but have you seen any pattern in who fills up with stripes from the top instead of from the bottom? Just random because of not really caring or is it according to preference in some particular lineages?

My coach awards stripes from top to bottom, the stripes he's been awarded are also top to bottom... I've seen other people with bottom to top stripes and it felt weird to me, so I guess it's just that I'm not used to it...

Interesting! I only see pictures of his own BB promoting instructor Robin Gracie with stripes from bottom to top, so doesn't seem to be from there. Are you comfortable asking João on his take on why he and some other instructors put on stripes in that direction? Not judging, just curious!

I don't think Carlson Jr. really cares about it. Where you place the stripes or on which side the grading bar of the belt must be worn doesn't seem to matter much.

This is how I'm striping peoples belts for now on. The long way! LOL

This is how I'm striping peoples belts for now on. The long way! LOL

I like it I see this being the new trend...

Watching a video yesterday, I saw a blue belt with purple stripes.... not sure if they have brown stripes on a purple in that gym, wish i took a screen shot to share..

I also read in a thread about some academy (don't remember which) where those who got their belts somewhere else got to wear a white belt with a single stripe of their belt color until they were approved for the belt in the lineage of the academy.

I also read in a thread about some academy (don't remember which) where those who got their belts somewhere else got to wear a white belt with a single stripe of their belt color until they were approved for the belt in the lineage of the academy.

Instructor Explains Reasoning on Why Visiting Black Belts Can’t Wear Black Belts From Other Lineage

Bjj black belts that visit Kron Gracie’s academy are not able to wear a black belt with the traditional red bar unless it was received from either Kron or Rickson Gracie. Instead they’re given a black belt with a white bar – kind of like the black belt female judokas wore until recently in Japan. …

Btw, I finally got around to putting on my two BB stripes, which feels just fabulous!

I did stumble across something on this topic that I found interesting recently. The ibjjf poster in regards to kids programs using the monthly promotion set up. It shows white stripes from top down, followed by red stripes from bottom up, then 3 of the next belt color stripes from bottom up again.

Uneven spacing on the belt sleeve too, with a really wide gap with black on the bottom. Oh, the horror! On the poster with adult belts, there is some extra spacing outside of the stripes. Also, it features quite random widths of stripes and spaces, so I would guess the person responsible for the IBJJF belt graphics is short of a healthy dose of OCD pedantry. It could also be a secret code passed on all the way from Maeda and if we don't comply with the right widths of stripes and spaces in the right places, we're losing out of getting our skills boosted by the spirit of Egidio Lasjovino. (side shifted belt sleeve copies added to make the uneven spacings and stripes more visible)