Female Gis

Hello!

It's spring time and well, I need a few new gis once again. (Funny how training 6 days a week kills gis faster than you can believe.) Currently, I've been ordering from Kioyta Co Inc- mainly because that is who my sensei uses. The factors that go into purchasing a gi for me are:

1. I'm a college student- hence money is a big thing.
2. If I use the JK brand as example I am a 4 top and a 5 bottom. I am a 5'9" female with a very curvy body and long legs which makes me a hard fit when I am just trying to get jeans much less a gi.
3. I am a very amaetur sewer (seams are fine) and my mother is a seamstress so taking in things is no problem. The main thing is, she works another job in the medical field right now and I don't want to ask her to do much other than a quick stick or two.
4. If I was to go the custom made route or a female gi, I would rather get the top only. I'm fine with the pants being oddish (ie not lying flat on my stomach) because its not a beauty contest! Also, I've never had problems with my pants really just the top.
5. Its HOT up here so I only want to use karate gis. I already have to wear a shirt under it for 'modesty' so I'm always warm.

Anyone who could recomend a brand (ie Century) and give me a review on it would be of great help. Thanks.

(Also anyone have a pattern for a gi top? I'd love to know where you got it from.)

Zoe, I sent you my email addy via PM if you want advice/coaching on sewing one.

I like my Kwon student karate gis. They are a little heavier than most karate gi's . They have string ties to help keep the top closed and they are inexpensive. I always cut my gi pants off under the knee patch so the length is not an issue but they are long enough anyway.

Mary, how does the size on those gis run? I'm use to the JK brand from Kiotya Co and wear a 5 with them.

I am 5' 10 and weigh 200 pounds and I wear a 5.

Since this is in the same realm, I figured I'd post here instead of starting a new topic. Has anyone tried the Century women's cut gi? I'm slightly hesitant to spend 100 dollars on the top and pants without trying it on, especially since returns are going to be difficult, and I will still be out a little bit of money if it doesn't fit. I'm extremely curvy, and I can't even find a top that works in the same size. I have a proforce Gladiator karate gi top that is a 5 and is too large and gapes open at the neck/chest, and I also have a Mugen size 5 top that almost chokes me at the neck because it's too small. The Century women's gi specifies that the seams are cut for a woman, so I was hoping to get some feedback if anyone here has tried it.

And Janet, your keikogi top looks beautiful, and if I was employed, I would order one in a heartbeat, but I too am a poor college student.

Ashley, I'm studying the graphics on the Century website to see if I can figure out where the shaping is and I can't. Normally one would see shaping darts at bust and waist or a princess type seam but looking at both black and white versions I can't see any - if they shape ONLY at side seams I'd say for those of us with real curves, not adequate.
Even the quite lovely Bujin womens gi top seemed to have been made with a slender and young Japanese woman in mind: the bust dart points to where someone about 20 years old might have her fullest point relative to shoulder/waist length and fitted to about an A-B cup size. Not very helpful for a full busted or mature woman.

Janet Rosen wrote: Ashley, I'm studying the graphics on the Century website to see if I can figure out where the shaping is and I can't. Normally one would see shaping darts at bust and waist or a princess type seam but looking at both black and white versions I can't see any - if they shape ONLY at side seams I'd say for those of us with real curves, not adequate. Even the quite lovely Bujin womens gi top seemed to have been made with a slender and young Japanese woman in mind: the bust dart points to where someone about 20 years old might have her fullest point relative to shoulder/waist length and fitted to about an A-B cup size. Not very helpful for a full busted or mature woman.

Blast it, but I really appreciate you checking. I'm assuming most of my top issues stem from the fact that I'm a DD. Unfortunately I'm beginning to think I'm doomed.

Ashley Hemsath wrote: Blast it, but I really appreciate you checking. I'm assuming most of my top issues stem from the fact that I'm a DD. Unfortunately I'm beginning to think I'm doomed.

A karate style gi jacket CAN be altered to fit if you have somebody local to work with you. You want it to fit properly across your full bust/around upper and mid back as the alterations will be to remove excess fabric at neck, shoulder and upper chest plus diminish any excess fullness at the waist.

Ashley Hemsath wrote: Blast it, but I really appreciate you checking. I'm assuming most of my top issues stem from the fact that I'm a DD. Unfortunately I'm beginning to think I'm doomed.

I feel your pain. I'm a DDD and built like a truck. Iv'e just resigned myself to the fact that a gi is not gonna be flattering on my body. Although the hackama really does help.

I just got a new Piranha Gear karate Gi and it is a pretty decent fit. They are rather expensive though.

Jut wanted to update this thread. I discovered that a website called Martial Arts Mart Has a selection of womens Gi and they go up to a 1x which seems to be about equivalent to a size 6.

This is the Century Gi that was mentioned earlier in the thread. Tops and bottoms are sold separately.

