One of the adjustments I have had to make when wearing kimono is taking more time in the morning to get my clothing organized. Keeping track of all the accessories can be a challenge and if I hurry through my routine I inevitably leave something behind.
Recently I left the house in a rush, already late for work, when five minutes into the commute I realized I left my tabi at home (tabi are the split toe socks worn with zori or geta sandals). I normally wear regular shoes to drive to work where I then change into tabi and zori. Becoming a bit annoyed I decided to go back home to quickly grab the tabi and made my way to work. Upon arriving in my office I proceeded to change and realized I had two right tabi… This left me with two options: wear the zori without tabi or wear my shoes for the entire day. Neither choice was very appealing. Luckily I had a pair of black athletic socks with me that were thin enough to wear with the zori sandals and give the appearance of the traditional tabi.
I am certain that most people would have not noticed the missing tabi, but I would have spent the day feeling incomplete. 
Kimono Contemplation 
It’s interesting how you would feel incomplete. It’s fascinating to see how this culture has affected your day to day living. I had to giggle though, I didn’t realize there were split toe socks to wear with your zori. I always keep a duffle bag in my car with spare clothes, maybe you should keep some spares in your car for late mornings?
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That would be a good strategy Anna…if the tabi were not so expensive! Each pair runs $20-25. I am going to have to fix holes in the ones I have and maybe pick up a couple more pairs when I am in Japan. There are also tabi socks (like the athletic socks I mentioned) that are cheaper, but they are not as proper.
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