"only Rubes wear bandanas" and other myths

[El Chucko]

When I fence, I wear a bandana that is folded up like a headband to absorb the sweat. The director of my club does, too. Over the years, many of our members have begun to do this as well.

About a year ago, a number of us went to a small tournament in Canada, and one of them asked us, "What do the colors mean?" It took us a while to realize that almost all of us were wearing bandanas, and hardly anyone else there was. They thought the colors had some sort of significance, like the uniforms on Star Trek or something. ("Red means I work in engineering, and probably will die in the landing party!")

Recently, a coach from another club told one of our young fencers that she shouldn't wear a bandana, because "good" fencers don't do that, and it makes her basically look like a Rube. Jeez, I just don't like sweat in my eyes. Does that make me a Rube or a poor fencer?

What other stereotypes/preconceptions/myths are out there about fencers' attire, appearance, etc.???

Just curious.

[dilznik]

It could be worse. You could be wearing a yellow sweatband on your head with matching ones on your wrist like Richard Simmons.

It's not a myth or a preconception, but people at my club all roundly agree: "No one wins with goofy socks on." Goofy meaning not matching, some color other than white or occasionally black, or with a cartoon character on them. It also means you better not lose to one of these people. Same goes for wacky colored hair or silly shoelaces.

[millsisland]

I've always assumed a bandana is covering a bald or balding head.

Mills

[Peach]

Different groups have different preconceptions. It's not safe to make assumptions about ability based on attire. Just because someone, for instance, has his last name and "USA" on the back of their jacket, whether faded or fresh, doesn't mean he's an international fencer--but it doesn't mean he's pretentious, either. A hand-lettered name on the back of a jacket might mean the airline lost a top fencer's luggage on the way to a national event, or it mght just mean he was cheap. Just because a club's fencers wear colored socks doesn't mean they're not good--it might mean school spirit, or a fondness for colors. FIE gear could mean the fencer's grandmother gave him a birthday present, it could mean he's worried about safety, or it could mean he competes in World Cups.

I wish I could keep a bandana on because I sweat so much, but the mask keeps pulling it off. I compromise by keeping my hair short.

[dilznik]

"You better not lose to that guy in the striped socks with Tigger on them." My coach actually said that to me once. I never fenced so hard in my life. I didn't say they weren't good. I'm just saying it's a goal to strive for. I also try to never lose to smokers.

Having your last name and USA on the back really just means that you happened to have an extra $10 when time came to order new stuff. But having a little American flag painted into the U of your jacket, that's just cool.

My club requires having FIE everything just to free fence. It's pretty costly. However I also haven't broken a blade in 4 years since I got the stuff. It doesn't mean I'm good, it means I spent twice as much on my gear as the next guy. *grumble*

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by Peach

I wish I could keep a bandana on because I sweat so much, but the mask keeps pulling it off. I compromise by keeping my hair short.

Have you tried just a normal athletic headband? It absorbs more, and even though it doesn't stay on, it's much easier to put back on than a bandana or anything like that.

[Katman]

I wear a bandana and I'm a Katman, not a rube.

Originally Posted by millsisland

I've always assumed a bandana is covering a bald or balding head.

Ha!

[reawl]

I wore a bandana myself until I read the following phrase: "A fencer who wears a bandana is rarely as good as he thinks he is." and while bandanas are popular in the club I fenced with at the time, I also didn't want to be stereotyped.

Other things like wearing goofy socks or colored uniforms or not having my name on my back has come in handy because people do make assumptions based on the way you're dressed. Wearing canvas sneakers is also a good one to throw off an opponent.

Sweat bands IMO need to go back to the 80's and never be let out.

[dilznik]

I don't know about that name thing. Seriously, any fool with $10.
You have to have a certain reason to wear goofy socks though. There's a lot more thought that goes into it. The name thing is like an impulse buy. "Eh, I'm here anyway, what's another ten bucks?" But someone with silly socks actually had to go to their sock drawer and pass over normal socks in order to get their silly socks out.
Besides, you have to have your name on your kit if you're fencing in a real tournament.

[broncofencer]

I think it is Virginia Tech that wears socks that depending on color indicate what there letter ranking is so like a B might wear orange socks or a c might get purple. I and my club mates all wore matching bandanas at tournamnets for a long time it made our club members easy to find in crowds where everyone is in white.

I personally find white to be very sterile looking and boring so I say give your uniform some flare where you can. I have a bright neon green glove that I wear. I also prefer to fence with a baseball style cap on under my mask. its what I do. I'm not looking for approval I'm just letting my personality show in a sport where everyone dresses the same.

[acaba]

My favorite stereotype:
The guy who has a full set of brand new, shiny FIE gear: pants, jacket, shoes, socks, glove, etc. is not one to worry about. He just has rich parents.

They guy with really worn & dirty FIE stuff and one piece of shiny FIE gear IS the guy to worry about because he has probably fenced enough to wear through that piece of FIE gear.

[dilznik]

That's what colored electric vests are for!

[sabreur]

Originally Posted by broncofencer

I think it is Virginia Tech that wears socks that depending on color indicate what there letter ranking is so like a B might wear orange socks or a c might get purple.

Oh man, I can't wait for the Fencing Sock Color code (some of us are old enough to remember the bandana in the back pocket color code from the disco era....)

Pink = U who wasn't paying attention and washed socks with a red T-shirt
Dirty yellow = Bachelor epeeist.
Blinding white = Bachelor curmudgeon veteran sabreur
Teal = preppy fencerette
Indigo = NYC biker foilist
Cerise = Unreformed communist foilist
Black = Anarchist (therefore an epeeist)
Brown = Bruin sabreur

[dilznik]

My ex-girlfriend "accidentally" washed my gear with a blue towel. so now the back panel of my jacket and the front panels of my pants are a shade of blue that almost matches my blue electric vest. I have to point out to people that it wasn't done on purpose. Another guy I saw had the same problem, but it must've been a brand new towel because there was a HUGE blue splotch along one leg and half his back. Nothing like shelling out hundreds for FIE kit and then have someone wash it wrong.

Still, better than washing it myself.

[cfaustus]

I wear a bandana just to irk Mr. Epee.

I am also thinking of the black socks on Sabreur's chart, but that would make me a conformist, so instead I'll go with the unpopular color: white.

[melihop]

At school this year we had "team bandanas" which were just simple red bandanas that we had everyone wear at novice and jv states.... It made it a lot easier to find out fencers when they were in between bouts!

[swordsen]

I wore a bandana, actually a sling from Combat life saver bag, becasue I am bald and it helps keep the sweat out of my eyes. Now I have a Pirate do-rag that I won at the beach (saber in the surf) to do the same thing.

[acaba]

Originally Posted by broncofencer

I think it is Virginia Tech that wears socks that depending on color indicate what there letter ranking is so like a B might wear orange socks or a c might get purple.

Please, get it right ! Purple. Really. Who would wear such an outrageous color?

A:Black
B:Blue
C:Orange
D:Green
E:Maroon
U:White

http://www.fencing.org.vt.edu/members.html

Incidentally, the reason that Virginia Tech colors were used for C and E ratings is most of the club had either a C or an E when the color system was devised. I know you were wondering.

acaba (VT fencer, alumni)

[Mr Epee]

Originally Posted by cfaustus

I wear a bandana just to irk Mr. Epee.

Ya know what else irks me?

When people stick wet forks into electrical outlets.

[El Chucko]

Your school colors are orange and maroon?!??!??!?!!