CCW Clothing you hate/love

I like my shoot me first vest, but it's not one of those with 80 pockets, a Camelback, and a hidden Rambo knife sheath. Just a plain vest.

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Originally Posted by multistage

I like my shoot me first vest, but it's not one of those with 80 pockets, a Camelback, and a hidden Rambo knife sheath. Just a plain vest.

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A load out like described above would be in my opinion a "shoot me vest" but I rarely see people dressed like that, and when I do they are usually at gun shows. A regular Urban/Suburban BG would probably just assume the guy wearing a load out like you described above is a hiker, a more rural BG would probably see the "shoot me first vest" like the one described above for what it is.

The only clothing I have that is specifically for carrying is my 5.11 instructor belt. The only other thing I have bought specifically because I carry was a longer jacket so I could carry OWB. I'm OK being un=tacticool on this one.

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Originally Posted by ccwguy

I love my 1-1/4" Beltman belts with the Velcro liner.

I hate that when I bought them I had a 36" waist and bought 38" belts. I now have a 38" waist, and things are gettin' tight!

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I have the exact opposite problem.
On my 37" Crossbreed belt I'm down to the last inner hole... cardio, cardio, cardio, sweat, sweat, sweat, determination, determination, determination!
Visceral fat, cholesterol, high blood pressure & heart disease is going to kill more here... than any dirtbag we all focus on defending ourselves from.
It's never to late to start caring for ourselves...
eating right and exercising, along with exercising our right to defend ourselves. Both should go "hand in hand"

Ok I'm through

lol

Carry clothes that I hate...Pretty much anything that would require me to grow a mustache and wear a "Van Halen 1983-world tour" baseball hat to compliment it. Sorry old timers, but I guess Im part of the young, hip,armed and dangerous generation. Vest's and fanny-packs just dont do it for me.

I like 5.11 covert carry shirts. They have break-away sides for quick access, and they don't scream "armed". I have never had anyone acknowledge they knew how they worked. I also live in cargo shorts in the heat of summer, and they conceal a front pocket carried J frame snubbie extremely well.

I found vests to be a useful part of a CCW wardrobe in certain climates. Not the "shoot me first" styles, but that you would find as sportswear styles. Sometimes the weather is cool to cold and maybe with the sun sometimes coming out (like fall or prior to spring) and a vest can be kept on much longer than a jacket without overheating. I would carry strongside with one (IWB or not). And a vest ventilates well if you have to cool off.

I liked jeans with an oversized waist for IWB carry, but not baggy. Also, jeans blend well with the heavier belts worn for good holster support.

Hated jackets cut higher on the waist line. Hated RL Polos, never seemed to work for me for concealment. The material or something.

The "shoot me first" vest is completely context related. If my wife and I are out in a park taking pictures, the vest doesn't seem at all out of place...

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Originally Posted by First Sgt

Someone once told me, many years ago (I'm one of the "just old people who don't know any better"), that its better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to speak and remove all doubt.

Sooooooo, on that note I try not to listen to "self appointed" fashionistas who always know best for those of us tooo ignorant to dress ourselves in public. I wear CARGO PANTS, tactical pants, slacks, thick leather "GUN" belts, carpenter jeans (doesn't make me a carpenter), suits, sportcoats, shirts with squared hems outside the pant, and oh my, forgive me, "Shoot me VESTS"...I could personally care less if every Citizen Sheep in the field is aware that I MIGHT be carrying just by judging me on the way I dress. As for the Wolves, those that are dumb are going to bring their game regardless, those Wolves with intelligence might accidentally avoid starting the game IF they notice that "Shoot me first Vest", and other SheepDogs of like mind will simply acknowledge and file away in their own mind that a like minded person could perhaps be in their midst. I know, I know, now I'm going to hear from the folks that don't like the analogy of Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs. It's just an analogy...Get over it!

Call yourself what you will, approach YOUR dress the way you want, and have the mindset to carry out those actions that will be necessary in the event you or your loved ones are threatened. I will do the same. Be careful when assuming that the "age" and "dress" of an individual is indicative of their willingness or lack thereof, or ability or lack thereof, to do what is necessary when the time comes. You might just judge them wrong. Of course I meet stupid people every day that just don't know any better!!! OH, by the way...I carry a Glock 19, Gen 3, OWB and a Glock 26, Gen 3 for a BUG IF I need one...Haven't yet added a 1911 to my stable...JMO

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Sheepdogs in shoot-me vests--what's not to like?

I'm just wondering how many of the "I HAVE A GUN" clothing items that we as CC'ers recognize so easily stand out the same way to your typical BG???

Has anyone seen any studies on this?

I'm not a vest wearer, nor a fanny pack, but I've been wearing cargo pants since I was in my teens, and have only recently started carrying....

I had never given it a second thought that someone might think I had a concealed weapon because I was wearing cargos.

My point is, I never considered some types of clothing as loud of a message as it seems is being conveyed here.

A "shoot me first vest"......now that's funny.

I just wore my fest fishing, Sunday. guess what nobody shot me first!
Have a nice fanny pack for bicycling also.

As a certifiably old guy, I found this all very entertaining. I didn't know there was a Fashion Police within the CCW world. Well, I'm busted. Here in the rural west I wear a vest about 320 days out of the year, maybe more. It has nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with practicality. In cooler weather I wear an Outback oilskin. In warm weather I wear a light fleece vest. So, I get shot first, will it be by a bad guy or by a member of the Fashion Police?

I have a real nice "shoot me first" vest. The only problem with it is that it has so many pockets, I always lose things in it. I can feel it there, but I can never figure out which of the 8 overlapping pockets I put it in.

My standard Florida carry wear is basic pants (jeans, slacks, Dockers, shorts) and a couple of shirts (one under, one over). I've found nice button down collared shirts that look decent untucked. The Cuban guyabuera and Hawaiian type shirts are perfect examples. I DO like tac shorts and slacks too. Helps keep everything organized and secure. Once we're in jacket weather here, then I can pretty much carry anything.

As I've said before, the second hand store is the perfect place to work up a carry attire. With shirts for $3, you can afford to try out different things and give back whatever you didn't find that worked. And I dunno about your thrift shops, but I find quality brand names and stuff that's hardly worn. Not that I'm cheap, either. I let my tailor sew in new deeper pockets into my slacks for pocket carry, and I always get fitted with my piece on the hip.

I wear my normal clothes. I carry IWB in either jeans or cargo shorts with a t-shirt to conceal.