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open carry and "dress code"

scorpio_vette

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Ok so this is a kinda weird thought that's been rolling around my head.


I personally am part of a stereotype. I'm tattooed and pierced. that seems to intimidate people quite a bit.

Now i know that there is this whole saying that "first impressions count" and various others that would make me an "outcast" so to speak. I understand that i chose to get tattooed and pierced, so that doesn't need to be debated at this point.

My thought/concern is this:

On several occasions i have seen remarks on this website regarding clothing and people making remarks that either directly or indirectly indicate that they are dressed in a manner that looks "proper, normal, respectable, professional, etc...".


Well along with my tattoos and piercings, 95% of the time i wear army cargo pants with short sleeve or no sleeve shirts. and on top of that, from spring-fall, i also wear biker apparel because i ride non-stop.

So part of me is going to assume that when i start open carrying, my "image" would possibly also cause additional issues with people seeing a gun on my hip or leg.

While i personally believe that is absolute bull, and believe that one should not judge a book by it's cover, i have to accept the fact that it probably is going to happen. And that makes me wonder...............


Does EVERYBODY on this forum dress in a "respectable, well attired" manner, or are there others like me out there that open carry???

Have you noticed any difference as to how you are treated compared to people who do dress more "respectable" while carrying???


For what it's worth, while i understand that people judge this book by it's cover, one of the many reason that i find it is absolute bull is because i have NEVER in my life been arrested, charged with anything, or even sat in the back of a cop car. my record is absolutely clean.


just curious.
 

chewy352

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I don't change the way I dress just because I am carrying. I usually wear jeans and a t-shirt (sometimes offensive to some). However I don't think that one should have to change how they dress in order to make others more comfortably.

That being said if I dressed like you do I would expect a lot more MWAG calls to be made because the sheeple will profile you.It is a decision that you have to make and only you can make.
 

45acpForMe

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Yorktown, Virginia, USA
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scorpio_vette wrote:
Have you noticed any difference as to how you are treated compared to people who do dress more "respectable" while carrying???
Absolutely. I tend to shave only when I have to, for work so when I go out and about in a black leather coat unshaven I definitely get a different vibe from when I am in work clothes, (a shirt and tie). I figure to advance OC the best way would be to look respectable since we want to promote more good people carrying, looking like athug doesn't help. With that said, the main reason you should carry isn't advancing OCDO's cause but to have the tool with you that allows you to defend your life as well as others.

When I am scruffy (and hornery occassionally [ex-wife, etc]) people tend to give me a wide berth. When I am holding my daughters hand crossing a parking lot (or others pushing a baby stroller) people tend to see you as a non-threat. When I am clean cut and shaven, I belive most people assume I am aLEO.

You can't blame people for giving us a wide berth. They don't know you and you have a lethal tool visible. While everyone says discrimination is wrong, it is something everyone does every day with limited information and past experience coming into play.

So be yourself and enjoy OC-ing. Try "not" to have a chip on your shoulder looking forpeople to "dis" you.And smile alot. :)
 

protias

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I rarely wear dress clothing. I am always wearing blue jeans or jean shorts. I hate logos, so I always have a plain shirt.
 

wally1120

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Jackson, Michigan, USA
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scorpio_vette wrote:
Ok so this is a kinda weird thought that's been rolling around my head.
if you are going to start OCing think of everything
I personally am part of a stereotype. I'm tattooed and pierced. that seems to intimidate people quite a bit.
I as well have several Tattoo`s, But I dont have any Piercings
Now i know that there is this whole saying that "first impressions count" and various others that would make me an "outcast" so to speak. I understand that i chose to get tattooed and pierced, so that doesn't need to be debated at this point.
You do decided to get Tatted up, It is your body. Who cares what anyone else thinks.
My thought/concern is this:

On several occasions i have seen remarks on this website regarding clothing and people making remarks that either directly or indirectly indicate that they are dressed in a manner that looks "proper, normal, respectable, professional, etc...".


