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Need help on cover garments.

4K views 25 replies 21 participants last post by  JeffP 
#1 ·
Ok, Im 23 and work as Store Manager at a Car Audio shop. My usual daily getup is a Polo and jeans. Now my CHL will be here this week and I have been alerted by the fasion police (The Lady) says that a unbuttoned button down shirt is a no go. My polos are too tight and print very bad. I will be carrying a Walther P99 and a extra mag.

Questions is what else can I wear? I would rather not wear any kind of smart cary/fanny pack/vest/baggy t-shirt or anything else like that. I do have a store to run.

Any sugestions comments or pictures would greatly help.

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Belly Band, or one of the tuckable IWB's out there.

Check out www.rigrate.com, go to "search holsters" and check "tuckable". That'll get you some ideas.

Good luck, and welcome to the Carrying Fraternity. One step toward not being a victim. Or a sheeple.
 
#3 ·
go up one size on the polo shirt and carry with any iwb would be my suggestion .
 
#6 ·
There are several styles of shirts that are made to be worn buttoned up with the tail out. I wear them everyday and I work in a college environment. Dockers and what is called a Camp shirt or a Guayaberra works for me.



My wife and I on vacation back in April. Normally for work I wear the Dockers, but as soon as I get home I go to jeans. As you can see the camp shirt works with jeans too. Amazingly Walmart has had a wide assortment of camp shirts in their George brand this spring and summer. Some are a linen type surface and the others are called sueded. I have 7 of them and they have held up very well for me.




Picture of someone in a Guayaberra. 4 pocket and embroidery. I really wish someone would make them without the fancy enbroidery, just plain with the 4 pockets. I have several of these and they work very well.

Both camp shirts and Guayaberras come in short and long sleeves.
 
#7 · (Edited)
spud, I know you ruled out SmartCarry, but let me run an idea by you that will enhance your work dress and permit effective deep carry--start wearing Dockers and polo, with SmartCarry. Trust me, you'll be able to "run the store" in this attire, complete with pistol and extra mag.

For me, pleated Dockers are perfect with SmartCarry. Plus, they offer an upgrade in style from jeans with the public, without being overly dressed up. Hey, you're the store manager!

Consider it...it's a viable option from what you've described. Charlie at SmartCarry offers great customer service, including a 60-day trial period for you to try the method out. See http://www.smartcarry.com/


Good luck...glad you're now packing!
 
#8 · (Edited)
Spud,
My regular daily attire consists of solid-colored banded bottom polo shirts. They are designed to be worn untucked since they have a bottom like a sweatshirt, therefore they look dressier since they are designed to be worn that way. The elastic bottom hugs the hips but blouses the shirt material out over the band which greatly aids in concealment. You can wear them with dockers or dress pants for a more dressed up look, or wear them with jeans and shorts for a more casual look, so the same shirt is very versatile. No-one will give you a second glance since the shirt is being worn the way it was designed to and you won't look out of place. This is my regular daily carry in the 115 Arizona heat with a 1911 Commander carried IWB.
When the weather cools down, (not something I have to be concerned with) you can switch to sweatshirts or pull-over sweaters with the same type of bottom, and use the same carry pistol and holster year-round. The banded-bottom polos are becoming more difficult to find in stores, especially in solid colors, but Lands End sells them on-line for around $25.00-$30.00.

http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/prod/...00.html?sid=0593106454733175070&CM_MERCH=SRCH

Enter banded bottom polo in the home page search field
Go down to Men - 19 results and click on "View Them All"
Scroll down to the 8th entry, shirt shown in red
 
#9 ·
Spud.

Earlier this was brought up and I did a real indepth on how I carry at work in an environment where if a weapon is spoted mass chaios would result plus possibly my job (and I'm suppose to carry). The solution that myself and a number of the folks I work with is a t-shirt holster. There are several out there but I presonally wear the one by UC Comfort (uccomfort.com). Kramer makes the "confident" and A Better Holster makes one as well.

This setup has served me well for the past 12 years while working undercover and deep cover (as I'm doing right now). The draw is the same as drawing from a vertical shoulder holster under your off arm. To get to the weapon, you can either rip buttons (suprisingly easy) or cut off buttons, sew them to the front of the shirt with a male part of a snap behind it and the female end of a snap on the other part of the shirt.

I wear this type of rig every single duty day for periods of 12 to 20 hours a day and have NEVER been made, and that includes walking into the White House mags (which detected the metal, but the folks never observed the weapon).

For weapon carry with a tucked in shirt I have found nothing better and trust me, if you look at my holster drawer and eBay sales, i have tried about everything out there.

You can see pictures in the following previous threads.
http://www.combatcarry.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=4810&page=6 (see # 52)
http://www.combatcarry.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=7233&page=3 (see #29)

Good luck.

Steve
 
#10 ·
seems some nice button down retro hot rod shirts untucked would look alright in a car audio setting. Can't let the Mrs. win em all anyway.
 
#12 ·
I think tuckables are a poor way to go. The theory is good but unless you're a bit overweight and have a very thin weapon with a heavy baggy shirt you'll be able to see a buldge in the belt line, not to mention a clip on the belt with nothing associated with it?

