These were
the individuals who tested me for shodan in 1979,
But I believe
the photo was from 1976.
When I was a kyu all kyu in Lewis Sensei’s IKC always
wore a white Gi. But there seemed to be no rule what black belt holders could
wear. They just had to back up wearing them.
One time a new student showed up in a newly purchased
black gi and was sent home to change after being told kyu students could not
wear that.
When my black belt exam approached, on a business trip
to Philadelphia, I bought myself a black gi. Then after I was promoted, the
next class that is what I wore. I learned the hard way that a black gi fades
within a few years.
At times I would mix it up, say black top and white
pants or white top and black pants.
In the long run I learned that I preferred the white
gi. and that is what I wore thereafter.
However my seniors, who wore white gi most of the
time, at different times wore many different gi’s
One group of my seniors used to have gray gi’s.
One of my seniors, Dennis Lockwood, whose mother was a
seamstress who made many gi for him, often creating gi in many colors. One of which was a black and white striped
top to be worn with black bottoms (a referee gi). But my favorite gi for him
was the paisley gi she made for him.
Charlie Murray used to wear a blue denim gi at times.
It was very soft, durable and looked good.
But of course it is not the gi that makes the
individual, it is the individual who makes the gi.
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