Conceal Carry Clothing?

[Xaiver56]

It is summertime, and really really hot here in DFW, TX. I carry IWB with an undershirt. Undershirt is tucked into the pants/shorts holster in on top of the under shirt to keep the firearm from irriating my side, with another shirt on top. I am a big guy in 6'2" and pushing 270 lbs. (but I carry it well , it's all muscle I swear ) I usually wear a polo shirt as my overshirt and I have not really seen any printing as I am checking myself in the mirror but I am wondering about shirt style. What would you say is the best designs for conceal carry in an IWB situation:

Horizontal Lines:



Vertical Lines:



Plain :



As an added question, most of my color choices for conceal carry are dark blue or black, does anyone see any problem with lighter colors?

[CampingJosh]

As I think about it, horizontal lines might draw some extra attention to a "bulge" on your hip... but I don't know if that is truly the case.

I don't see any problem with lighter colors, but there might be something I don't know, so you'd better wait for someone who knows more than I do.

[obxned]

I wear the same cheap WalMart/K-Mart shorts that I've worn for year, and whatever T-shirt is handy. This is normal attire here, and no one would ever give you a second look. Why dress 'different' when you can tailor your carry to what is normal to wear.

[Bill DeShivs]

I just put my .32 Keltec in my pocket, and wear whatever I want.

[TranterUK]

I think the key to carrying concealed has to be loose clothing rather than patterns.

It's a good idea to learn by looking around you, what are other people in your area at that time of year wearing? You need to match them as best you can. Fortunately the fashion today seems to be loose and casual, which helps.

And don't forget movement can be a give away, learn not to bent forward to pick up something for example, but rather to bend knees keeping body upright.

[user]

I believe in the Forest Gump theory: "I think it's both." Or the Certs Corollary: "Stop, you're both right."

The essence of camoflage is distraction. Taking something that would be otherwise visible and creating a visual alternative to recognition. Most people make the mistake of simply trying to "hide" their weapon; that usually only makes it more obvious, if not inaccessible. The trick is to break up the recognizable features with different stuff. So both loose clothing, especially if you can use multiple layers of loose clothing, as well as patterns, will help break up the recognizable features of a gun.

If, for example, you've got a revolver just behind your hip, and a larger than necessary T shirt on covering over the holster. Most people wouldn't notice that unless you bent over a certain way. But some would, because the lines created by the revolver would be somewhat obvious. But put over that T shirt a larger button-down shirt, particularly one with a tailored front and back (i.e., not a straight line as intended to be worn outside the pants, such as a Hawaiian shirt), left open and unbuttoned. The flowing fabric will disguise the revolver because of the irregular motion. Add to that a print of some kind, whether stripes, plaid, or psychadelic flowers, and that further breaks up the visual image.

Camoflage works by making something recognizable as something other than what it is, not by hiding. The visual complexity you create with the fabric, textures, colors, patterns, and motion is what will make the gun unrecognizable as such.

Btw, human-created "camoflage" usually attempts to disguise something purely on the basis of variations in color. But three fifths of white males are color-blind to some degree and are immune to that kind of foolery, as are wolves, deer, and other animals. Think of how a herd of Zebras confuse their predators, not by trying to hide, but by breaking up the visual field with complex patterns and motion.

[Pistolenschutze]

Tranter is right, loose clothing is one of the best ways to conceal a handgun and I use that method quite often. Another I use regularly is a light vest worn over a polo shirt. Here in Colorado, vests are common for males in the summertime, so they don't look out of place. I prefer to carry my weapon in a belt holster rather than IWB, so the vest works quite well, with the added benefit of giving me lots of extra pockets.

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

Tranter is right, loose clothing is one of the best ways to conceal a handgun and I use that method quite often. Another I use regularly is a light vest worn over a polo shirt. Here in Colorado, vests are common for males in the summertime, so they don't look out of place. I prefer to carry my weapon in a belt holster rather than IWB, so the vest works quite well, with the added benefit of giving me lots of extra pockets.

In the UK a vest is a white t type shirt worn under the shirt, so I guess you mean one of those camera/ fishing type things with lots of little pockets? 'In this one I keep my mint's, and in this one, another pack of mint's, over here I used to keep my matches, but the box is empty now, this one has some lint'.

If you wear one of those with cargo pants you can join the secret service!

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

In the UK a vest is a white t type shirt worn under the shirt, so I guess you mean one of those camera/ fishing type things with lots of little pockets? 'In this one I keep my mint's, and in this one, another pack of mint's, over here I used to keep my matches, but the box is empty now, this one has some lint'.

If you wear one of those with cargo pants you can join the secret service!

Yup, here a "vest" usually means one similar to what the photographers or engineers wear in the field, or the leather kind ranchers often wear. Of course, that doesn't include 3-piece suits, but then those are pretty much outlawed in Colorado. Brooks Brothers would go bankrupt here, but Levi Strauss does rather well.

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

Yup, here a "vest" usually means one similar to what the photographers or engineers wear in the field, or the leather kind ranchers often wear. Of course, that doesn't include 3-piece suits, but then those are pretty much outlawed in Colorado. Brooks Brothers would go bankrupt here, but Levi Strauss does rather well.

Never had one of those myself. Surprising really, love lots of pockets. The management's always complaining, well yes, but she also moans about all the gear I still insist on carrying with me, Two small torches, one powerful for all sorts and one low power for maps, floors etc. Extra batteries for said torches. Pocket knife, tape, small cable ties and a couple of items I best keep to myself!

