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Open Carry Dress Code

autosurgeon

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I don't think a dress code per say is needed. It is more a teach by example kind of thing.

Remember some folks are not as blessed as others in examples of how they should appear in public!


Wear and act how you want but remember YOU are the face of the gun owning public that everyone YOU interact with will remember.
 

Taurus850CIA

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, Michigan, USA
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Personal hygiene, attitude, clothing (to a certain extent), I can agree with, but really, isn't this just another form of stereotyping and oppression? Tattoos? Facial hair? Really?
 

JeffSayers

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Venator wrote:
I politely disagree, we are free to wear what ever is allowed. We have discussed this topic before and I find it distasteful on it's premise. While people are judged on how they appear, they to are judge on a variety of other things, like speech, body type, body art, etc.

I don't think "we " can tell anyone anything. As free people we have to make these decisions on our own. Dress is a personal decision and an expression of that person. People dress in a variety of styles for a variety of reasons. Some reasons are; comfort, financial, religious, practical, etc.

So please dress however you want, as a dress code for going about in publicis going down a slippery slope.

For people out and about solo and even for the general membership, I wholeheartedly agree. Outside of age limitations and exorberant fees, the point of OC is to make life easier. To make the fact that you carry a non-hassle, as much as that is possible. One should not be expected to alter their routine and habits because they are carrying.

However, I do strongly disagree in the case of members making media appearances and for MOC leadership at formal events. You can be true to your values, but if you are a salesperson, you had better well make an impresison if you want to be considered seriously. Otherwise, you might want to consider another line of work.

A last piece on the media appearance thing, you don't always have a chance to put on the fancy-pants. I suppose you just have to play those by ear.
 

autosurgeon

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Like I said personal opinion. I know that certain behaviors make it hard to get a high paying job and inappropriate tattoos and mangy facial hair are two of those. Like it or not people profile based on how we look. How we dress and act needs to be appropriate for the venue and type of people we are trying to reach.

I don't think a written dress code is needed for adults to figure this out but there is no reason not to have skull sessions on here about it to help those that may wonder how to dress and act to know what is best for the particular event they are attending.

Questions that I ask myself when deciding how to dress for an event.

1. is this an informal meet or a Seminar/Info Booth

2. Is the venue a place where there is a dress code?

3. what type of people typically frequent this venue and how do they dress and behave?


Some answers

Beach event = shorts sandals and a t-shirt

Meet and Eat = casual dress unless is a fancy place with a dress code.

Picnic in a park Casual much like the Beach event.

Seminar = Business Casual for the presenters and Casual for anyone else that is helping.

For what it's worth the only types of t-shirts I don't like are ones that are derogatory towards a specific group of people. That said wear what you like you are a consenting adult :cool:

NOTE these are my opinions and in no way represent an MOC official position!
 
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JeffSayers wrote:
Venator wrote:
I politely disagree, we are free to wear what ever is allowed. We have discussed this topic before and I find it distasteful on it's premise. While people are judged on how they appear, they to are judge on a variety of other things, like speech, body type, body art, etc.

I don't think "we " can tell anyone anything. As free people we have to make these decisions on our own. Dress is a personal decision and an expression of that person. People dress in a variety of styles for a variety of reasons. Some reasons are; comfort, financial, religious, practical, etc.

So please dress however you want, as a dress code for going about in publicis going down a slippery slope.

For people out and about solo and even for the general membership, I wholeheartedly agree. Outside of age limitations and exorberant fees, the point of OC is to make life easier. To make the fact that you carry a non-hassle, as much as that is possible. One should not be expected to alter their routine and habits because they are carrying.

However, I do strongly disagree in the case of members making media appearances and for MOC leadership at formal events. You can be true to your values, but if you are a salesperson, you had better well make an impresison if you want to be considered seriously. Otherwise, you might want to consider another line of work.

A last piece on the media appearance thing, you don't always have a chance to put on the fancy-pants. I suppose you just have to play those by ear.
Since not all media encounters are planned events, this is why it is even more relevant to take our appearance into consideration when attending events. Whether it be a small group meet and eat or a full blown public event.

However you wish to conduct yourself as an individual is irrelevant to this discussion. It's about the group and the movement. Not the individual.
 

steve

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Sorry guys I am who I am and I will dress how I dress..

The real bad news is I work construction so 90% of the time I am dirty and scrubby, and guess when IOC the most.

Some of you seen me at prior event's I drive a big truck with big rim's and a loud radio, I dress in baggy clothes (not hanging down past my a55) but in general I don't think I look scary or to much like a "thug".

Summer time I rock white tee's when I do wear shirts and some kind of jeans or khakis, love it or hate it, it's whoI am.

And just for the record I hide from the media, I don't much like my ugly mug plastered everywhere.
 

a2fireball

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Ann Arbor, Michigan, , USA
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Venator wrote:
zigziggityzoo wrote:
Hi All,

I've done a bit of thinking. Since we are the de facto face of the gun rights movement - It would seem prudent to make sure that we are presentable to the public whenever we're in public.

I don't think this means that we should always be wearing our sunday best - but I do think that we shouldn't dress like we just came back from hunting, or like we haven't done laundry in a month or two.

This holds especially true for the bigger events we host - since those draw press attention, we should be on the top of our game, and that includes dressing well.

I don't know what all of the rules should be, and I don't think that the rules are set in stone, so to speak. What say you all?

