The general advice in this kind of situation is probably not to worry what other people are thinking and all that, but I'm not going to say that, because it's never, ever made me feel less self-conscious when I've had a concern like this.

So... while you wait for more specialised advice from someone who actually does BJJ, I'd say to consider the culture of your class. Take a look around you- what are the people on a similar level to you wearing? Do the more senior students prefer to practise with people in Gis or otherwise?

I know where you're coming from, tbh. At the martial arts school I go to, all students have to wear uniform through the club. Students are given a free white wraparound gi when they sign up, and you have the option of buying additional uniforms: perhaps another white gi or the more expensive slip-over-head V-necked uniform in the club colours. I angsted over whether I could buy one of those for absolute months, because I felt it just wasn't appropriate to buy and wear the same uniform all the senior students at my level.

It's a worry, no doubt about it.

You should probably ask your son-in-law, you know. He sounds like a good egg, and successful martial arts instructors are generally people who want to know about worries like this. He'll be able to talk to you about this.

Two final things though; firstly, your son-in-law's going to have to have the best insight into what's socially appropriate in BJJ and what's not, because he's lived and loved BJJ long enough as a student in someone else's school to get to his current level, and now he runs his own school, with his own beginners. And HE sent you some gis to welcome you into BJJ.

Secondly, these days I'm an upper grade myself at my school, and it has just occurred to me that I spend zero time judging newbies for buying the more expensive, more practical uniform straight away.