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I think a lot has to do with how one dresses and carry's himself as to how people react to open carry
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This also an excellent point. More so the "carry's him/herself" to me than how you dress. I'm usually dressed fairly casually and rarely tuck in my shirt. T-shirt/polo, cargo shorts and Chacos are my normal attire when not attending work or a school function. I'm not going to be mistaken for LEO unless it's the UC beach patrol. Sometimes I let the beard grow for a couple of weeks before shaving just because...
I'm also not a "natural smiler". I've been asked all my life what's wrong or am I in a bad mood. It's just my normal facial expression. I like to think of it as neutral or focused. However, I've always made a concerted effort to look people in the eye and speak, nod and smile. It takes a little effort, but I've seen so many people's demeanor change as a result of just a "good morning" or "exscuse me, ma'am/sir". I try to do this whether I'm OCing, CCing or not carrying at all.
Believe me when I say I truely believe holding the door for someone or helping them pick something up they have dropped is going to make a bigger impression on most than the fact that you have a gun on your belt. At least I hope so.