This dounuki silk inner kimono exemplifies the sophisticated layering techniques that characterized formal Japanese dress, featuring a striking geometric shibori-dyed pattern that demonstrates the marriage of traditional resist-dyeing methods with bold, modernizing design sensibilities. The upper portion displays a precise diamond lattice pattern (shippo-tsunagi) executed in deep red and white through shibori techniques, creating a rhythmic visual texture that reflects both classical Japanese geometric traditions and the period's growing engagement with systematic, repeating patterns that would later influence international design movements.

The shibori dyeing technique, with its characteristic resist-patterned squares, represents one of Japan's most ancient and sophisticated textile arts, involving the careful binding, stitching, or folding of fabric before dyeing to create precise patterns. The geometric precision of this particular example suggests the influence of increasingly mechanized approaches to textile production during the Meiji period, when traditional handcraft techniques were being refined and systematized to meet the demands of a modernizing society. The bold red and white color scheme creates a vibrant contrast that speaks to the period's embrace of more assertive color palettes alongside traditional restraint.

The olive-green silk lining at the hem is decorated on the inside with pine needle and embroidered pinecone motifs, providing a sophisticated counterpoint to the geometric upper section while maintaining the garment's connection to classical Japanese symbolic vocabulary. Pine motifs traditionally represent longevity, steadfastness, and prosperity, making them particularly appropriate for formal wear.

Measuring 50 inches (127 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 60 inches (152 cm) tall.