Concealment and your method of dress

[Thernlund]

When I carry I carry in an IWB holster. As (bad) luck would have it, my size is such that, while my pants are comfortable when not carrying, they are uncomfortable when carrying. And pants that I can carry in comfortably are to loose when not carrying.

Soooo... I actually have different clothing for carry and non-carry.

I understand that for folks who ALWAYS carry this may be moot, as carry is part of your attire. But for those who don't always carry, do you dress to accomodate carry? Or do you fit carry into your existing method of dress?


-T.

 

[esq_stu]

It varies.

There are times when I choose to wear something that will require me to carry something else besides a belt gun.

There are other times when I decide how to carry and then dress to conceal it.

 

[3KillerBs]

As a plus-size woman my options for both clothing and carry methods are restricted. I'm working on both.

 

[General Geoff]

I just open carry.

 

[BrianB]

The key is to not stand out in your environment. I dress to the occasion, and if/when I can carry here, I'll not change my wardrobe, but my belt will be heavier duty!

 

[Ala Dan]

"I fit concealed carry into my current method of dress"~!

 

[VHinch]

Kinda both. I'm fortunate to have a job with a very relaxed dress code (jeans and an untucked polo 90% of the time) so I can get away with a full size 1911 IWB. However, when that isn't appropriate (meeting, etc) I carry a 637 on my ankle.

 

[the naked prophet]

I make my own holsters. Does that count as dressing around my CCW or making my CCW fit my clothes?

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

while my pants are comfortable when not carrying, they are uncomfortable when carrying. And pants that I can carry in comfortably are to loose when not carrying.

Are you using a quality gun belt? Both ways are fairly comfortable for me, the only difference is which hole on the belt that I use.
I choose to always carry (even if it's just pocket carry) because criminals aren't courteous enough to let you know ahead of time, and attacks happen in unlikely places these days.

 

[SSN Vet]

flip to a pancake and kiss your problems goodbye....

camp style shirts are your friend.

 

[Seminole]

Hmmm. . . . Both, I guess, depending on the occasion, time of year, etc.

 

[springmom]

Hmmmm..... there ought to be a third option...."both". Generally, I don't change the way I dress in order to conceal. For women especially, clothing issues and concealed carry are already complicated by the fabrics and styles of women's clothing. Depending on what kind of dress is required on a given day, the difficulty of concealing varies.

My usual warm weather dress is jeans or capris, tee shirt, sneakers. Dress up may either involve khakis and a nice blouse, a skirt and blouse, or a dress. Dresses are the bane of concealed handguns, unless you happen to live in an area where you can wear a loose jacket or sweater (which doesn't describe Houston, let me tell ya.) Women's skirts and dresses frequently don't even have a functional pocket that can carry a snubbie, let alone something larger.

I tend to choose skirts or khakis and a blouse over a dress when possible because it does make concealing easier (although many women's skirts have such flimsy waistbands that anything heavier than a KelTec will not be held there). I don't add vests or sweaters or shawls or some such, though. And if I'm in a dress, most of the time, the gun has to be purse carried. Not ideal, but better than not carrying at all.

Springmom

 

[KingTiger]

I just ordered a Safepacker, should have it in a couple of days. It's a discreet "man purse" that's meant for totally concealed urban carry. Got a 5-stitch Instructor belt coming from them too.
http://store.thewilderness.com/index.php?cPath=51

 

[Treo]

QUOTE : " I just open carry."

But then you gotta match the gun to the out fit, you can't use white grips after Laborday.....

I am one of those hawwiain shirt & Tevas types & I always have been. I'm just lucky enough that my natural style of dress accomidates CC.

 

[Monkeyleg]

I pretty much dress the same way all the time, which bores the hell out of my wife.

If I'm changing from shoulder holster to IWB, I have to switch vests, but that's about it. The pants are all the same waist size, so I just need to adjust the belt accordingly.

 

[MinnMooney]

I'm one of those who ALWAYS carrys. If I have to wear a tucked-in shirt w/o a jacket, I'll do the ankle carry approach but 98% of the time, it's OWB holster carry for me.

 

[starshooter231]

Both ways are fairly comfortable for me, the only difference is which hole on the belt that I use.

 

[AlaskaErik]

I just wear a fleece vest over my equipment. And that would be a Glock 23 in a Rocketman kydex OWB holster set up for crossdraw, and one spare mag on the other side. If I'm riding the Harley, I have a nice heavy duty leather CCW vest that I use. Bikers with leather vests are so common that it makes me blend right in.

 

[WoofersInc]

I am one of those hawwiain shirt & Tevas types & I always have been. I'm just lucky enough that my natural style of dress accomidates CC.

I'm right there with you. I have always worn the beach look and always will. Once I moved and could actually get a CCW it just made it all that much easier.

 

[PennsyPlinker]

I OC most of the time. When I have to conceal I either go with a pocket gun or a loose, untucked camp type shirt over the OWB holster. It makes life and wardrobe choices a whole lot more comfortable.

When I have to travel outside of PA, and open carry is not as easy, or forbidden, I still have some IWB holsters, but mostly I go with the options in my first paragraph for concealment.