Well along with my tattoos and piercings, 95% of the time i wear army cargo pants with short sleeve or no sleeve shirts. and on top of that, from spring-fall, i also wear biker apparel because i ride non-stop.
I usually wear ACU`s as well
So part of me is going to assume that when i start open carrying, my "image" would possibly also cause additional issues with people seeing a gun on my hip or leg.
I know MANY others that OC, and Ride Hogs. Nothing to be shamed of, Your expressing Two of your hobbies. Again who cares what others think of you.

While i personally believe that is absolute bull, and believe that one should not judge a book by it's cover, i have to accept the fact that it probably is going to happen. And that makes me wonder...............


Does EVERYBODY on this forum dress in a "respectable, well attired" manner, or are there others like me out there that open carry???
I am not much into Motor Cycles, But I do OC. And in the summer I usually go around town in a Beater shirt, And that does expose most of my Tattoos.
Have you noticed any difference as to how you are treated compared to people who do dress more "respectable" while carrying???
Yes people do ask me about OC when I am going around with just the Beater on, And a Gun on both sides of my hip. But I have done the same exact thing wearing a Suit, Minus the Jacket, And not as many people were to concerned about it. I did recieve a few comments on it, But they all thought I was a Underco
For what it's worth, while i understand that people judge this book by it's cover, one of the many reason that i find it is absolute bull is because i have NEVER in my life been arrested, charged with anything, or even sat in the back of a cop car. my record is absolutely clean.
That is good news that you have never been involved with the police. I am not fortune enough to say that, I do have one charge on my record, But I was 10 so it isnt dragged with me anymore. I have sat in the back of a police car a few times, 2 out of the 3 times I was in the back of a cop car was a OC Detainment tho. And I recently recieved a Fix It Ticket 2 months ago, So my record isnt as clean as yours. But I haven`t hads any bad experiences with the police for OCing for around 9 months now, You dont have anything to worry about.
just curious.

However you may have people call the police on you for OCing When you do it, Especially if you have ANY Tattoos at all that are exposed. I was at the Cascades Park over in Jackson,Michigan for the FireWorks, And I had some dumbas$ call the cops on me, The sad thing was he was within Ear shot, And didnt even look like he tryed to get away from me. But I passed so many cops there before the call, And I didnt have any officers approach me about it.

So you may have a few people look at you, You may have people call the police on you, You may get detained, You may (fill in the blank). But dont let that discourage you, I have been OCing for the last year now. I have been detaind twice, I have had MANY, MANY people call the police on me, ETC. But I continue to carry on, And I urge others to do the same.
 

Task Force 16

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I think your demeanor and how you carry yourself around other people may be more important than how you dress. Sure, looks do bare allot in regards to first impressions; it sucks, but it's a part of life that isn't going to go away.

Always greet people with a smile, yes/no sir and yes/no ma am go along way, even though it may seem really old fashioned.

Might want to study up on some of the old time etiquette stuff and try using some of it. It's amazing how that can counter what others may think about your appearance. Especially with the older folks that still remember the day when manners counted for something.

I don't dress up myself. Pretty much a jeans and khaki work shirt, boots and cowboy hat man. I'm sure I don't get the same reactions that tats and piercings would. But I still try to put my best foot forward and revive some of the old "gentlemanly" ways. I still OC a gun and feel a need to do what I can to dispel any pre-conceived notions that I'm some ignorant redneck neanderthal, even though I may look like one. ;)
 

sudden valley gunner

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Dress how you dress, to me this is about normalizing open carry again. Talk to Daarth something in Washington he recently has joined us and seems to dress and adorn himself in a similar manner.
 

simmonsjoe

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Mattaponi, Virginia, United States
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scorpio_vette wrote:
Ok so this is a kinda weird thought that's been rolling around my head.


I personally am part of a stereotype. I'm tattooed and pierced. that seems to intimidate people quite a bit.

Now i know that there is this whole saying that "first impressions count" and various others that would make me an "outcast" so to speak. I understand that i chose to get tattooed and pierced, so that doesn't need to be debated at this point.