Better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

Never had one of those myself. Surprising really, love lots of pockets. The management's always complaining, well yes, but she also moans about all the gear I still insist on carrying with me, Two small torches, one powerful for all sorts and one low power for maps, floors etc. Extra batteries for said torches. Pocket knife, tape, small cable ties and a couple of items I best keep to myself!

Better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

The same may be said for a sidearm too, Tranter, which is the philosophy of many people around here. I wear a vest nearly everywhere I go in the summertime. When someone asks me why, I just say "I like all the pockets," which is perfectly true. The other reason need not concern them.

[user]

"Vest" = "waistcoat" (or "weskit"); here's one in leather with holsters stitched inside:

http://www.holsterusa.com/index.php?...products_id=23

[xxxxxxl]

The majority of people are not looking for a conceal carry bulge anyway so I think we have some amount of tolerance before it becomes apparent. If a normal person was to ask you could always tell them that it is some type of medical device.

Of course if a LEO asks you must tell them the truth.

[TranterUK]

When in Arizona recently (I really love that place, I may go there to die, they cant stop that can they?) Anyway I saw a product from 5.11 which is an under shirt, what we call a vest, with a re enforced pocket for a pistol, looked real good and practical to me. Keeps to the old KISS principle (keep it simple stupid).

Maybe check it out.

[Marlin]

I no longer have to worry about clothing and its cover-up capabilities.

I carry either my 1911 or Browning Practical in my small portable oxygen case, since I am required to use oxygen 24/7/365. It serves many purposes, i.e., checkbook, gun, double magazine case, sunglasses, daily diary, Spray nitroglycerine, extra pens, etc. It serves me more or less like a lady uses her purse. There is no bulge and who would think one is carrying a full sized weapon therein?

I have carried daily since 1960 and have used, prior to needing breathing assistance, one or another of all the suggestions above. For years I also carried a J frame S&W .38 (Model 60 or it's predicessor) on the ankle as a back-up. Couldn't do that now even if not on oxygen since I hate long pants and wear shorts almost exclusively, except at church or funerals.....

[graehaven]

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

I just put my .32 Keltec in my pocket, and wear whatever I want.

Ditto. Love my .32!

The P-11 is pretty easy to hide too.

[delta13soultaker]

Lots of good has been said; this is just my .02


First make sure you have the right weapon/carry rig for your needs or you're just ice skating uphill. Nobody gets it right the first few tries.


Clothing colors/pattern is a vast second place to fit! "Relaxed fit" is the way to go for casual. If you can't dress casual enough...carry a smaller weapon, try belly bands, underwraps etc etc etc. There are clothes also made to help conceal a bit of extra weight on a body (extra padding) and they will help conceal your iron too.

After fit is cloth type. Very thin material just prints easier. Thicker cloth flows better over bulges. (This is an extreme example but: lay your pistol on the table. Then lay a thin cotton shirt over it. Take that off and lay denim over the pistol. Observe how much the thick cloth resists bulging.) Of course you probably wouldn't wear denim shirts, but look through your closet and see what shirts are made of thicker woven thread etc etc. (Polo shirts are usually easy to find with thick cloth design...some even look like fine knit.)

Next is color. Darker colors absorb shadows and reflected light better. Shadows are what actually visually defines an object hidden under cloth, especially in artificial light....some people call it "framing" the pistol's print. I'm not saying wear all black, but avoid the lighter shades of colors. Baby blue prints more than dark blue, cherry red prints more than maroon etc etc. Slightly faded dark colors hide better than brilliant new cloth dye too. Avoid material that shines (high polyester blends, 100% synthetic shirts). (Those color brightening detergents everyone advertises now....they actually help print your weapon very much more visibly in infrared cameras/optics.)

A few lines really won't help camo a bulge or hurt either, verticle or horizontal. It is a fact though that pattern cloth is better at hiding a printed pistol. I mean like plaid-type patterns...or multicolor wide lines or solid colors behind interlocking squares etc etc. Big loud Hawaiin patterns and flowers etc on a male might actually give you away in some places though.

When I was assigned to VIP protection/personnel security, we were given clothing allowences to buy proper civilian clothes for performing outer-cordon tasks. Our detail had a strict rule about only wearing clothes that could be purchased in regular department stores. In other words no 5.11 etc etc. Good guys and bad guys both know exactly what clothes police, military, and gov buys. Something as small as a tiny Under Armour symbol on your sunglasses or gloves, Wiley X/Oakley shades, a Gerber tool on your belt can get you way more scrutiny than you want.

Don't try to look like you are more squared away than the average guy on the street just wasting his day away.

[Pistolenschutze]

Awww hell, Delta, just wear your BDUs.

[delta13soultaker]

I was thinking just my leather chaps and a sombrero

[Xaiver56]

Thanks to everyone for all the input. Many great suggestions, opinions, and information: one of the many reasons I love this forum!

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by delta13soultaker

I was thinking just my leather chaps and a sombrero

I thought we called leather chaps 'gays' these days?

[user]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

I thought we called leather chaps 'gays' these days?

yeah; if you wear one, no one will notice you've got a gun in your belt under your shirt. It's a distraction.

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by user

yeah; if you wear one, no one will notice you've got a gun in your belt under your shirt. It's a distraction.

I am going to have to think about that one!

[delta13soultaker]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

I thought we called leather chaps 'gays' these days?

If you have a horse, motorcycle, sombrero, or any combination of those...it ain't gay

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by delta13soultaker

I was thinking just my leather chaps and a sombrero

Hmmm, perhaps we had best define then, just what kind of "gun" is at issue here, Delta.