Non white uniforms

[John G]

koreauechi,

 

One of our key philosophies is "Be content with what you have in money and position but never in skills."

 

I feel the debate on the colour or our uniforms isn't trivial, as its serves as a reminder that as humans we like to stand out from the bunch, and sometimes, we value materialistic symbolism (colour, cut, status of the uniform) over the meaning and intent behind the symbol (uniqueness, cultural development, humility and mutual respect).

 

Regardless of what or how we dress we must continually remind ourselves why we choose to do what we do and as you stated not loose focus.

 

BTW. Wasn't Santa Claus's suit originally green?

 

MichiganTKD,

 

I understand more than most why you are so passionate about white uniforms, however not all arts attach such philosophical views to there training uniform as we do. I guess we have to cut the barbarians a bit of slack.

 

Respectfully,

[MichiganTKD]

No, apparently they do not

 

Yes, I suppose I should cut the barbarians some slack. Much like young students, they know not what they do.

[koreauechi]

...Much like young students, they know not what they do.

 

Huh?

Edited March 14, 2004 by koreauechi

[delta1]

I guess we have to cut the barbarians a bit of slack.

 

Yes, we're an evil, smelly, ugly, mean bunch; and bad to da bone! Cut us some slack, or else!!!

 

 

Seriously, if this is all you guys have to worry about, your lives are just too dang easy. I personally prefer grey or black, but I don't worry too much about what anyone else wears. As for patches, I think that every thing on the uniform should mean something. Just decorating a ghi is a little overblown, but if that is the immage you want to project, it's ok with me. I have two ghis with insignia (two diferent associations) and one plain grey without any insignia. I dyed the belt grey also, so there is not even any rank shown with it (convenient, since most of what I do is not on a belt system anyhow). The plain one gets the most use, by far. But when I get ahold of a white ghi, it is a good idea not to get between me and the nearest dye vat &/or sewing machine! BARBARIAN TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

[embm]

We train with a white uniform to the green belt rank, then can add either black top or bottom with a white top or bottom. Once we reach black belt rank we can wear whatever color we want. I tend to stay away from white simply because it gets dirty looking and sweat stained. My tournament uniform is blue, unless I am planning to compete in the tradition class, then I wear white.

 

We have a member of our team who was invited to join Team Chat, with its rather unusual Shredder from the Ninja Turtles uniform. Just because I don't like his uniform does not mean I don't respect his art. Mr. Reyes has opened martial arts to a whole segment of society that would not see it otherwise. Is the interest he has drawn to the martial arts bad? In that case, the interest in the martial arts generated by Bruce Lee, David Carradine, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, Karate Kid, Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace, Mike Chat, must also be a bad thing. Frankly I think a lot of dojangs have had kids come in and want to train because they saw Mr. Reyes on TV and said, hey, I want to do that too! Frankly I don't think its a bad thing.

[ZR440]

My uniform has meaning, but do I really care? No, not as much as the uniforms that my friends or my father wore during combat operations for this country.

 

No more barbaric sniping, or else this thread will be shut down.

[White Warlock]

*snipes*

 

I could care less what i wear at a training hall or at a tourney, sheesh. I'm there to learn and practice the friggin' art, not pose for GQ magazine. Each school has different uniforms. I'll wear whatever they deem as 'standard,' as long as their idea of a uniform isn't a clown suit.

[granmasterchen]

i like black because that is my favorite color, i dont wear it to stand out or to be a rebel or inidividual above and apart from the rest, i simply like the color black, and wear it more than any other color in all aspects of my life to include training.

 

If this makes me a barbarian so be it, i look forward to learning techniques not fashion sense.

 

does that mean that the black belt that i wear is barbaric too.....i'll try to convince every black belt and tournament director that us black belts will now be competing with the white belts to show our purity.....

 

oh well, i let my students chose which uniform they want, all want black, white gets dirts to easily, then when the white gets dirty....yep you got it,,,....barbarians.....oh well

 

all jokes and remarks aside, if someone is learning an art for techniques and such does it matter what color their uniform is? can they not wear sweats or a tshirt or shorts or what not? Does it honestly matter?

[White Warlock]

can they not wear sweats or a tshirt or shorts or what not? Does it honestly matter?

Well, sturdy attire is essential for a system that incorporates 'any' bit of grappling. T-shirts are simply too dangerous for a judoka to work with, as is a tank top.

 

Then again, that might be kinda fun.

Edited March 24, 2004 by White Warlock

[ramymensa]

Indeed, black seems to me the best choise. It's elegant and hides the dirt Unfortunatelly wearing black in my class of only white gis would make me the black sheep So I stick to the white