Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

Yumi’s clothing is used to represent her freedom or lack thereof. In the beginning of the book, she wears the ritual tobok robe of the yoki-hijo; it shows her station and conveys the “appropriate” level of modesty. She then tries to recreate this in Painter’s world through compiling a bizarre outfit, made from many different items of clothing. She ends up drawing attention and shows her lack of experience with a life outside of her role. Her growing familiarity with Kilahito life is then symbolized by her and Akane buying new clothes for her, especially the light blue dress that she first picks out. This is one of the first moments in her life when she truly chooses something for herself and allows herself to exist outside of the strict boundaries of the role of yoki-hijo.

In the book’s finale, she uses the shroud to turn her tobok into the blue dress she picked out for herself. She exerts her freedom over the shroud in which she was kept prisoner—she turns the shroud into an item of clothing that first symbolized her liberation. Thus, Yumi’s clothing choices represent that she has learned to live a life outside of her role.