as leisure wear for members of the kuge, or aristocratic, class. The robe has a long body that is attached to the sleeves only at the back of the shoulders. The upper portion of the robe blouses up at the waist, even though the line of the waist runs parallel with the bottom hem. The robe has a skirt-like, as opposed to pant-like, bottom.
  
  

Soken

• The soken, a full-length robe worn as an over-garment by Buddhist and Shintô priests, appeared in shades of white, gray and black. The robe has long, open sleeves. Additionally, the garment closes in an overlapping front panel, and the skirt of the robe attaches to the body along a horizontal band of cloth. The shortest of traditional soken reached to floor-length.
  
  

Kataginu

• The kataginu first appeared near the end of the 15th century. The garment had no sleeves, making it popular among the samurai class. As an upper-body garment, men typically wore the kataginu with hakama pants made of matching fabric. The right panel closes over the left panel in the front of the garment.
  
  

Shitagasane

• The shitagasane, while technically an upper-body garment, has a long back that extends farther down depending on rank -- the greater the rank, the longer the train. During the Muromachi period, people wore shitagasane made from a single piece of cloth, even though the garment looked as though it had several separate parts.