Overview
The Clothing Ordinance of the Yoro Code defined ceremonial dress (raifuku), court dress (chofuku) and working dress (seifuku), with robe colors assigned by rank. The capital’s officials thus dressed to a Tang-inspired standard.
Key garments and style
The 719 order that the garment be folded with the left panel over the right settled a convention that has governed kimono wear ever since. Silk, dyeing and continental tailoring were all well established.
Transition
When embassies to Tang ceased in the following period, this borrowed court dress began to evolve into a distinctly Japanese style.