Things I Do Not Understand, Episode 2

Also observed at the March NAC. (Where, evidently, I encountered a lot of things I did not understand.) 

My first question was: what the #$%&* is this?

My hypothesis, after (gingerly) examining it: a pair of men's compression shorts. Which only leads to more questions. Does compressing your, um, bum, really increase your performance? 

It also bears a distressingly resemblance to a girdle. Doesn't that tape look like it is designed to Shape and Lift? Do guys really care that much how their tushies look while they are fencing? 

Last question: how the heck do you lose something like this at a competition? 

Wait, don't answer that.

Pimp My Ride

Sometimes at NACs & Nationals I sneak away from cheering my teammates to scope out the wheelchair fencing.

Most of the time the Fashionistas nose around for the small amount of real estate available to fencers for embellishment--the mask, the shoes, the off hand.

Hence my interest in the wheelchair riders. Talk about scope for ornamentation. While equipment manufacturers struggle to fit a few stars and stripes onto a mask, these guys have room for the whole freakin' flag.

And flags are only the starting point. 

There's room to acknowledge pretty much everyone under the sun (including airlines).

Or to riff on anything from from cosmic explosions to artistic vines & leaves

From China Daily

Or in-your-face nationalist symbolism. (But still, a little more subtle than a flag.)

Photo by Lei Zhang on Zimbio.com

And that's just the wheels. They also have the whole frame to play around with. Check out this paint job.

I haven't had the chance to interview any of these riders--don't want to interrupt them when they are hooking up to bout, and they often seem to be in a hurry, between times. But I want to! So if you know any fencers who have customized their fencing wheelchair, please make an introduction.

Photos, unless otherwise credited, by Badger. 

Things I Do Not Understand

First in what will no doubt eventually be a series of posts about thing spotted at competitions that beg for explanation. But will probably never be explained.

First up: the "one short leg on my warm-ups" style exhibited by the Korean team at the 2013 March NAC. Whaaaaa? 

Here's a closer look at the fashion statement.

This was applied both to long pants (as above) and shorts (shorts, shorter, shortest?)

Now I'm not saying these gentlemen didn't have nice legs (they did), but really, is the purpose of the cutoff just to show off more of their well-developed gams? It wasn't even particularly hot in the venue. 

Your speculation on this phenomenon welcome. As well as your pics of "fencing fashion I Do Not Understand."

Baskets of Bling

We received our first response to our call last week, for fencers to share their systems for storing and displaying their medals.

And what an answer it is.

Delia Turner writes:

"I wear them or put them in my pocket withe the ribbon hanging out until I get home. Then they go up on my bulletin board at the school where I teach. At the end of the year, I dump them in the basket. It's almost too heavy for me to lift." 

(At our request, Delia weighed the basket. It clocked in at 32#. Thirty--two--pounds. Wow. I guess that's what you rack up in the course of becoming a three-time Veteran World Team Champion.)

"My two FIE medals stay on the windowsill. The decorative swords are in an umbrella stand in my study."

So--back to you guys. Maybe you can't outweigh Delia's bling (or maybe you can. *Ahem* Anne Marie. Jeanette. *Ahem*) but perhaps you can challenge her in the category of "Elegant Display." Game on.

Bling

Allison suggested we do a post about how people display their medals.

This is difficult subject for me. I have conflicted feelings about bling. 

a) I love the shinys

b) I don't know what to do with them after the competition

c) Then I feel guilty about not appreciating them more.

See? Head case.

Anyway--my system: a medal starts out on me. That's easy enough. I let myself wear it the whole day of the competition. Even out to dinner or on the drive or flight home. Silly? Yes, but dammit, when else am I going to get any enjoyment out of it? Waitresses and doormen can give me all the funny looks they like. Sometimes random people say "congratulations." That's cool. 

If it is a multi-day competition, after Day 1 my mascot takes over for me. 

Once I get home, if the result was particularly notable the medal transfers to a different caretaker for a bit.

Mostly, though, they get crammed into a drawer in a bureau. In a closet. In the attic. 

See? Conflicted. I'm not sure why. I feel like I ought to do something useful with them. What that would be totally evades me. 

Also they feel a bit like a silent reproach, daring me to do it again. Did I mention "head case?" 

*********
 Here are my (Allison's) humble winnings:

I honestly have no idea what to do with mine. I've vaguely considered drilling extra holes and making them into a belt (to be added onto until I have a samurai type skirt, perhaps?) but it's more likely that they'll stay hanging off this chair unless I come up with a less cheesy idea.

*********
Anyway, we thought that if we put out a call, we might get some good photos from readers with more graceful, aesthetically pleasing (and generally less psychologically messed up) ways of displaying the take-homes from competitions. Email Badger (bodhibadger at gmail dot com) or Allison (athurman at gmail dot com) with photos and commentary and we will put together a post featuring your medal methodologies. Thank you!

Pictures from a Competition

Columbus was not as fertile fashionista territory as I had hoped. No fault of the competitors, I'm sure--I was just too busy wrangling the RFA Base Camp and getting into and out of fencing gear. 

Here are my most notable sightings:


Best Dressed Fencer: Mary High of Salem Academy Fencing

Frankly, I didn't 
even know that a solid colored uniform (other than white) was legal. Mary's regal purple (especially in contrast to her red hair) was awesome. Mary, if you contact me, I'd love to interview you about your fencing fashion sense.

[Allison says: "Where do you even find such colorful uniforms?"]







Best Hair, Fencer:                                         

Best Hair, Spectator:

Best New Product: Absolute Fencing is trying to mainstream some fashionista styling 

Not the color or design I would have chosen to lead with, but a promising development, none the less.

Best Color Coordination: (bag, socks, tip tape, sneakers, plushie mascot) snapped up by my RFA teammate, the Dormouse. 

Best Fencing Accessory: Mission Fencing Center of Rocky Point, NY, for their fabulous decked out van. (Can a van count as an accessory? Oh heck, I'm giving the award, and I say yes.)

Maybe you can supplement my haul with pics of your own--send them (with commentary) to bodhibadger at gmail dot com. I look forward to seeing what caught your eye.

Something Old

Everyone has gear that they just can't get rid of.

Badger paws. Comfy, but with holes

Whether for sentimental reasons (first NAC?) or superstitious (lucky glove/socks/etc.) I think most of us have particular items that should have been retired long ago.

Me, I still have my first mask (around 12 years old), complete with stamps to my first competitions:

I also hang onto an old friend's glove as a memento.

Then there is Badger's coach, who has had this jacket for so long that the patches have assumed a character of their own.

Badger says it looks like a map of Africa. She usually aims for Mali, or Chad.

What have you got lurking in your bag?

--Allison

Do you have a stash like this?

Badger says: old friend--2 years, 6 NACs, 
2 Nationals. Now, too many dents