In Defense of Non-Black Belt Women Who Choose to Wear Hakama

As a relative newcomer to the Aikido world, I am somewhat unfamiliar with the fine points of a definitely existing yet unspoken etiquette code. At a recent black belt examination I was rather forcibly awakened from my pleasant slumber by a hostile, disapproving attitude on the part of some parties toward, to my amazement, my wearing a hakama as I do not hold a black belt rank.