So, you just got your concealed-carry permit and you’ve had a bit of training. More importantly, you have made the commitment to carry your defensive handgun whenever and wherever it is permitted. That’s all good, but you will eventually discover that going armed and keeping the gun concealed may be more of a challenge than you expected. Oh, it’s not so bad when the weather is colder, when coats and jackets are appropriate, but it can be quite a challenge when the weather is warm and you are dressed more casually in lightweight clothing. For some, the difficulty in concealing their firearm is the first step to occasionally leaving the gun at home—and that is something to be avoided.
Most of us want to dress in such a way that our defensive handgun is truly concealed to avoid confrontations with anti-gun people and also to maintain the element of surprise should we be attacked by a criminal. At the same time, we want to dress in such a way that we don’t attract attention to ourselves, while blending in with others around us. So, the concealed-carry-permit holder needs to give serious thought to his or her clothing choices.
Carrying the handgun on the waistband—inside or outside the pants—is a popular, effective method. Concealment in warm weather can usually be accomplished by simply not tucking the shirt into the pants. And, while just about any shirt will work if it truly conceals the gun, there are certain shirts that really lend themselves to this carry style. Hawaiian shirts have become quite popular among gun toters, and their typically loud colors help to break up any print lines that might exist. Additionally, there is the guayabera, a popular style in Mexico and Cuba that is similarly cut, loose fitting and fashion-forward in the U.S. When selecting the shirt to cover your gun, it is a good idea to go with one that is loose fitting and of slightly heavier material so the handgun doesn’t print.
In some areas, mine for instance, most local men prefer to tuck their shirttails in their pants. However, a lightweight vest is generally acceptable. Many Western stores stock vests suitable for being worn with jeans and boots. In fact, several companies are now making vests with pistol pockets on the inside. I have also found that you can go on the internet and find all sorts of lightweight suit vests that work very well for concealment. Vest pockets also give us extra places to carry a speed strip, cell phone and all the other junk we regularly pack around.
One of the earliest vests that became popular for concealed carry was the photographer’s vest, with all sorts of extra pockets. Unfortunately, this khaki vest became so popular among gun folks that, in some locations, within certain circles, it is commonly referred to as a “Shoot Me First” vest because it ultimately became associated as a universal indicator of someone carrying a concealed handgun. That is something to consider, relative to your area, when thinking about this type of cover garment.
There are also companies manufacturing undershirts with integral pistol pockets that are handy. Another under-the-shirt technique is to put a belly band around your waist and under the shirt; this works especially well when covered by a Western shirt with pearl snaps instead of buttons.
When considering pocket or ankle carry, once again it is important the covering garment be loose fitting. When contemplating either option, jeans are not a good idea, and skinny-legged pants are certainly out. For pocket carry you need a pants pocket large enough to properly hold your gun, with an opening that you can get your hand into quickly and, more importantly, won’t cause your gun to hang up during the draw stroke. With ankle carry, the important thing is a loose-fitting pants leg that can quickly be pulled up and out of the way during the draw stroke. The key to effective concealed carry is to realize you may very well need to re-evaluate the way you dress, and be willing to make changes in the kind of clothes that you wear. When you really study the challenge, you will find such changes are not nearly as drastic as you might imagine at first. The questions to be answered are: Will it truly conceal my gun? And, can I get my gun into action in a reasonable amount of time?
You have probably noticed that all of my comments regarding this month’s column have been aimed at men. I do not consider myself anywhere near knowledgeable enough about women’s clothing to offer advice. However, here at Shooting Illustrated, we have several qualified female contributors, and I hope one of them will write an informative article on women’s fashion for those with personal protection in mind.
