Never in my life I would think I would ever find myself writing about the martial arts and fashion in the same sentence, but life is weird. So, here it goes.
My husband has been practicing martial arts for just about 20 years and I have dabbled in it at one point. Its a great art form and gets you in very good shape while learning to defend yourself. But I have always had a problem with the uniform (Gi). They are uncomfortable and make you look like a tank. But with the martial arts you are not supposed to be comfortable or fashionable.
So my love of fashion and the martial art have been two separate things. Until I picked up this gem of a book at a garage sale this weekend. It is call Honor Blackman's Book of Self-Defence. I bought it for my husband thinking it would be interesting reading a book on self-defence written by a woman. The book was written 1965 and was first published by Andre Deutsch. I dont think martial arts was a popular thing for woman to be studying at the time thus thus I thought it might be an interesting read.
My husband was slightly impressed by the book. He said the simple martial arts techniques were well presented. At the time I had not really looked the book so I started to go through the book myself and realized the book was written by the actress who played Pussy Galore in the James Bond Films. This got my interest so I thumbed through the book and discovered the photographs at the end of the book. She first presents the techniques in the dreaded karate uniform but towards the end of the book she presents self defense techniques in everyday situations and she manages to make it look cool. Gone was the karate uniform but cool street clothes. She made it all look like a martial arts fashion spread.
Who would think to keep your handbag when doing a hip throw????? How cool!! But personally would wack the man with the bag after taking him out. Anyway this book can be bought at Amazon if you are need of a present for the Martial Artist/Vintage Fashionista in your life.
