MA Uniform as Halloween Costume

[Instructor]

They are just clothes to exercise in and the belt just holds your pants up. I have students that only wear the dobak for belt tests the rest of the time, addidas exercise pants and T-shirts. I spend all day in a uniform for my job, I can't bear the thought of calling a dobak a uniform.

We were all Ghostbusters this year. Except one, she was the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man.

 

[Manny]

The uniform (gi or dobok) and belt (obi) deserves respect, that's what my sambonim always taught us, so for me no gi or dobok for a hallowen costume. There wa sone time I went to dojang with my dobok rolled and tied to my waist with the obi and when sambonim saw me reprehend me, he told me that was not a way to transport the uniform.

So please forgive me to be square but traditions to me means a lot, I have the higest respect for my dobok and for my belt so I treat them as treasure and try to keep them clean and in good condition.

Manny

 

[Instructor]

Nothing to forgive Manny. Nothing wrong with respect. I just think what you DO is far more important than what you wear.

The uniform (gi or dobok) and belt (obi) deserves respect, that's what my sambonim always taught us, so for me no gi or dobok for a hallowen costume. There wa sone time I went to dojang with my dobok rolled and tied to my waist with the obi and when sambonim saw me reprehend me, he told me that was not a way to transport the uniform.

So please forgive me to be square but traditions to me means a lot, I have the higest respect for my dobok and for my belt so I treat them as treasure and try to keep them clean and in good condition.

Manny

 

[crushing]

Some kid wearing his martial arts uniform trick or treating does no one any harm. Seems there are much bigger things to be upset about than this, even in the martial arts community.

I think that this is a fun little thread but if you are taking a moral stand on this you should chill out!

Nobody responding to this thread really seemed all that upset about it.

 

[Gorilla]

Not upset just a little to serious about a peice of clothing. My verbiage may have been a little to strong.

 

[oftheherd1]

Not upset just a little to serious about a peice of clothing. My verbiage may have been a little to strong.

It was for me, it got me all into a moral outrage.

I didn't think anyone got upset about being in disagreement with wearing the MA uniform as a costume. It is the way I was taught: respect for the teacher, the school/dojang, the flag, and the uniform. The uniform must always be clean and even during practice, kept in proper array. One turned away from others and went to one knee to readjust the uniform. Because of that I am against wearing it for a costume, or even on the way home if you wear it into an establishment such as a store. I learned that when I briefly studied TKD, and then again when I studied HKD. Again, if you weren't taught that way, you can do what you were taught.

For others who have been taught otherwise, so be it. I don't set your standards any more than you set mine. I am not angry at you for thinking that way since it was the way you were taught. As others have said, I am a traditionalist in that regard.

I suppose it may sound strange, but I would not be so upset if I knew someone was wearing a MA costume if they weren't a student of MA.

 

[SuperFLY]

I must admit i've worn my gi to a friends birthday party before. it was an 80s party and i went as... karate kid bought a bandanna matching his one and off i went.

what was amusing was someone else (friend of a friend) had come as karate kid too and we started chatting when he noticed my emblem and asked what it was. relevant to another thread, his demeaner suddenly changed when i told him it was a real gi.

although i do realise our gi shouldnt be worn outside of the dojo (i dont even wear it to training, i always get changed once there) i was very mindful of it. i wasnt drinking that evening as i was on meds for a bad shoulder, so it was a nice night.. no messiness

 

[conejoblackbelt2028]

Are you all sure that it's truly disrespectful to wear the gi as a Halloween costume? I'm planning on wearing mine and my black belt as a joke at school, but I just saw this thread and wanted to make sure. My sensei also cautioned me about my belt and advised me to just not wear it to avoid any provocation (meaning: people might assume that I can beat them up, which definitely isn't true) and/or fights. Downside of the gi outside the dojo: it's gonna get dirty . (is this an old chat?!)

