Why Do We Wear Suits

[Carol]

We practitioners of Tie-kwondo train in suits everyday. Our super secret necktie attacks, Rockport stomp-kicks, and newspaper fencing techniques are not only the stuff of legends, but require no gear that is not readily at hand.

Daniel

I'm getting an idea for a new superhero movie! I think I'll call it...

MIB.

Men in Blazers.

 

[chrispillertkd]

They are out of uniform in an environment that enforces uniform standards. If you're going to require a dobok for everyone else and put effort in to what it will look like, why should that only apply to "certain everybody's" instead of "every everybody's"? It looks as though the person can't be bothered to be dressed for the environment that they are in. That to me is insulting.

Like I said, the Neo-Confucianism the Koreans come out of probably had a lot to do with them choosing to wear suits when at important functions so there was less of the "ruffian" image. It's understandable that the people testing would be in dobok as it's better suited for the hard training they're going to go through but as the instructor/examiner/master it wouldn't be necessary.

It's never bothered me when I've done things with my instructors when we were out of class and in "civies." I still stand up and bow when they enter the room even though they aren't in their uniforms. Same thing with suits at a test, IMO.

I like how a suit looks on a person (male or female) but in an MA environment, I don't think it makes the person look their best. Instead it shows distance by wearing clothes you can't imagine anyone training in.

Gen. Choi almost always taught in slacks and a button down shirt. That wasn't training as he was the one running the seminars but he'd certainly demonstrate techniques when needed. And he was quite powerful.

Back in 2004 Gen. Choi's son, GM Choi, Jung Hwa was teaching an International Instructor's Course I was attending. He's always one for wearing a dobok when teaching but as it turned out his bag with his uniform got lost by the airline so he ended up teaching in a shirt and tie, slacks, and dress shoes. Despite not being in uniform I can still remember seeing him demonstrate many kicks and hand techniques. At one point he was demonstrating side piercing kicks which were some of the most powerful that I've seen while wearing dress shoes.

After the seminar I tossed around the idea of training in dress clothes to see if that actually improved the power of my techniques

That is just my opinion though...I'm not saying its wrong for anyone to do so, I'm just saying I don't like it and would never do it myself. Keep in mind, I am not a Korean stylist, so I don't have the same traditions.

Oh, sure. Undoubtedly our experiences color our acceptance of many things. Like I said, from a Neo-Confucian view point the practice makes perfect sense. Most of the instructors that I know who wear doboks when they are testing students are Americans, interestingly. I've seen some Koreans do it, but the majority I'd say wore suits.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Carol]

Oh, sure. Undoubtedly our experiences color our acceptance of many things. Like I said, from a Neo-Confucian view point the practice makes perfect sense. Most of the instructors that I know who wear doboks when they are testing students are Americans, interestingly. I've seen some Koreans do it, but the majority I'd say wore suits.

Pax,

Chris

It makes sense. Something I didn't think of (until I saw the explanation from you and dancingalone) was that wearing suits (or more formal clothes) is much more common in Asia (and even Europe) than it is here. Walk down a street in Tokyo and on a late Sunday afternoon, and nearly everyone is attired in a suit. It makes more sense given the context.

 

[IcemanSK]

Most masters I've seen in suits look quite good. But there are those gentlemen who feel that the loud shark skin suit is the way to go.

Not so much.:mst:

 

[spinny]

It's just a different "uniform"

Referees don't wear doboks afterall. They wear pants, shirt and tie. Our judges do the same at testing. Though the high masters also get special suit jackets.

 

[Archtkd]

They are out of uniform in an environment that enforces uniform standards. If you're going to require a dobok for everyone else and put effort in to what it will look like, why should that only apply to "certain everybody's" instead of "every everybody's"? It looks as though the person can't be bothered to be dressed for the environment that they are in. That to me is insulting.

I have never thought this suit thing was insulting, but I find it rather amusing. I also don't think it's wrong and I have had to dress up -- albeit unwillingly -- for judging duty at other teachers' dojangs.

My unwillingness comes from a feeling that this dressing up leans heavily toward the pretentious. I don't think there is any authenticity to the whole practice, particularly in a dojangs. Business outside the dojang is another thing.

My disdain for suits in the dojang began in Kenya, my homeland and a place where people take clothes very seriously, thanks to a British colonial past and a craziness for most things European. The judges and attorneys there still wear the silly wolly white wigs. It's not unusual to see a Kenyan manual laborer going to work in a woolen sports coat and tie, on a hot day.

 

[Archtkd]

Not here in Pittsburgh.

And I hazard to say that most people who dress as "gangstas" aren't dressed in suits and ties. Nor do they qualify as being amongst the best dressed, IMHO.

You might be talking about the Mafia but even so you can usually tell if someone is dressed for an important event or because they want to feel important by the way they carry themselves.

Pax,

Chris

Not to throw the thread off the rails, but I wasnt' just referring to the usual suspects. I was also thinking about the financial gurus who helped kill your local steel industry and then tried to ensure everyone in your town owns a home they now can't afford.

 

[granfire]

Not to throw the thread off the rails, but I wasnt' just referring to the usual suspects. I was also thinking about the financial gurus who helped kill your local steel industry and then tried to ensure everyone in your town owns a home they now can't afford.

LOL. gotcha!