Tai Chi Haute Couture

So this is it.  I am finally going to do it.  I’d been talking about it, literally, for years but I never actually did anything about it.  I am going to enroll for the first time, in a Tai Chi class.

The thing that finally pushed me into it was not my health, which (other than a 24 hour stomach bug) has been good in general, and it was not my stress level, which as far as I could tell, is perfectly fine.  No.  What got me interested in exploring the details of Tai Chi again was this gorgeous outfit I saw on the internet at this online retailer.

Now, before you start your judgement calls on me, just think about all the various reasons why people go to learn martial arts to begin with.  Most little kids go to the dojo because their parents make them go to get out of the house.  Quite a few young people do it because they think it makes them look cool to their peers and the opposite sex.  A few people get beat up and then find a martial arts teacher to learn the skills to regain their pride.  Others see their loved ones bullied and beaten, so they learn the skills to extract revenge.  Some older wiser folks do it for health reasons, and I think that’s about as good as reasons get.  But come on.  Let’s be honest here.  Few, if any, ever do it for altruistic, philosophical reasons.

In my humble opinion, whatever your reason to start Tai Chi, the best one is the one that actually gets your butt up off the chair, out the door, and into that dojo.  For me, it is this outfit.

Wow!

It was drop-dead gorgeous and available in six stunning shades (black pearl. peacock blue, royal white, mimosa pink, dynasty red, and silver pearl).  Since this is high fashion, it is not off-the-rack but tailored to your individual measurements.  The detailing and embroidery look exquisite, and the website says that the fabric is of high quality silk.  The benefits of Tai Chi could only be enhanced if you can look this good waving your arms around!

I think I will order a set and see for myself.  I do have half a dozen sets of silk clothing that I bought the last time I visited Vietnam, but this is far more decorative than anything I have on hand.  At $100 a pop, it’s also a little bit more expensive than the usual dojo outfits, but if it is of high quality and this pretty, it is easily worth it especially when all that embroidery is taken into account.

And on a final note, the Tao never said anything about having to look ugly while you are doing Tai Chi.