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The Martialist does not
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Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.
Red Lizard: Step Out in Style
A Product Review by Phil Elmore
Pete
Kautz of Alliance
Martial Arts wrote an excellent article called I
Conceal My Treasure: Martial Arts and the Public Eye. In it, he explains
quite convincingly why one should not traipse about in public draped in Kung
Fu t-shirts, silk-screened Karate jackets, and fanny packs worn with licensed
firearms manufacturers’ clothing. Such ostentatious displays, he argues,
can be seen as tempting challenges to those looking for trouble.
Forewarning others as to your preparations when considering the sudden use of
force is also poor strategy for ongoing survival.
There
is, however, a time and a place to express your love of the martial arts with
your clothing. Informal attire for seminars and training events is one
example. Dressing purely for your own enjoyment when in the company of
known friends is another.
Recently
the nice folks at Red
Lizard Martial Arts Clothing sent me a product sample. Specifically,
they sent a black t-shirt adorned with, appropriately enough, a Kung Fu
logo. They shipped it Royal Mail at their expense and got it to me
extremely quickly. (Red Lizard, if you haven’t figured it out from the
URL, is based in the West Yorkshire, UK. Consider this when shopping,
for while shipping might be a concern for American buyers, you folks in the UK
have no excuses.) The Red Lizard catalog includes a variety of branded
shirts in varying colors, sporting a variety of martial arts-themed t-shirts
and tank-tops. Glancing through the flyer they sent me, I see shirts for
those keen on everything from Kempo and Kendo to Aikido and Shotokan.
Sizes run up to XL.
My
shirt exhibits high-quality stitching, a reinforced neckline, and quality 100%
cotton construction. Its tag (which is inside the lower hem of the
shirt, not positioned in the neckline where it would irritate the wearer)
boasts a variety of wash and care graphics that mean relatively little to
me. The Red Lizard name and logo are embroidered on a smaller tag on the
left sleeve of the garment.
If
you’re looking for casual attire and you want to “express your inner MA
practitioner,” Red Lizard deserves your attention.