open carry dress code, thoughts

ososik · Nov 12, 2010

So i'm 25, brown, and wear loose fitting jeans usually not too long and baggie. But i always wear matching shirt, flat billed hat, and crazy bright shoes.Even though I'm a family man. Clean shaven, hair nice, usually creased up jeans and shirt. My wife rathers me not open carry with her and our three kids for fear of peoples reaction because i dress like a product of my environment. Should i change my attire to open carry? Or should I just accept possibility of ridicule to help our movement? I'm a firm believer in standing up for what you believe. So I dont wanna change who i am, but i dont want to hurt our movement either. Also I believe we should be ourself no matter who it looks like to the general population. Thanks Ososik

wrightme · Nov 12, 2010

Carry on.

Just remember, as you seem to be very aware, your appearance WILL provide a frame of reference in the minds of others, whether we like it or not. If in doubt, dress in a manner that presents you to others as YOU desire them to view you. If you are also wearing any clothing that identifies you with a specific group, others WILL view you AND that group from the image you present.

For instance, if some guy was wearing a shirt that has a VPC logo on it, and also a frilly skirt, people WILL gain a view of you and that group, whether that is the intent of that guy or not.

I personally do not go nuts over my appearance, but my typical attire when I am OC is blue jeans, pocket-t or button shirt, belt/holster, and a generally neat appearance. It is GOOD advice to dress in a manner that presents a positive vision in those you encounter. That is not to be misconstrued as any form of "dress nice or don't carry." It is just advice based upon reality.

On the other side, if you dress in a manner that presents the image of a gang-banger flashing signs, and are OC, others WILL judge you based upon that appearance.

Kingfish · Nov 12, 2010

Appropriate-attire-to-OC

ososik said:
because i dress like a product of my environment.

This sounds like you dress not to be yourself but to fit in. If that is the case, I would encourage you to dress as YOU want and not worry about others one way or another.

Either way though the important part is to carry.

If you are dressing in a costume to fit in with others I would advise reconsidering regardless of carry or not. I have to wear a costume at work (business casual) and it comes off as soon as I get home-Sometimes sooner.

The only clothing advice in regard to OC we should be giving would be to have a good belt.

ososik · Nov 12, 2010

It's just sad to me, that thugs have given matching attire with bright colors a bad name. I'm a loud personality, and my clothing reflects that. Do you think dressing this way still and standing up for open carry could loosen up the stigma that nicely dressed young men are BG's? BG's dont carry holsters, let alone openly carry firearms. I feel like changing ones appearance to open carry is not really helping our cause, its like giving up your sidearm to an officer during an encounter, or your ccw just because they ask for it. We need to stand strong not be loosie goosie. Please let me know if im wrong. Im willing to change attire if thats what it takes. I just want to teach my kids to stand up for what YOU believe, regardless of persecution. But I also want them to be smart about doing so. I'm thinking i need to pick my stance and just do it. But dont want to single-handedly move our movement backwards.

ososik · Nov 12, 2010

@Kingfish
I may have worded that wrong. I dress the way that fits me. Loud. But me. It looks nice though. But that could just be me because they're my clothes. Like i said, pants and shirt are pressed, shoes clean, good belt, clean shaven, most importantly presentable. I think ill post a pic maybe it'll help.

Kingfish · Nov 12, 2010

ososik said:
Please let me know if im wrong.

You are not.

ososik said:
Im willing to change attire if thats what it takes.

Please don't.

ososik said:
I'm thinking i need to pick my stance and just do it.

Right

ososik said:
But dont want to single-handedly move our movement backwards.

Not gonna happen.

wrightme · Nov 12, 2010

Kingfish said:
Appropriate-attire-to-OC

This sounds like you dress not to be yourself but to fit in. If that is the case, I would encourage you to dress as YOU want and not worry about others one way or another.

Either way though the important part is to carry.

If you are dressing in a costume to fit in with others I would advise reconsidering regardless of carry or not. I have to wear a costume at work (business casual) and it comes off as soon as I get home-Sometimes sooner.

The only clothing advice in regard to OC we should be giving would be to have a good belt.

Why? Other advice IS possible, and can be given. No one is under any onus to actually take that advice.

ososik · Nov 12, 2010

Thank you, That settles it. I've picked my stance. I'm a law abiding citizen, father of three, loving husband, and i'm going to dress my normal, while openly carrying. I fit in the category of who the constitution was written for. Thanks Kingfish

sultan62 · Nov 12, 2010

I'm glad to see that's your decision, ososik.

I'm gonna second the good belt thing. I switched to a pretty cheap gun belt and it made a world of difference.

ooghost1oo · Nov 12, 2010

Whatever.

Just don't look like a threat.

