So often we are training in a gym wearing loose army fatigues or shorts or gui or other martial arts wear which is fine for training but we should also try sometimes to train in normal clothes. Chances are you wont be attacked on the street if you are wearing a gui unless someone mistakes it for a bathrobe! No, you will be in street clothes or a suit etc. These types of clothing really restrict movement. Plus, on a hot day its bad enough having to wear a suit never mind defend yourself in one. If you try to work the same as you do in the gym, you will overheat (and possibly ruin the suit!)

Sometimes clothes are good like if someone is slashing you with a knife. You can wrap your jacket around one arm as a shield. You can use your belt as a whip! There are tons of uses for a belt! Many chokes, many disarming techniques or even just to tie the guy up with after you have submitted him and called the authorities to do the clean up. Vlad showed some wicked ways of tying people up! One where a shoestring goes from the bad guy’s wrists (now behind his back) to around his neck and back. This way, the more he squirms and tries to escape, the more he chokes himself. (Only for use with real bad guys! ok?)

Clothes can be used in smaller ways like the bad guy grabs you by the arm. Your intention is to keep his movement going (to the ground as he grabs you) but you are tired or he is very strong. You can grab your own [bent] leg by the pants, straighten it [your leg] and "help" the attacker to the ground.

The classic you see in the movies is where you (the good guy) pulls the jacket down around the bad guy’s arms / waist area. This ties him up for those few crucial seconds where you can do some Vlad-damage to him [the bad guy]. In fact, you know how those punks wear the loose fitting baggy pants? I bet you could reef them down around their knees, immobilizing them and at the same time really embarrassing them (most are really effected by their looks – not like any of us of course! Lol!)

You can yield items of clothing to an attacker such as a dog or distraught government employee. EG, dog is snarling and running at you. If you offer him your jacket you might be lucky by having him enjoy tearing it apart rather than you.

You will notice as well working against someone wearing street clothes is easier in some ways eg, you can grab them easier which = put them down easier. EG, "Hey fella! You might want to rethink that wardrobe!" is a good put down but you could also use the clothes to grab him physically and throw him down to the asphalt. (if necessary) However, slugging a guy with lots of clothes on in the winter isn’t going to gain you any points unless its in the face.

A hat can be a deadly weapon! Not only like the "carbon fiber Frisbee hat" you saw in "Goldfinger". If the bad guy is waring a hat, you [the good guy] can pull the wool over his eyes which buys you some time but as well you can effectively choke the opponent with most articals of clothing. Guy’s! Even a baseball hat is good. You knw when they wear them backwards? This makes a perfect handle to crank the bad guy’s head backward with, either for a takedown or for much worst work (but heck, were peace loving people here right?)

What if YOU are wearing the hat? Well then, YOU must be the bad guy!?? No, just kidding.. If you are wearing a baseball hat, you can use it many ways as well. Just slapping the bad guy with it is effective enough to get you to your next move. You know the "head butt" of course. The rim of most baseball hats is brutally stiff! If you can head but the guy with the rim under his nose, on the bridge of his nose, eyes are effective. Just tossing it at an armed man can distract him long enough for you to save you’re a$$!

Sunglasses: Pushing them into the bad guys eyes or down onto the bridge of his nose, HURTS! Throwing them (assuming they are not Vaurnette’s – that would be sac religious)

Ties: Some bad guys wear ties (many in fact) there’s the obvious, choke but, in a pinch, its possible to hang someone by one! Did you ever try to break a tie? (I don't mean with an old friend). Again, any movement to break the bad guy’s center of gravity with their tie or other clothing is good.
Shoes. Different shoes can be used in many different ways. Heavy work boots for defending and stomping but Usually running shoes are easier to kick with because they are lighter. You move faster. Don’t discount those nice dress shoes either! They have deadly sharp side edges that can cut like a knife! (try it) If you know how to kick with them in a slashing movement, best to bare skin BUT they suck when it comes to icy conditions. Just some thoughts. Just by looking at the opponent you can tell how you are going to work. If HE has the nice dress shoes, you should take him to the ice (if available – like here in Canada 10 months of the year! lol) You can even be successful sweeping them off their feet – so to speak when they have this type of shoes. Ladies (or cross dressers) might opt for the silhouette shoes with spike heels. Ok, you cant run in them but, heck imagine one in the face or neck? Guys defending their girl might use the moment to steal one to use as a weapon! Good idea huh? USE HER CLOTHES! "But Honey, It was for God Queen and Country, not necessarily in that order!"

Well, this is starting to border on "improvised weapons" which is a story for another day. In closing, there are many ways to make your clothes work for you. (if you are overweight, try stripes sorry, couldn’t resist lol!) Just be creative. You will never look at clothes the same way again!