In your wildest dreams, the morning of your wedding feels like this: Your best friend is sitting cross legged on the bed with her go-to venti iced latte, your sister is laughing at something the makeup artist just said, and the photographer stealthily weaves in and out of the scene, capturing all of it. What you're wearing in that moment, hours before slipping into your dress, will end up in some of the most honest and joyful photos of the entire day.
At KIM+ONO, we've spent over 20 years crafting kimono robes that were made for exactly this kind of morning. Rooted in our family's Japanese and Chinese heritage, our pieces infuse artistry and intention to the getting ready ritual that a generic robe simply can't match. The bride who fills the morning of her wedding with meaningful details, knowing that every moment before and after "I do" are ones to be cherished, is the bride who knows how to set the tone for an impeccable, unforgettable day.
Getting ready robes have evolved from a nice to have detail into one of the most meaningful parts of wedding preparation. They're practical (their wrap closures won't pull on freshly styled hair), they're photogenic (coordinated robes make even candid group shots feel coordinated), and they become keepsakes that carry the memory of that morning long after the celebration ends. The question isn't whether to wrap your bridal party in meaningful luxury like these. It's which ones will imbue your big day with the most meaning.
Why Getting Ready Robes Are Worth the Thought
The tradition of dressing your bridal party in coordinating outfits has deeper roots than most people realize. According to ancient Roman wedding tradition, bridesmaids originally dressed identically to the bride to confuse evil spirits and protect the couple. [1] That instinct to gather your people close and dress together as a unified group has survived for centuries, evolving into the modern ritual of coordinating kimono robes for the bridal party on the morning of the wedding.
What makes getting ready robes so meaningful, though, goes beyond tradition. These are the first hours of your big day when the day still belongs to just you and your inner circle. Hair is being pinned, champagne is being poured, and the energy in the room is anticipating all that's to come on this incredible day. A beautiful robe transforms that window of time from getting dressed into a heightened and meaningful experience, the kind of morning you'll talk about at brunch for years afterward.
There's also a practical benefit. Getting ready robes keep clothing out of the way during hair and makeup. They're easy to slip off when the dress goes on, without pulling anything over your head. And for the bride who wants her photographer to capture the preparation, a room full of beautiful silk botanicals adds an intentional element that elevates every photo.
The best part of wearing these getting ready robes is how versatile it is after your big day. A piece this beautiful becomes an heirloom you wear at so many different occasions beyond your wedding day. That's where robes that carry real symbolic meaning separate themselves from disposable options.
What Makes a Great Getting Ready Robe
Not every robe is created for the morning of your wedding day. The right getting ready robe balances comfort, beauty, and longevity in a way that serves the day and the life that follows it.
Research on enclothed cognition, a concept explored by Adam and Galinsky in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, found that what we wear directly affects how we think and feel about ourselves. [2] The symbolic meaning of a garment, combined with the physical sensation of wearing it, directly affects how we interpret our experiences. On a morning when every emotion is heightened, the robe you slip into genuinely makes a difference in your mindset.
Here's what separates a meaningful getting ready robe from all others:
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Feature |
Why It Matters on Your Wedding Morning |
|---|---|
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Fabric quality |
Real silk breathes during long sessions under hot styling tools. Whereas non-silk fibers like cotton may bunch or wrinkle, 100% silk offers a fluid drape that stays beautiful and breathable for hours. |
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Sizing flexibility |
Bridal parties include every body. Wrap construction adjusts to each person's shape without requiring you to get exact measurements. |
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Care ease |
Machine washable silk means no stress if champagne splashes happen. |
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Photography appeal |
Silk's natural luster catches light in ways that create rich, luminous tones in photos. |
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Sustainability |
The best getting ready robe becomes a daily piece, not a one time keepsake folded in a memory box. |
The fabric question is the most important decision. Satin has a glossy finish that photographs well, but it can cling and wrinkle easily. Cotton is comfortable but tends to bunch during movement. Linen is breathable but creases quickly. Silk stands apart because it regulates temperature naturally, feels breathable against sensitive skin, and gets softer with every wear.