I purchased the 10oz extended length in the 1x size. After the initial purchase confirmation I did not receive the promised notification that it shipped but it did arrive within a week. I have worn the jacket to a couple of classes now and have found it to fit well and is comfortable. The material was soft and supple right out of the package and washed swell. It has not so far shrunk much but I am hoping that with a few washes the sleeve and tail length will be reduced a little. My only issue is that the tie strings are much to low on the jacket and I will need to move them so they hold the jacket closed correctly. But this is a small thing. Overall, out of the box it has been fine to train in. Probably the nicest and best fitting Gi jacket I have owned.

Bujin Designs has the best women's gi top for me. I like my Century women's top fine but I absolutely love the ones I've gotten from Bujin. They were unavailable for quite some time but now they are back on the web site.

Susan Dalton wrote: Bujin Designs has the best women's gi top for me. I like my Century women's top fine but I absolutely love the ones I've gotten from Bujin. They were unavailable for quite some time but now they are back on the web site.

I have heard that Bujin is great. However they don't come in larger sizes so has never been an option for me. I am sure I am not the ny woman with this problem. The Century Women's cut Gi jacket continues to wear and wash well.

Cherie,
I'm not a small person. I wear XL(16) in women's clothes. But the Bujin women's L top fits me fine. It has the inner tie at the waist and then an outer tie on the hip. I wear a shirt underneath so even if it comes open a little, I don't have to worry about what's hanging out. I tell you what I do miss. Those sport bra/undershirts Bujin used to sell that would tuck into your pants. I can't find anything like them anywhere.

I'm considerably smaller (size 12-14) but the Bujin woman's gi never made me that happy because it was darted for a woman with a much "perkier" bust than my middle aged one. Glad I can sew.....

Susan Dalton wrote: Cherie, I'm not a small person. I wear XL(16) in women's clothes. But the Bujin women's L top fits me fine. It has the inner tie at the waist and then an outer tie on the hip. I wear a shirt underneath so even if it comes open a little, I don't have to worry about what's hanging out. I tell you what I do miss. Those sport bra/undershirts Bujin used to sell that would tuck into your pants. I can't find anything like them anywhere.

16.... SMH I wish.

Okay well I am currently in a 20/22 W.-Men's size XL shirt and a G cup. The only sports bra that works for me is the Enell and, until now, I have not been able to find a gi that remotely fits well without a lot of expensive tailoring. Anything that fits my bust is also meant for a 6.5 foot tall man. I am only 5'5.

A size 16, I would say is a pretty average and probably common size, and yes you might not think so but I'd call you a smaller size. No surprise you can find a Bujin to fit you. I was posting for people more like myself. Believe it or not people much larger than you also practice and deserve to have a uniform that fits well.

Of course I believe people of all sizes can practice and should be able to practice in comfort. I know folks who have quit because they were uncomfortable with how they looked/felt in a gi. I can't tell you how many times I've run into someone away from the dojo and am asked, "Have you lost weight?" No, you're just seeing me in regular clothes, not a dogi. For years I practiced in a gi from Mr. Kiyota in Baltimore (great value and customer service by the way), but once I found a women's cut gi, I never went back. I'm a horrible seamstress, though, so I'm stuck with what I can find.

I just noticed this thread! My size 3 gi (a heavy ProForce jacket) makes me look big and barrel-chested. My rib cage is less than 32" but my breast size is a C+. My pants are a size 2 and they're about 2 inches above my ankles (way too short, I know). I've often thought about getting a gi altered to fit me better, but then I have second thoughts because we're supposed to wear something that's loose fitting.

I think female G.I.'s are a terrible idea. Men have been soldiers forever. Some women may be as or more capable than some men, but on average they aren't, and wars are won on averages.
Plus. Uniforms aren't uniform... and its all about uniforms ... got to have uniforms ... uh.

(psshshs... uniforms... pshhshsh)

(Huh?!)

(not "G.I."?)

(gi, ... uh. like a judo gi?)

Oh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjYo...&nohtml5=False

Susan Dalton wrote: Of course I believe people of all sizes can practice and should be able to practice in comfort. I know folks who have quit because they were uncomfortable with how they looked/felt in a gi.

That cuts both ways, though. AnnMaria De Mars (Ronda Rousey's mother, and the first American female world champion judoka) told me that she got involved in judo because her mother insisted she do *something,* and judo didn't require either running or revealing clothing.

Katherine

Katherine wrote, "That cuts both ways, though. AnnMaria De Mars (Ronda Rousey's mother, and the first American female world champion judoka) told me that she got involved in judo because her mother insisted she do *something,* and judo didn't require either running or revealing clothing."

True enough. I remember the first time I attended an aerobics class (am I telling how old I am, or what?) after I had been doing aikido a while. The clothing shocked me, and I grew up at the beach. After some pondering, I realized I had gotten used to uniforms in the dojo.
Susan