My thought/concern is this:

On several occasions i have seen remarks on this website regarding clothing and people making remarks that either directly or indirectly indicate that they are dressed in a manner that looks "proper, normal, respectable, professional, etc...".


Well along with my tattoos and piercings, 95% of the time i wear army cargo pants with short sleeve or no sleeve shirts. and on top of that, from spring-fall, i also wear biker apparel because i ride non-stop.

So part of me is going to assume that when i start open carrying, my "image" would possibly also cause additional issues with people seeing a gun on my hip or leg.

While i personally believe that is absolute bull, and believe that one should not judge a book by it's cover, i have to accept the fact that it probably is going to happen. And that makes me wonder...............


Does EVERYBODY on this forum dress in a "respectable, well attired" manner, or are there others like me out there that open carry???

Have you noticed any difference as to how you are treated compared to people who do dress more "respectable" while carrying???


For what it's worth, while i understand that people judge this book by it's cover, one of the many reason that i find it is absolute bull is because i have NEVER in my life been arrested, charged with anything, or even sat in the back of a cop car. my record is absolutely clean.


just curious.
It is OK to OC with tats and biker gear, however you are only allowed to carry a 4"-6" stainless 357magnum revolver because it completes your stereotype.
 

Hawkflyer

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The baggage you carry from your life choices is only magnified when people view you through the lens of carrying a firearm. Anything in addition to OC that a person does that might attract the attention of others will also draw additional attention to the firearm. Welcome to the wonderful world of human nature.

I don't mean to offend the OP but question irrelevant. OC is not a club or a formal organization with hard and fast rules and a board of directors waiting to punish people who violate some obscure set of rules. It is a method of carrying a firearm and nothing more. While it is true that dress and other elements impact the way people perceive a person with or without a firearm, OC itself has that same effect on people around you. To be certain people here and elsewhere will disagre with some of the choices you have made, and they will tell you about it. If you don't what to hear those opinions, don't ask the questions.

While I have made different choices than you as to tats and piercings was my choice and your choices are yours. I also wear 5.11s a lot because that is the common attire where I work, so that carries over to my personal dress every day. But that is MY choice, and your choice is different.

People can wear whatever cloths, piercings, and tattoos they want. BUT! They should think about what the choices for one simple reason. When you make choices a lot of other things come with those choices, and they are inseparable elements of the choice itself. So if you get Tattooed, you need to recognize ALL of the elements of that decision, including acceptance of the right of others to alter their first impressions of you. If you want to wear ratty jeans, there is social baggage that goes with that choice. Same for hair styles, beards, piercings, choice of transportation and a lot of others stuff. These things all compound one another almost mathematically in the mind of the observer to form that persons perceptions of you. Some of your choices add to the perception, some subtract, some Multiply, but unfortunately they ALL divide.

It does not matter that you think people should NOT judge you on these things, because they will and you knew that when you made the choices. In fact, why would you get a tat or a piercing if you were not making a personal statement by doing it? You mush have known that this would make you different, otherwise what is the point?

So do what you want and just recognize that people who disagree with your choices have a right to their opinion, just as you have a right to yours. You do not need permission to exercise your rights, but if you ask people will answer.
 
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The conservative/libertarian ex-attorney talkshow host, that I enjoy, Neal Boortz WSB Atlanta, strongly suggests and recommends that piercings/tattoos and other alternative lifestyle accouterments be proudly and visibly displayed - especially to employers and judges.

The individual selects associates from among peers, elites, like judges and employers, don't have that freedom.
 

bigdaddy1

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I dont have any piercings, have enough holes in my head. I do have some new ink that I am proud to display. I will in the summer be in casual attire and carrying, and if my tattoo draws concern then those people are prejudiced morons. I only have 2 tattoo's (one large, one small) but intend on more as money permits. So no I wouldnt be concerned about your overall appearance (as long as your legal.) while carrying.
 

scorpio_vette

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LOL I love you guys.

