43 year old man yukata etiquette...

I am a 43 year old man, and have ordered a yukata to wear to my city's (Nashville, TN) Cherry Blossom Festival. I had. Few questions to make sure i look acceptable.

1) I don't have the money to afford a pair of Geta. Would beach type flip flops be appropriate, or some other type of sandal (like hiking style sandals)?

2) Is it acceptable to wear just the datejime, and not an obi?

3) Socks or no socks?

I don't know how it is in Nashville, but when I went to an obon festival in Seattle, a ton of people were (what would be considered in Japan at least) "inappropriately dressed"; that is to say, yukata+obi combination was wrong, dressed weirdly, or with substitutes such as sandals for geta. No one seemed to care; it was the thought that people would try that seemed to be the key.

So while it is awesome that you are concerned about making sure you're dressed correctly, it isn't a huge deal if you do things a bit differently.

That said, I think if you have something close to the look geta, then wear that, but it is okay to wear sandals. I wouldn't wear socks though, unless it is cold (it was cold for obon... I had to wear a shawl with a yukata, which is a weird combo just because it is usually too hot for a shawl if you're in yukata in Japan!)

As for the datejima, if that is all you have, then it is okay, but obviously a proper obi would be even better. Did one not come with your yukata?

Have fun!

1) You can use flip flops type sandals

2) Datejime is not used for tightening Kimono/Yutaka type fabric. Datejime is used for tightening the edge, around neck and low neck part of fabric. It won't get loose as you walk so it looks nice(keep nice looking shape of fabric). Datejime is not necessary if your Yokata fabric won't get loose as you walk. If you don't have Obi, find something equivalent.

3) It's normally you don't wear socks as you wear Geta. But as you wear flip flop type sandals you can wear socks while the color is not so fancy(a pair of ankle socks is alright).

I think you had better to buy Zinbei(Jinbei) type clothing.
http://www.kimono-yukata-market.com/catalogue/zinbei/01.html

Just as you are free to walk around wearing ragged tank tops with a tux, or bras on top of your shirts, you are free to wear anything, any way you want in this modern liberating world of mode, as long as there is no specific dress code for your specific event.

That said, yukata is summer wear, so precisely speaking, it's considered odd to wear it in April or May. In other words, if the climate allows cherry blossoms to bloom, then yukata just cannot be together. You will be too cold anyway.

When wearing it during your proper June to September season (granted it's in the Northern hemisphere), since it is summer wear, you are expected to wear no socks or tabi.

Getta or setta is the only proper footwear I can think of to be worn with yukata.

Datejime is something a woman wears as part of their under-supporter. It's not something to show and it's not for men.

But again, you can wear anything you want. And just as it is with Western clothing, experts on kimono say that it's important to know what you're doing.

In other words, you should know that it's not proper for men to wear datejime or subber sandals with yukata, and you should know you are wearing them as part of your own and unique fashion. But as long as you know your mode, anything goes.

But frankly, I think jimbei will be too cold too.

https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E8%8A%B1%E8%A6%8B%E3%81%A8%E7%94%B7...

incorrect: subber sandals
correct: rubber sandals