The Right Look – The Best and Worst Clothes for Concealed Carry
Clothes that effectively hide your gun are a must for carrying concealed.
Pairing stylish clothing with the potentially awkward bulge of a firearm is what we’re about to explore in this post. Here at iconcealed.com our fashion sense always takes into account how good any piece of attire is at hiding a concealed weapon.
If it’s obvious you have a gun, what’s the point? The term “concealed carry” suggests handgun access coupled with public discretion. Here’s a good example of the OPPOSITE of that…
Loose pants and shirts can help keep the outline of your pocket holster or “print” (see above) from being noticed. Longer shirts that extend past the waistline are a great way to hide an IWB weapon. Again, here’s an example of just the OPPOSITE…
Pick clothes that offer both conceal-ability and accessibility. A shirt that keeps things inconspicuous by covering your weapon isn’t worth the tradeoff if it also makes it difficult to reach your gun in a time of need.
Coats and jackets make it easy to be discreet with any sized weapon but if the occasion calls for short sleeves and shorts, you may be better off arming yourself with a smaller weapon or risk looking like some bizarro terrorist!
For some, any old shirt or jacket that hides a holster is acceptable, whereas for the more discriminating armed civilian, concealed carry has to resolve other expectations as well. Factoring in a little style is key to avoiding being pegged as a stereotypical carrier. What’s wrong with dressing in a way that conceals your gun PLUS makes you look sharp at the same time?
All Business
If a suit-and-tie is your outfit of choice, then take notice. Businessmen who carry for personal protection have a built-in advantage given that their bulky attire provides great cover. Actually, a suit is probably the most effective method for reducing “printing.”
Another benefit is the variety of holsters you can carry. Business attire allows for added variety: paddle-on-the-hip or behind-the-back, IWB, shoulder or ankle holsters all work great when suited up.
Another consideration for a suit wearer is whether you need to take off your jacket or wear it unbuttoned. An unbuttoned jacket can conceal either kind of behind-the-back carry but is a bad choice for a hip holster or under-the-arm. If you tend to take off your jacket, wear pants that accommodate IWB carry and a dress shirt that can be worn untucked to drape it over the gun butt.
Business Casual
Business casual is the preferred style for plainclothes cops, bodyguards, spies, or any other badass carrying a gun as part of the job. It straddles the respectable and the practical and often includes a jacket, which makes it perfect for pros in these lines of work.
That said, non-pros should also consider the jacket-and-slacks, dress-casual combo. It provides plenty of places to conceal a weapon plus makes you look well-dressed relative to the average shmoe on the street.
Everything Else
When dress code is not part of the equation, you can wear almost anything that disguises the fact that you’re armed.
- Concealment jackets – made for concealment but looks like a work jacket. Big, unobtrusive pockets inside.
- Bomber jackets – a classic style with padded lining perfect for concealing bulges.
- Untucked – offers tons of concealment if you’ve got an IWB holster.
- Hoodies – trendy, ubiquitous, and plenty of room to hide large caliber concealed carries.
Once you have your outfit down, no one should know you have a gun… until you’re using it.
