A Uniform Should Be Just That?

[Dirty Dog]

Makes it no less tacky. I cringe when they drape themselves in the flag when they win an event. If you're not a first responder or in the military, it's really a breach of flag etiquette. But as I said, most people don't know or don't care. Some do.

Take from USFlag.org

No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations.

So when worn to show respect, it falls under the "patriotic org" clause.

 

[Manny]

Is it important that Kup grades and Poom/Dan grades wear a different kind of uniform where you train?

What are your views on the wearing of fancy custom doboks?

What are your views on belt embroidery and bars at various grades?

What are your views on the use of electrical tape to denote grade steps?

What about badges and printed logos /designs?

Is there a limit, and how does 'pimp my uniform' fit with the tenets of Taekwondo?

What makes a practical and popular club dobok?

Good post Sir, before to answer all your questions I will let you know waht Many thinks about teh uniform,belt,patches,etc,etc.

For me the uniform the students should wer have to be white, pristine white this couple, without any advesrtisement patch, any flag or waht ever, the uniform must be white with only the dojang patch and thats all, no other color forget about colred V-Necks in the doboks or colored lapels on karate-gis.
For kups the belts must be the acording color to the kup grade, no embroided,leterring or wahtever.

For black belt students, white uniform wiht the V-Neck in black or the lapel in black only with the dojang patch, the black belt, solid black or embroided with the name of the black belt in one side and in the other the name of the dojang, NO stripes, No stars, NO ADVERISEMENT, etc.

For the master and instructors, the same as the black belt students or I only will ad black pants.

I like the simplicity of white gi and colored belt only, period.

Nos I will answer yor questions:

1.- I don't like fancy doboks or karategis, it must be white solid white period.
2.-Don't like bars or any tipe of signs that denotes rank in the black belts.
3.-Electrical tape? c'mon tha's a cheap thing.
4.-The use of the dojang patch is good for me but nothing else, cero adverisement or what ever.

El Manny

 

[Geo]

In our Art we like to keep it simple.

Our uniforms are plain white with our logo printed or embroidered in a large size at the back of the dobok and a smaller size logo on the left front side. The hai is plain and with no marking. We chose to wear our logo to distinguish ourselves from other martial arts school but more importantly because we respect the legacy of our Art and we are extremely proud of our school.

The student dhee is as per their rank, we follow the ITF rank system so its necessary to stripe a student's dhee at 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd and 1st Kup to indicate their rank and achievement.

Instructor or Dan uniforms are as per above except the uniform is a heavier gauge and has black trim on the bottom edge of the dobok. Dan ranked dhees are embroidered with the name of our Art on one edge and the name of the student on the other edge with the appropriate stripe to denote the Dan rank.

Other Arts have fancy coloured uniforms with stripes and triangles and marking on their belts and their pants, that is their business and I respect that. Whatever one likes to wear I guess is their business and they are to be respected for that, what is important is that they wear their chosen uniforms with "pride".

Regards

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

I don't mind the flag-ish uniform of Bill Wallace below, but the Elvis uniform with boots and glasses is way over the top. I am curious if Bill's uniform is sufficiently different from the flag that no one would be disagree with it in terms of flag protocol.

And as an aside....as an outsider, it always struck me as ironic that Americans feel that disrespecting the flag is sacraligeous, but aborting a fetus is fine. The conclusion of each issue makes sense in isolation, but you put them together and the irony is clear (IMO!).

 

[drop bear]

Yes, but what if it's a patriotic privately owned, commercially run, for-profit, sports business? Just kidding.

Personally, I agree that the correct interpretation of the statute is that flags should not be put on sports uniforms. But, personally, I also think that that particular clause within the statute is outdated. For what it's worth, I like seeing the U.S. flag on U.S. Olympic athletes...to me that actually is patriotic, as is the patch on our kids' doboks. But at the end of the day, I'd have to agree that Steve is technically correct.

You could put a line of reasoning that representing your country is a patriotic pursuit.

So even if you were private tkd on a national team.

 

[drop bear]

But I don't care if there is irreverent use of a flag image. I understand why people do it and it is the good intentions that outweigh the breaking of flag rules.

 

[Steve]

And as an aside....as an outsider, it always struck me as ironic that Americans feel that disrespecting the flag is sacraligeous, but aborting a fetus is fine. The conclusion of each issue makes sense in isolation, but you put them together and the irony is clear (IMO!).

well, speaking just for myself, I don't think disrespecting the flag is sacriligious. I think it's rude. Hyperbolic generalizations to support a dubious political opinion could also be considered pretty rude, in my opinion.

 

[Steve]

But I don't care if there is irreverent use of a flag image. I understand why people do it and it is the good intentions that outweigh the breaking of flag rules.

Ultimately, this is what people do. As I said, if it's not that big a deal to you, so be it. Many people don't know or don't care. Some people check their texts on a date, even though they know it's rude. It would drive me nuts, but if I'm not yiur date, who am I to call you out?

 

[andyjeffries]

Is it important that Kup grades and Poom/Dan grades wear a different kind of uniform where you train?

We're quite relaxed about uniforms. The only difference is that coloured belts can only wear a white collar (we had one grandfathered exception, but he's now a Dan grade). Poom and Dan holders where a black collar (although if their only clean uniform is a white collared one, that's fine too).