 

[Gyakuto167 176]

Rather than being disrespectful I’d suggest it’s a little gauche. What you’ll be doing isn’t really a joke but showing off. I suspect you’ll find the looks of admiration for your preferred sex, somewhat titillating and maybe annoy others too. Being a learner of combat sports and especially martial arts means cultivating a discerning character, utilising one’s theory of mind to good effect and I don’t think a mature martial artist would use their keikogi as a Halloween ‘costume’.

Go as Freddy Kruger, Vlad the Impaler or paint yourself orange…it’s Halloween, try and be scary!

 

[conejoblackbelt2028]

Rather than being disrespectful I’d suggest it’s a little gauche. What you’ll be doing isn’t really a joke but showing off. I suspect you’ll find the looks of admiration for your preferred sex, somewhat titillating and maybe annoy others too. Being a learner of combat sports and especially martial arts means cultivating a discerning character, utilising one’s theory of mind to good effect and I don’t think a mature martial artist would use their keikogi as a Halloween ‘costume’.

Go as Freddy Kruger, Vlad the Impaler or paint yourself orange…it’s Halloween, try and be scary!

Gyakuto, I'm not doing it to show off; I can't think of any other costume to wear, and it's almost Halloween (almost everyone will wear Halloween costumes on Friday because it's school).

you’ll find the looks of admiration for your preferred sex, somewhat titillating

That's not funny to me. I'm not looking to find any admirer, not even girls.

Go as Freddy Kruger, Vlad the Impaler or paint yourself orange…it’s Halloween, try and be scary!

I'll try to be a Shotokan-practicing jeoseung saja demon from Kpop Demon Hunters

 

[Gyakuto167 176]

Gyakuto, I'm not doing it to show off; I can't think of any other costume to wear, and it's almost Halloween (almost everyone will wear Halloween costumes on Friday because it's school).

A true warrior sorts out his costume well ahead of Halloween.

That's not funny to me. I'm not looking to find any admirer, not even girls.

But using theory of mind, you can probably see it might come across that way to some?

I'll try to be a Shotokan-practicing jeoseung saja demon from Kpop Demon Hunters

Just put a sheet over your head and go, “Wooooooo…” or something.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf166 32]

Eh, I've done it before. Went to a party I hadn't realized was a costume party and had it in my trunk. Got some light ribbing for it (in the vein of "does that really count as a costume, oh hey you've been wearing your costume all year huh?, etc" from people I trained with/knew I train), but ultimately it's not like anyone will care any more than any other costume, just be prepared to answer questions if you spill food or drink on it.

 

[Gyakuto167 176]

Eh, I've done it before. Went to a party I hadn't realized was a costume party and had it in my trunk. Got some light ribbing for it (in the vein of "does that really count as a costume, oh hey you've been wearing your costume all year huh?, etc" from people I trained with/knew I train), but ultimately it's not like anyone will care any more than any other costume, just be prepared to answer questions if you spill food or drink on it.

But would you have gone into your high school in your training gear? All the bullies and jealous types that eventually go on to be heads of countries etc? They’d just have your card marked for ‘special treatment’. Besides, it’s gauche.

 

[philwhite]

This year I handed out candy at my karate school in my gi and my son wore his trick or treating. I let my wife wear my uniform and belt on halloween several years ago. Letting kids be themselves and making people happy is more important than where a uniform is worn.

I taught kids karate in a bar for 9 months...

 

[J. Pickard]

Just a bad idea in general. It's a uniform so it should look neat and clean when worn. Going out trick our treating is a great way to get it stained or damaged to where you need a new one. It's also kind of a lame costume. Generic karate person number 3 isn't as cool as the classics like blood soaked zombie, Maverik from top gun, a Ghost Buster, a power ranger, etc.

 

[Gyakuto167 176]

I don’t think the recent Halloween poster wanted advice so much as affirmation of his/her intentions. In my opinion, their teacher is a wise person.

 

[conejoblackbelt2028]

I don’t think the recent Halloween poster wanted advice so much as affirmation of his/her intentions. In my opinion, their teacher is a wise person.

Wait, what do you mean?

 

[conejoblackbelt2028]

Update: wearing my black belt and gi as my Halloween "costume" at school totally worked. No one challenged me or asked to see some bunkai, and some people really loved it .