The Red Belt

[Oniyama]

As some of you may remember, way back in the day (I believe at Mrs. Hatsumi's direction) women were given an option to wear a purple uniform with a red belt or where the same black uniform with green or black belt (as men do). This is something that we still do in my class and my female students really like having the option (and really like the purple gi a lot).

Now there is something that I have seen over the last few years that strikes me as odd. I have seen women wearing the red belt with the black gi. So I am wondering when this came about. Was this something that came from Hatsumi-soke or his wife or did people start doing this on their own.

Anybody know anything about this?

[ElfTengu]

As some of you may remember, way back in the day (I believe at Mrs. Hatsumi's direction) women were given an option to wear a purple uniform with a red belt or where the same black uniform with green or black belt (as men do). This is something that we still do in my class and my female students really like having the option (and really like the purple gi a lot).

Now there is something that I have seen over the last few years that strikes me as odd. I have seen women wearing the red belt with the black gi. So I am wondering when this came about. Was this something that came from Hatsumi-soke or his wife or did people start doing this on their own.

Anybody know anything about this?

I think this is the norm in most places nowadays John. I have only seen one purple gi in the UK in the past 10 years or more, and I know of only one place that sold them, otherwise the ladies had to dye their own. Maybe it is different in the states and would therefore strike you as odd.

But the red belt stuck over here, even if the purple gi didn't. I don't know if it is an approved configuration of the uniform or just people getting as near as they can to regulation female attire in the absence of commercially available purple gi.

You may have spotted a niche in the UK community for such a desireable item!

[Oniyama]

Hi Adam,

Yeah, I have actually dyed purple uniforms for my students. To my knowledge there is no place that is selling purple gis. My understaning that the official word is that women had the option to wear the same uniform as the men or the purple gi with the red belt and that was it. It is not that critical of an issue, just an observation.

Thanks,
John

[dsomers]

Try www.boldlook.net if anyone would have them, they would. But not certain.