I politely disagree, we are free to wear what ever is allowed. We have discussed this topic before and I find it distasteful on it's premise. While people are judged on how they appear, they to are judge on a variety of other things, like speech, body type, body art, etc.

I don't think "we " can tell anyone anything. As free people we have to make these decisions on our own. Dress is a personal decision and an expression of that person. People dress in a variety of styles for a variety of reasons. Some reasons are; comfort, financial, religious, practical, etc.

So please dress however you want, as a dress code for going about in publicis going down a slippery slope.
I agree with Venator.

"We" are a collection of individuals. Dress how you want, do what you want. After all, to some, the appearance of a gun is scary, so the OP's logic would lead to not OC'ing at all.

Even the notion that personal rights only apply to "normal" people is awful.
 

jeremiahJohnson

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So basically what most in this thread are saying is if Kimberguy had been in a three pc suit, the rifle would have been less noticeable? or the heat would have acted differently towards you all in Lansing if you were in proper attire ?:shock:
 
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CrossPistols wrote:
So basically what most in this thread are saying is if Kimberguy had been in a three pc suit, the rifle would have been less noticeable? or the heat would have acted differently towards you all in Lansing if you were in proper attire ?:shock:
No.

Different circumstances. Different results.

The lansing event had been planned and coordinated by a minor.

The recent media encounters have been conducted by adults appearing to be, and conducting themselves in respectable adult fashion.
 

Big Gay Al

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CrossPistols wrote:
So basically what most in this thread are saying is if Kimberguy had been in a three pc suit, the rifle would have been less noticeable? or the heat would have acted differently towards you all in Lansing if you were in proper attire ?:shock:
I don't know about the "heat," but I'm sure it would have confused the sheeple. ;)
 

KBCraig

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I know some folks are sensitive about being tagged as fellow travelers with those who don't present a good public image. It happens in all groups. Some are hypersensitive about it, to the point that they raise more of a fuss than even our political opponents -- that's when we get thrown under the bus.

It's happened with the Fudds versus the black rifle crowd, traditional CC folks versus OC, etc.

My only real gripe about dress choices are those who OC with an untucked t-shirt. It's not because I think it's sloppy, it's because it looks like they're not taking OC seriously. Not having proper carry gear goes along with that: cheap generic nylon holsters flopping around on limp belts make me cringe.

I'd rather see Bubba Beergut in camo and a scraggly beard OCing with a good strong belt and properly fitted holster, than Joe Yuppie with his polo wadded up behind his pistol that is flopping in the breeze.
 

Taurus850CIA

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, Michigan, USA
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CV67PAT wrote:
Since not all media encounters are planned events, this is why it is even more relevant to take our appearance into consideration when attending events. Whether it be a small group meet and eat or a full blown public event.

However you wish to conduct yourself as an individual is irrelevant to this discussion. It's about the group and the movement. Not the individual.
As far as M.O.C. Inc. is concerned, while making high profile public media appearances, I understand. I understand that, as an individual, I will never be a part of the elite class of open carriers that the general public is supposed to accept, because I do not fit the profile. However, the root issue is INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. I don't want to see that buried under a steaming pile of P.C. crap.
 

autosurgeon

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KBCraig wrote:
I know some folks are sensitive about being tagged as fellow travelers with those who don't present a good public image. It happens in all groups. Some are hypersensitive about it, to the point that they raise more of a fuss than even our political opponents -- that's when we get thrown under the bus.

It's happened with the Fudds versus the black rifle crowd, traditional CC folks versus OC, etc.

My only real gripe about dress choices are those who OC with an untucked t-shirt. It's not because I think it's sloppy, it's because it looks like they're not taking OC seriously. Not having proper carry gear goes along with that: cheap generic nylon holsters flopping around on limp belts make me cringe.

I'd rather see Bubba Beergut in camo and a scraggly beard OCing with a good strong belt and properly fitted holster, than Joe Yuppie with his polo wadded up behind his pistol that is flopping in the breeze.
I agree with ya there!
 

American Boy With a Gun

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mikestilly wrote:
Im rockin my Slipknot shirt & jeans. I'm in business casual like 99% of the time. When im relaxing its a metal shirt jeans an gym shoes which Im OC'n in right now.

Mike
Damn Straight! +1000!...i like to wear some nice black levi's or polo jeans and a t-shirt with some sort of skull, dragon, motorcycle, or band name on it. I have near shoulder length black hair which can be a pain to keep in line but i try. Black Steel Toes and a hoodie. Is this too un-formal for yall?
 

autosurgeon

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If it's clean and neat... hey that is really good enough for most things :cool:

I think many are reading too much into this and think that some of us are the dress Nazis...

When in reality we just realize that our image as a group however loosely knit can make or break the message!
 
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American Boy With a Gun wrote:
mikestilly wrote:
Im rockin my Slipknot shirt & jeans. I'm in business casual like 99% of the time. When im relaxing its a metal shirt jeans an gym shoes which Im OC'n in right now.

Mike
Damn Straight! +1000!...i like to wear some nice black levi's or polo jeans and a t-shirt with some sort of skull, dragon, motorcycle, or band name on it. I have near shoulder length black hair which can be a pain to keep in line but i try. Black Steel Toes and a hoodie. Is this too un-formal for yall?
Is that how you dress while open carrying?
 
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