Why Do We Wear Suits

[Archtkd]

I've seen many Taekwondo masters/grading judges insist on wearing a suit at promotion tests. Why is this done? Isn't a clean well ironed dobok and accompanying well-worn ancient belt more suitable and impressive for the ocassion?

 

[terryl965]

You would think so but I was told by an older GM it was because they did not have to change before going to dinner. I do not know if it is true but after every major BB test I hace been to they always went somewhere nice to eat.

 

[Marginal]

Same reason basketball players in high school dress up before a game.

 

[dancingalone]

For those of you with an old-timer Korean GM, I venture the thought that it might be somewhat cultural in nature. Many from that time consider formal Western dress such as a suit more 'dressed up' and they're likely just according the occasion as much respect as they can.

My father (I may have mentioned I am of Asian heritage) showed up for my American football games in a three piece suit. Back then I was a little embarrassed, but now I realize he was simply proud of me and wanted to look the best he could because he wanted to honor himself and his family.

 

[d1jinx]

when I was younger, i used to think it was because they wanted to walk around and act like "big shots".

Now that I am older, I realized, its because they are professionals. Because this is their profession and lively hood. The image and demeanor they project is a representation of the life they have devoted to this art. It was described to me once by a Korean Master. He said, just like any doctor or lawyer, he has devoted his life to the education of taekwondo. He has studied longer than any doctor or lawyer went to school. And just like that doctor and lawyer, he too is a professional in his skill. Also a ceremonial thing, to some testing is a special occasion and moment in thier life. If no one else does, he can appreciate it and dress for the occasion..

and he dont have to change for dinner afterwards either!

Oh, for the record, I HATE SUITS... and I wear a dobuk at testings.

 

[chrispillertkd]

The Neo-Confucianism that Korean culture is based on looked down on physical fighting and uphelp the scholarly professions. I have read several times that by the 20th century rolled around martial artists, including those who practiced (or "played" to be more accurate) Taekkyon were viewed, basically, as ruffians. This viewpoint was prevalent when Taekwon-Do got its start in the 1950s, too.

I imagine that wearing suits and ties for formal functions such as testings was a way to fight against this negative view of martial artists as ruffians or gangsters. It was probably something of an appeal to Neo-Confucian values; the Master doing the testing and the rest of the panel dressed in suits because dressing up is what you do for a special event.

Pax,

Chris

 

[d1jinx]

The Neo-Confucianism that Korean culture is based on looked down on physical fighting and uphelp the scholarly professions. I have read several times that by the 20th century rolled around martial artists, including those who practiced (or "played" to be more accurate) Taekkyon were viewed, basically, as ruffians. This viewpoint was prevalent when Taekwon-Do got its start in the 1950s, too.

I imagine that wearing suits and ties for formal functions such as testings was a way to fight against this negative view of martial artists as ruffians or gangsters. It was probably something of an appeal to Neo-Confucian values; the Master doing the testing and the rest of the panel dressed in suits because dressing up is what you do for a special event.

Pax,

Chris

There is some truth to this, I had a Korean Master once who told me that his wifes family didnt approve of him because he was a TKD instructor and in Korea, they were looked down upon. They married and moved to the U.S. so he could open a business and somewhat satisfy her parents. but even then they preferred he "gave up his childish practices". They felt it was for school age children and not adults. the adults were just drunken hoods and troublemakers.

His story.

 

[Carol]

Having traveled in Asia and seen how folks in general dress a lot nicer than we do here in the US, it makes sense.

I'm glad you folks have explained that. It is a practice that I would find insulting, if it were in my line of training (which it isn't).

 

[chrispillertkd]

Having traveled in Asia and seen how folks in general dress a lot nicer than we do here in the US, it makes sense.

I'm glad you folks have explained that. It is a practice that I would find insulting, if it were in my line of training (which it isn't).

I'm not really sure why you would find it insulting if your examiner dressed in a suit during a promotional test. Is there a particular reason you'd react that way?

I've been to plenty of promotional tests where the examiners wore doboks instead of suits but I have no problem with people wearing suits. When I am on a testing panel I prefer wearing a suit myself.

Pax,

Chris

 

[IcemanSK]

I was a gup student under a Korean master. During belt tests, he would always wear a suit & have a Korean test examiner (also in a suit) with him. The examiners were rarely introduced to us. They were mysterious, important & scary. These were important people & testings were very serious business. That's how I perceived it back then.

After BB, I changed schools to a much more laid back school where doboks were the attire of the testing boards. Belt tests seemed much less important there.

I'm not a proponent of making tests scary or mysterious, but I like the idea of making them important. I don't wear suits very often. I think that if I wore a suit to a belt test, my students would take it more seriously. Perhaps I'll try it.

 

[Archtkd]

Same reason basketball players in high school dress up before a game.

Which is what?

 

[Archtkd]

I imagine that wearing suits and ties for formal functions such as testings was a way to fight against this negative view of martial artists as ruffians or gangsters. It was probably something of an appeal to Neo-Confucian values; the Master doing the testing and the rest of the panel dressed in suits because dressing up is what you do for a special event.

Very interesting, and probably true. I wonder if the old Korean GMs realize gangsters and ruffians are amongst the best dressed individuals in Western society?

 

[granfire]

Very interesting, and probably true. I wonder if the old Korean GMs realize gangsters and ruffians are amongst the best dressed individuals in Western society?

You mean, the true society dressing like yech?

 

[chrispillertkd]

Very interesting, and probably true. I wonder if the old Korean GMs realize gangsters and ruffians are amongst the best dressed individuals in Western society?

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

 

[IcemanSK]

I'm betting ArchTKD is thinking more mobster than gangsta:ultracool

 

[dortiz]

"I wonder if the old Korean GMs realize gangsters and ruffians are amongst the best dressed "

A bunch of them should ; )

 

[Carol]

I'm not really sure why you would find it insulting if your examiner dressed in a suit during a promotional test. Is there a particular reason you'd react that way?

I've been to plenty of promotional tests where the examiners wore doboks instead of suits but I have no problem with people wearing suits. When I am on a testing panel I prefer wearing a suit myself.

Pax,

Chris

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 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.

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.

 

[granfire]

the ITA gives their Masters a nice Navy jacket at promotion. Paired with tan pants, it looks pretty good. So those wearing the Jacket with matching pants are indeed also in uniform. It's not like the head head judges are expected to do any high flying kicks or the splits...

Makes it kind of easy to spot the big wigs from afar...though it's tricky, not all wear it (my Instructor would rather be caught dead then wear it)

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

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.

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

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

the ITA gives their Masters a nice Navy jacket at promotion. Paired with tan pants, it looks pretty good. So those wearing the Jacket with matching pants are indeed also in uniform. It's not like the head head judges are expected to do any high flying kicks or the splits...

Makes it kind of easy to spot the big wigs from afar...though it's tricky, not all wear it (my Instructor would rather be caught dead then wear it)

Paired with navy pants and a pair of glasses, you have the Clark Kent fashion statement. Kind of fitting, given the capabilities of some of those masters.

Daniel