Silk Kimono Robes: The Getting Ready Upgrade Your Bridal Party Deserves
When you're choosing getting ready robes for your bridal party, silk kimono robes occupy a category of their own. You'll feel the difference immediately: the weight of the fabric settles against your skin, the drape sways when you walk, and the luster in the light is unmistakable.
Our Washable Silk kimono robes are crafted from 100% Grade 6A Raw Mulberry Silk, and they're designed to be gently laundered at home in a delicates bag with cold water. That means your bridal party can wear them through the entire morning of styling and mimosas and last minute tears without worrying about dry cleaning afterward. The silk gets softer over time, which means these robes actually improve with use.
The kimono silhouette brings something specific to the wedding morning that other robe styles don't. The T shaped, wrap construction adjusts with a simple sash tie, which means you'll never need exact sizing for each member of your bridal party. Every person ties it where it feels comfortable, and the silhouette naturally celebrates her shape. For a bride coordinating robes for six, eight, or ten people, that's one less thing to stress about.
We draw on our family's Japanese and Chinese artistic heritage to design every pattern in house. Our founders, sisters Renee and Tiffany Tam, create each collection from original sketches and watercolor artwork inspired by vintage Chinese brushwork and botanical themes. Some pieces in our Handpainted Silk Collection take seven days to complete using traditional sumi brush techniques passed down through generations. These aren't mass produced getting ready robes. They're wearable works of art that become part of your wedding story.
For bridal parties that want the silk experience at a more accessible price point, our Charmeuse Collection offers a silk-alternative with the same in house designs and beautiful fluid drape. Charmeuse is a customer favorite for destination weddings because it packs effortlessly and feels luxurious without requiring dry cleaning.
Choosing the Right Robe for Your Wedding Morning
Every collection we offer brings a different quality to the wedding morning. The right choice depends on your vision for the day, the size of your bridal party, and how much care you want to give each piece.
|
Collection |
Price Range |
Best For (Wedding Context) |
Care |
Key Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$120 - $180 |
Larger bridal parties, destination weddings |
Machine wash in delicates bag, hang dry |
Silk-alternative with a smooth, fluid drape |
|
|
$248 - $328 |
Everyday luxury, easy care for busy mornings |
Machine wash in delicates bag, hang dry |
100% Silk that gets softer over time |
|
|
$225 - $250 |
Statement pieces with original hand-sketched patterns |
Dry clean only |
Stunning original patterns with luxurious weight |
|
|
$398 - $450 |
The bride's heirloom piece, one of a kind |
Dry clean only |
7 day sumi brush artisan process, lightest and most breathable |
A few things to keep in mind:
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For larger bridal parties, Charmeuse keeps the per person investment accessible while maintaining the same in house designs and quality construction as our silk collections.
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For the bride who wants something truly unique, a Handpainted Silk kimono robe is a one of a kind piece she'll treasure as an heirloom.
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For everyday luxury that carries into life after the wedding, Washable Silk is the sweet spot. Real silk, easy care, and a fabric that genuinely improves with wear.
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Plus size options are available in our Washable Silk, Printed Silk, and Charmeuse collections through our dedicated plus size collection.
Coordinating Your Bridal Party in Kimono Robes
The most compelling getting ready photos aren't perfectly matched. They're coordinated. A room full of women in slightly different patterns from the same collection, tied at different heights, each wearing the robe in her own way, creates the kind of visual richness that is a key benefit of these beautifully handcrafted robes.
Start by choosing the bride's robe first. Many of our brides reach for a Handpainted Silk piece or a standout Printed Silk pattern that sets her apart from the rest of the party. Then coordinate the bridal party in complementary colors from the same collection. Our color palette includes tones like plum and fern and ivory that layer beautifully together in photographs.
