The entire purpose of obtaining a concealed carry permit is to be able to hide a firearm that you may have on your person in situations when doing so is appropriate.
However, firearms come in a range of shapes and sizes. The type of clothing you’re wearing when carrying a firearm could theoretically prevent you from hiding it as effectively as you wish.
On the other hand, if you do choose attire that allows you to conceal a gun, you might feel you need to opt for excessively “baggy” clothing that may not be particularly stylish.
That doesn’t need to be the case. There are many ways you can dress to maximize the value of your concealed carry permit without sacrificing fashion. Tips worth keeping in mind include:
Wear the Right Pants
It’s not uncommon for those concealing firearms to keep them in or near their pants when doing so. Luckily, concealed carry pants exist specifically to serve the needs of those who want to dress naturally while also keeping their reasonably small guns hidden. Such pants also tend to come in a fairly wide variety of styles and colors, ensuring it’s easy to find a pair that will appeal to your fashion sense.
Consider a Fanny Pack
This is a tip that many concealed carry holders cite as being particularly applicable when you live in an area that gets quite warm during certain times of year. After all, you don’t want to bundle up in uncomfortably hot clothing when the temperature outside is hot enough already.
Nor do you have to. A simple way to keep a firearm hidden but accessible without choosing clothing that’s too warm for the season is to carry your gun in a fanny pack.
Some types of fanny packs are actually designed specifically for this purpose. For safety reasons, this is the type you should probably look for. Similarly, you could also purchase a concealed carry purse, which may be helpful when you’re dressing for more formal occasions.
Use Proper Holsters
You need to consider how what you choose to wear when concealing a firearm will (or won’t) allow you to easily access it when you need to. For example, some concealed carry permit holders conceal their weapons by wearing them near their ankles. This may be an effective way to hide a gun, but it can also make quickly reaching a gun in an emergency situation difficult.
Don’t overlook the basics when deciding how to keep a gun out of view. It’s not challenging to find many specialized holsters designed to conceal a firearm while blending in naturally with different types of outfits. Try a few out and pick one that matches your taste.
You should also experiment with heftier belts than you might normally wear. Often, the proper belt plays a key role in ensuring a gun is concealed and doesn’t shift position when holstered. Most traditional dress belts are not suited for this purpose. However, specialty double-stitched gun belts can serve your needs. Test a few out while also testing out concealed carry holsters to identify the best combo for both comfort and fashion.
Of course, it’s always important to research the specific conditions of your state’s concealed carry laws to ensure you’re not violating any restrictions pertaining to exactly how you may go about hiding a firearm. Don’t make the mistake of assuming anything you’ve read here is a substitute for legal advice. That said, the main point to remember is that a concealed carry permit is only worth obtaining if you’re able to successfully and consistently use it for its intended purpose. These tips will help you do so while still dressing fashionably.