Our Poom holders where a black belt. In the UK our WTF MNA gives black belts to under 15s rather than half-red/half-black, so we do likewise so it's not a negative to joining us.

What are your views on the wearing of fancy custom doboks?

I don't mind wording printed on them, Korean lettering, manufacturers adornment. Some of the uniforms I've seen look awful and are banned (e.g. Daedo did an awful one with the Union Flag all over it - photo attached).

What are your views on belt embroidery and bars at various grades?

On our black belts, we have our club logo at one end with the club name embroidered in English and Korean. On the other end we have the student's name (and title if necessary) embroidered along with however many dan bars they have.

What are your views on the use of electrical tape to denote grade steps?

We do this for our youngest class (3-6 year olds) because they get them quite often as a motivator so asking parents to then pay for a new belt all the time would be cost-prohibitive. Other than that class, it's a new belt every grading.

What about badges and printed logos /designs?

Our uniforms generally have our club logo printed on the back and the front left chest.

Is there a limit, and how does 'pimp my uniform' fit with the tenets of Taekwondo?

This is interesting, from previous reports I'd read on the Kukkiwon instructor course they were really angry/upset with it all - saying masters should be above that stuff. However, when I attended in 2013 there were quite a few people with quite a few batches/embroidery/etc and nothing was said.

What makes a practical and popular club dobok?

Cheap and resilient! We use J-Calicu for our club dobok and at black belt level people often choose to buy a more premium brand.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I don't mind the flag-ish uniform of Bill Wallace below, but the Elvis uniform with boots and glasses is way over the top. I am curious if Bill's uniform is sufficiently different from the flag that no one would be disagree with it in terms of flag protocol.

(IMO!).

Was at a seminar with BW some 20 years ago.

He said he stopped wearing the Flag Gi when he saw some 10 year old with one. He felt he earned his by being Champion and seeing a 10 year old with one took away the meaning.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I think the OP meant whether or not electrical tape (being cheap and nasty) is appropriate over having a specific belt to denote in between ranks.

More belts to sell = more $ to make. Tape can save $ for students and instructors and if you keep an inventory it's a lot less stuff to have on hand.

 

[Earl Weiss]

All of the TKD dojang I've visited in the USA have the American and South Korean flags prominently displayed. .

USTF Dojangs and many others in the USA do not fly the SK Flag. (No reason to) In fact, ata course General Choi asked why a student had the SK Flag on his uniform. The student said because his mother was Korean to shich GC said OK (realizing he was actualy acquainted with the students parents).

 

[Earl Weiss]

In the first part, they are talking specifically about athletic uniforms, which a TKD dobok would be, IMO. ................................ (emphasis mine):
As I said before, there are some organizations that are okay to wear a flag patch, but a commercial, for profit, athletic organization just isn't a "patriotic organization." ....

OK, read it 5 times. Could not find the part where it saysd "Steve's opinion controls."

If you Salute the USA Flag at the beginning and end of each class IMO that qualifies as a patriotic group. So, I reject Steve's reality and substitute my own. No need for room to interpret.

 

[RTKDCMB]

More belts to sell = more $ to make. Tape can save $ for students and instructors and if you keep an inventory it's a lot less stuff to have on hand.

Usually our instructors charge students $5 for belts, they cost more than that though.

 

[tshadowchaser]

each to their own but I think a uniform should look like a uniform not a walking billboard. Some folk/schools just have way to much for parches on the uniform.
Belts with letters or words other than that of the country you live in or the language you speck do not make much sense to me either for all you know someone at the factory that made the belt might have had a bad day and written something other than what you think. This happens with tattoos often.
Little stars small patches on kids uniforms are nice and show achievement but do they need to cover the whole arm or leg?
But as I said each school has its own rules so who am i to say it looks like garbage some of the time when it is so over done

 

[Steve]

OK, read it 5 times. Could not find the part where it saysd "Steve's opinion controls."

If you Salute the USA Flag at the beginning and end of each class IMO that qualifies as a patriotic group. So, I reject Steve's reality and substitute my own. No need for room to interpret.

Lol. Yeah, creating your own reality is always fun. As I mentioned before, some people reject that texting on a date is rude. Your group might be patriotic, but come on. Even a dog that climbs trees will never be a squirrel. The American legion, the vfw, the American Red Cross, Kim's tkd. One of these things is not like the others.

 

[TrueJim]

Some of the uniforms I've seen look awful and are banned (e.g. Daedo did an awful one with the Union Flag all over it - photo attached).

Andy, this is the most awesome uniform evar! I must have one.

 

[Danny T]

What defines an organization as being a Patriotic Organization?
What defines one as being Patriotic? If one is patriotic of ideals and does patriotic actions is one not patriotic?
If an individual performs actions for the government and is paid for such is that individual a patriot and is being patriotic? Is that person's organization a Patriotic Organization?

 

[tshadowchaser]

Having served my country in a time of war I feel I should be able to wear the flag on my uniform if it is done in a respectable fashion and that goes for all that have served

 

[drop bear]

Having served my country in a time of war I feel I should be able to wear the flag on my uniform if it is done in a respectable fashion and that goes for all that have served

Nobody is saying you cant.