If you can't, prefer not to wear an untucked cover garment, then I believe your only viable options are a pocket pistol in pleated dockers as someone said or a small pistol in a smart carry.

I can't believe how many claim to comfortably carry a large pistol in a smart carry. I have to take their word for it but suspect many of them are trying to convince themselves as much as others. I've carried a J frame. .38 and a KelTec P3AT in a smart carry for a long time. I tried a Kahr P9 too. Even with the KelTec, it can be a bit uncomfortable when I sit down. Loose Dockers definitely are better but for any larger gun, I'd have to wear pants that are too loose/baggy for my tastes.

So I opt for a KelTec P3AT in a RJ Hedley pocket holster.

If you're a big guy I think it's easier to conceal the larger weapons. I'm 5'7" and very trim so it's hard to conceal larger stuff. If you can wear untucked then it's a whole new world of CCW. I'm a business professional and Pastor so I'm never untucked unless I'm out hunting or fishing and then it's easy.

Good luck!
 
#13 ·
rocky said:
seems some nice button down retro hot rod shirts untucked would look alright in a car audio setting. Can't let the Mrs. win em all anyway.
Great idea, Rocky. My wife does not care much for my camp shirts, nor the guayaberras. But last night she was complimenting my cousin's husband for the shirt he was wearing. Flat bottom, button down shirt with various 1957 automobiles on it. '57 Ford, 57 Chevy Nomad, and others. It was fairly colorful and the print would help cover any minor bulges that might occur.
Maybe she'll get me some.
 
#14 ·
I usually wear an untucked polo one size to large with an IWB holster, in a business casual work environment, 90% of the time. I use a flat auto, either a Walter PPK or Kahr MK9. Rarely I'll go with a NAA.32 in front pants pocket or an ankle holster for any of the above guns or even my Glock 26 or 27.
 
#16 ·
Go to the mall and look at Tommy Bahama shirts. Find some you like and put them back on the rack. Then go looking for similar shirts without the price tag. You can find nice silk Hawaiian style shirts in solid colors or nice patterns for around $30 that are nice enough that you look business casual. That does it for me. Add a wife beater underneath for comfort from the gun butt against your skin and you are all set.
 
#17 ·
rocky said:
seems some nice button down retro hot rod shirts untucked would look alright in a car audio setting. Can't let the Mrs. win em all anyway.
And there are several versions of those that look great at Dunlap's...... old cars, hot rods, motorcycles, etc. I bought several a few weeks back and they work perfect. Squared bottoms with a thicker material that you can't see through make them ideal for concealed carry.
 
#20 ·
Timmy Jimmy said:
Hey DR you hae a very nice looking daughter!
That's what they all say. Having young wives runs in my family. I am 8 years 7 months and 6 days older than Leah. My father was 6 years older than my mother and his father was 10 years older than his mother.

It helps to keep you young. In my case though she has kept her youthful appearance. She plays the piano for the college small singing ensemble and is always asked what year she is. We married 28 years ago and she was over 21 at the time.
 
#21 ·
I really stretched out George with my second time around!!

Bonnie is a whole 14 1/2 years younger than me! It's good to know I can finish my years with the ultimate friend and companion.
 
#23 ·
spud said:
Thanks for all the great replies, Im abotu to head to the mall with my list and see what works out. I might wind up giving smart carry a try.

Thanks again for yalls info, was MUCH needed.
You might look at the PagerPal. I've been carrying a PPK/S in a PagerPal everyday all day. The draw is kinda slow, but I can't risk being made at work either. It's a trade off there, but it is completely comfortable for all day carry, and really deep concealment. I just bought a Smith&Wesson CS45 and am waiting for the new PagerPal holster to arrive. The Cheifs Special is slightly larger than the PPK/S, but I hope it carrys as well.

And no I don't work for PagerPal, just really pleased with the product.
 
#24 ·
I discussed this in a thread last week. I often carry a 642 in a smart carry at 2-3 o'clock. almost behind the front pocket. You can tuck your shirt in and wear whatever you want. I really think a smart carry would be a good investment for you. and Charlie gives a money back guarantee. If you search back a week or so in the threads, I wear this setup in a wedding in front of 300-400 of our closest friends.
Then on tuesday I got called into the office unexpectedly, and wore this setup in the office seeing patients. no problems. I usually wear a polo shirt tucked in, with dockers or dress pants.
good luck.
 
#26 ·
I want to second the pleated Dockers with the SmartCarry. I wear tucked in Polo's and Dockers with a S&W Sigma .40 with 4 inch barrel with an extra mag, and I've not had any problems with comfort. The pleates on the Dockers give a little extra concealment from the print of the grip on a large pistol.

I also have a smaller one that I carry my KAHR PM40, extra mag, and can also slide in my SureFire E2E, wtih no problems.

I have wondered if the people crunching little Ed and the boys is because they are wearing it too tight, and too high? I also have a slim build (IN THE WAIST), maybe that is the reason it is comfortable for me. I have no problems sitting down, bending over, reaching, etc. I have even fallen asleep wearing the SmartCarry.

I can't wear IWB holsters with the Polo's tucked in because as another poster said it just sticks out on the belt line. You can spot it from 30 feet.
 
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