How to coordinate:
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Distinguish the bride by pattern, not by a word printed on the back. A bolder or lighter color naturally draws the eye.
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Mix two or three complementary colors from one collection for a curated look.
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Let each person choose her preferred length. We offer both short and long kimono robes, and because they fit differently on everyone, the variety actually makes group photos more dynamic.
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Don't stress about sizing. Wrap construction and an adjustable sash mean you can skip the spreadsheet of exact measurements. The T shaped design celebrates each person's shape with ease.
The result is a bridal party that looks intentional and beautiful without looking too uniform. And when the photographer captures that moment of everyone raising their glasses, it'll feel like a beautifully curated yet candid moment of togetherness.
Beyond the Wedding Day: A Robe That Lives On
Here's the question most getting ready robe guides skip: what happens to the robe on the day after the wedding?
Most bridal party robes end up folded in a drawer. They served their purpose for a few hours of photos, and then they're done. A silk kimono robe works differently. It becomes the first thing she reaches for on a morning to herself. It layers over jeans and a tank for a Saturday errand run. It travels to the honeymoon as a beach cover-up, a hotel room layer, and an evening piece that seamlessly elevates a simple outfit.
Our robes are designed around versatility. Wear yours as a robe at home, a cardigan over jeans, or a beach cover-up on vacation. The same piece that caught the light on your wedding morning sways beautifully over a sundress six months later. All silks get softer and softer over time, which means the fabric your bridal party wore on the big day actually feels better a year later.
An investment in something she'll reach for long after the last dance is a fundamentally different kind of gift than a robe she'll wear once. It says you cared enough to choose something that would evolve as she does.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Ready Robes
Who buys getting ready robes for the bridal party?
Typically, the bride purchases getting ready robes as a gift for her bridal party. It's a thoughtful way to thank the people standing by your side, and it ensures everyone is coordinated for morning of photos.
What should bridesmaids wear under their getting ready robes?
Wear the undergarments you plan to wear under your dress. A strapless bra and comfortable bottoms work well. The wrap construction of a kimono robe makes it easy to change without pulling anything over your head once hair and makeup are done.
When should you give bridesmaids their robes?
The rehearsal dinner or the morning of the wedding both work beautifully. Some brides include the robe in a bridesmaid proposal box early in the planning process. If you wait until the wedding morning, have the robes hanging on padded hangers and lightly steamed for a gorgeous presentation.
Can you wash silk getting ready robes?
Our Washable Silk and Charmeuse kimono robes can be gently laundered at home. Place them in a delicates bag, use cold water with a mild detergent on a gentle cycle, and hang to air dry. Light steaming restores the silk's natural luster and softness. Our Printed Silk and Handpainted Silk collections are dry clean only.
What size getting ready robe should I buy?
The beauty of our kimono robes is that the wrap construction eliminates sizing stress. The sash ties wherever feels comfortable, and the T shaped design adjusts to each person's shape. We also offer a plus size collection in Washable Silk, Printed Silk, and Charmeuse for extended sizing options.
Are silk robes worth it for bridesmaids?
Yes, because the gift doesn't end after the wedding. A silk kimono robe becomes part of daily life: a morning ritual, a travel essential, a layering piece she'll reach for again and again. The silk gets softer with every wear, which means the robe is actually improving from the moment you give it to her.
The morning of your wedding is one of those rare windows where time slows down just enough to feel everything. The light, the laughter, the quiet before the ceremony begins. We craft our kimono robes for moments exactly like this one, to bring a little extra luxury to your everyday, starting with the most important day. Whatever you choose for yourself and the people beside you, choose something that's beautiful enough to last for years to come.
References
[1] Stern, G. F. & Leppel, R. "Wedding Traditions: A Cultural History." Historical Society of Pennsylvania / Balch Institute. https://www2.hsp.org/exhibits/Balch%20exhibits/wedding/traditions.html
[2] Adam, H. & Galinsky, A. D. "Enclothed cognition." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(4), 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.02.008