"I don't dress up myself. Pretty much a jeans and khaki work shirt"

that's like sundays finest, church attire and wedding all rolled into one for me. LOL i don't even own a single pair of jeans. LOL


i really appreciate the replies.


@hawkflyer---i understand what you mean, and yes i'm aware that my choice in tats, piercings, clothing, transportation all creates an "image" about me, and that's what i chose. i understand that that choice carries with it what people are going to think about me, and while i accept that, there is no reason why i can't say that is is absolutely stupid.
in my opinion judging somebody for tats or piercings is like judging somebody because they're black. not all blacks are gangbangers, thugs or whatever else people wanna think of them. and not all tattooed and pierced people are drug dealers/users, fighters or other types of criminals.
the same way not all white people are KKK, and not every guy wearing a cowboy hat is a cowboy, etc..etc..etc...
i fully understand that there are stereotypes everywhere, and that i have chosen which stereotype to be in. i still think it's complete BULL though.
so i take no offense to what you said, and i was not asking for permission or anything.

i was simply trying to make conversation about something i was thinking about.
 

bomber

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scorpio_vette wrote:
Does EVERYBODY on this forum dress in a "respectable, well attired" manner, or are there others like me out there that open carry???

Have you noticed any difference as to how you are treated compared to people who do dress more "respectable" while carrying???

no, i do not. i dress in whatever clothes i want. sometimes i am coming from work and am dressed in khakis and a button up shirt, and sometimes i am on my own time and wear ripped jeans, sleeveless band t-shirtsor whatever else i feel like wearing. i don't think about what look i am projecting to other people when i have a gun on my hip. i don't wear my clothes to impress people and i don't wear my gun to impress people. i wear my gun for protection.

so far i have not had any run-ins with anyone about my OC'ing, so i don't know if my style of dress has made a difference or not in how people perceive me and my gun.

and i also have never been arrested. i have taken a ride in the back of a police car, but thats another story. i also drove a police car once as well, but that is a totally different story :celebrate.
 
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I am trying to revive hat wear in my community and create its association with legally armed citizens.

For even slightly formal events I have a beautiful double-breasted suit with which I wear an immaculate black Fedora and, in the winter, a $1000 wool greatcoat. Dressing 'down', like for a party, I'll wear a party tie.

I make a big deal of tipping my hat to gentlemen and doffing it for ladies.

I occasionally wear a coat and tie to church, but at least a blazer/corduroy jacket and collared shirt. I wear cords and collared shirt to Board meetings.

I wear my OC SA1911 in a SERPA on a gunbelt outside my outerwear. When it is fully accepted then I'll get a dress quality holster for my black satin Luger Navy model.

A cap improperly worn will at least get a fisheye if not a comment.

An armed society is a polite society.
 

SouthernBoy

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I think Hawkflyer hit the nail on the head. Human nature is what it is and for good reason. It's part of our inherent defense mechanism; the antenna goes up when our perception dictates. I would bet that this has kept many from less-than-positive encounters with nefarious individuals.

Imagine this. You work in an office which has people from other countries as part of the staff. A new female employee from Iran comes to you for some information and when she appears, she is wearing full covered garb from her country - you know, face and hair covered, long black body covering, etc. Regardless of how you might think you'd react, I can pretty much guarantee you will experience a wall of separation initially. Granted, in time, this may disappear. But at first, you will not treat her in the same manner as you would if she were to dress like an American. Once again, it's simple human nature.. and it is not a bad thing.

So the answer is a little more involved and complex than it may appear on the surface for the OP. On the one hand, there is the temptation to take the position that is to say, "I'll do as I please and to hell with what others may think". While this is certainly one's right, is it prudent when tackling such a politically sensitive subject as going about openly carrying a firearm? The general consensus on this forum is mostly likely going to be for people to present themselves in a positive light, not only for them, but for all of us.
 

GLOCK21GB

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Master Doug Huffman wrote:
I am trying to revive hat wear in my community and create its association with legally armed citizens.

For even slightly formal events I have a beautiful double-breasted suit with which I wear an immaculate black Fedora and, in the winter, a $1000 wool greatcoat. Dressing 'down', like for a party, I'll wear a party tie.

I make a big deal of tipping my hat to gentlemen and doffing it for ladies.

I occasionally wear a coat and tie to church, but at least a blazer/corduroy jacket and collared shirt. I wear cords and collared shirt to Board meetings.

I wear my OC SA1911 in a SERPA on a gunbelt outside my outerwear. When it is fully accepted then I'll get a dress quality holster for my black satin Luger Navy model.

A cap improperly worn will at least get a fisheye if not a comment.

An armed society is a polite society.
and to dougy, it's also show & tell time.... show the world I am a wealthy elitist & tell everyone how much I spend on my affluent clothing with my 1000.oo coat & creepy fedora. you keep talking about being equal, but you love rubbing everyones face in the fact that your so much better off than them.
 
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Glock34 wrote:
and to dougy, it's also show & tell time.... show the world I am a wealthy elitist & tell everyone how much I spend on my affluent clothing with my 1000.oo coat & creepy fedora. you keep talking about being equal, but you love rubbing everyones face in the fact that your so much better off than them.
I live in a small town community. As a fund riser my church has an annual rummage sale. For years, more than mine here, we have had an anonymous donor that works as a model for a high-end mens clothier. He is just my size. I have benefited.

Yes, I am an elite in so many ways. Not least for having been an employee for my entire working life. Wealthy? Time will tell. How ya doin' DJ?

Either we are equal or we are not. Good people ought to be armed where they will, with wits and guns and the truth. NRA KMA$$ damn the Obamination and its teeth.
 

scorpio_vette

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SouthernBoy wrote:
Imagine this. You work in an office which has people from other countries as part of the staff. A new female employee from Iran comes to you for some information and when she appears, she is wearing full covered garb from her country - you know, face and hair covered, long black body covering, etc. Regardless of how you might think you'd react, I can pretty much guarantee you will experience a wall of separation initially.


honestly stuff like that doesn't bother me. perhaps it has to do with the fact that i grew up in a different country. growing up i was used to seeing a variety of people, and i was one of the guys that when i got my first job went to work with a mohawk, chains, spikes, sky blue doc martin calf high boots, etc.....

and do you know what my boss told me???: "i don't give a shit what you look like as long as you work hard and get it done right".


THAT.........is how i grew up. no disrespect to any of you, but i often feel sorry for how close minded and closed off Americans can to be regarding certain topics. it seems people here are more concerned with what you look like, rather than who you really are, and with what others will think of them, rather than trying to be themselves and accept others for WHO they are.

i don't act like EVERYBODY is friendly and trustworthy, but i treat EVERYBODY with the same amount of caution and distrust until i get to know them. that has nothing to do with appearances or country of origin, but the simple fact that i have no idea who you are.
 

Mike

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If you want tohelp normalize gun ownershipthru open carry, then one should strive to appear and behave like a respectable and trustworthy member of American society, and one who others will identify with - that does not necessarily mean dressing up like a college young republican dork with dockers and a collared shirt all the time - but how you behave is more important the number of piercings or wiskers.

Dressing casual (shorts, flip flops, t shirts) is fine and sometimes good to remove from other's minds that your might be some sort of plain clothes policeman - defeats the startegic objectiveof open carry if people think you are law enforcement.

Are you open carrying a normal properly holstered handgun in a discreet manner - or are you "flaunting it," or carrying the gun in a shoulder holster with teh muzzle pointing at people's faces, or stuck down your pants, or an unusually dangerous lookingweapon, trying to get attention, cause a problem, etc?

Are you going about your business normally, or are you loitering somewhere, trying to get random people to talk to you?

Is your appearance casual, confident, and pleasant, or are you edgy or starring at people?

Are you casually holding somthing in your carry hand like coffee or keys, or are you dangling your hand by your holster like you might need to draw at any time?

These questions are self-explanatory.

We win by open carrying without incident - a day where nobody appears to notice or care isa winning day for all.

Its not for everybody - conceal carry is an option in most states too.
 
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