ZackL · Nov 13, 2010

As you've decided, my opinion at this point is pretty much just to get it out there. But I do agree with EVERYONE on this thread. There are certain lines you can't really cross if you don't want to encounter persecution, from both sides. However, to go out of your way to not be yourself is doing yourself a disservice. Personally, I like polo shirts and dickies (I'm cheap lol), but I will carry with a t-shirt occasionally, a hoodie or cotton jacket in the cold, I wear skater shoes, I have have short-ish hair and a scruffy beard, not to mention some tattoos that are obvious. I don't think anyone should change themselves (in my case cover up the tattoos and shave) in order to carry.

I do have one suggestion that is worth about what you'll pay for it... If your wife has a problem with you OCing as you are normally, maybe take some time to talk with her about what she thinks would be appropriate for you to wear when you're with her and OCing. This way you can put her at ease until she gets more comfortable with you OCing and then you can ease her into it. This is, of course, if it will be a serious problem with her.

In any event, good luck with everything.

CO-Joe · Nov 13, 2010

Who wears pants that match the color of their shirt past the age where your mom stops dressing you? I mean, besides convicts and guys who trudge around in BDUs for a living!

I think I know the fashion you're talking about--and when I see someone dressed up this way it really makes me scratch my head to read the statement they're trying to make... It also pains me to imagine the cash they spent to look like...that.

It's like the doofuses I come across who get tattoos "so they can be unique"--i.e. just like everyone else. I've seen one tattoo in my life that was unique: A chick had bright blue flames sprouting from her neck, going up her face, with a bright red pinstripe that outlined it all. Looked like a hot-rod paint job--and It looked terrible, which was kind of sad, because she was otherwise nice enough looking to be a victora's secret model. But at least she got points for being unique.

My two cents: Might as well strap on a spiffy set of bright colored short-sleeve coveralls and go to town... Hey, you could be a trendsetter.

ososik · Nov 13, 2010

CO-Joe said:
Who wears pants that match the color of their shirt past the age where your mom stops dressing you?.

Not matching pants. Just jeans various shades, sand-blasted, or dickies, that have been pressed.
I can respect your feelings on my fashion. I get that from my parents, grandparents, and siblings. Man in '96 I had a pair purple overall shorts, i used to always wear them with this sweater of Taz and Bugs dressed in hip-hop apparel.(Taz had similar overalls on) lol!

ooghost1oo · Nov 14, 2010

This is silly.

CO-Joe · Nov 14, 2010

ososik said:
Not matching pants. Just jeans various shades, sand-blasted, or dickies, that have been pressed.
I can respect your feelings on my fashion. I get that from my parents, grandparents, and siblings. Man in '96 I had a pair purple overall shorts, i used to always wear them with this sweater of Taz and Bugs dressed in hip-hop apparel.(Taz had similar overalls on) lol!

Alright, I have to apologize. Guess I misunderstood. I see guys around town occasionally decked out in red or blue (or more seldom, black) hip hop style, literally from head to toe, often with chains and stuff, and I can't help but think they're looking for trouble, even without OCing. If you know what I mean.

My philosophy is to look respectable, and the rest will follow. Take care.

mahkagari · Nov 14, 2010

CO-Joe said:
...and I can't help but think they're looking for trouble, even without OCing. If you know what I mean.

Glass houses. Realize that's the same argument that people use to ban OC. Recall the Brady Bunch's statement over the *$ policy that "If I see a guy come in with a gun, I don't know if he's there to protect me or to rob the place." To the anti-gunners and even a lot of CCing pro-gunners, there is no such thing as "looking respectable" while OCing.

PT111 · Nov 14, 2010

The whole OC dress code thing is a bunch of BS that doesn't mean a thing. It is a matter of attitude and how the person acts. If you OC like it is a normal thing to do it doesn't make any difference. If you touch your gun every third step, walk around the front of every building looking for signs, watch every person you see to size them up for being a terrorist or not, turn to make sure everyone sees that you are carrying and generally act like this is your first time to OC in public you can wear a three piece suit and you are still going to scare people or at least cause them to comment.

It is all in mannerisms rather than dress that will cause concern. I have read too many posts from people that have been long time carriers tell about how they have had to point out to people that they were carrying before they even noticed to think that everyone walks around looking for people with guns. Then I have read about the ones that talked about how they went into the 7-11 with cops out front and turned to be sure they saw the gun. As they say in football act like you done it before. You want it to be a normal part of life so act like it is already. Confidence is everything.

wrightme · Nov 14, 2010

PT111 said:
The whole OC dress code thing is a bunch of BS that doesn't mean a thing. It is a matter of attitude and how the person acts. If you OC like it is a normal thing to do it doesn't make any difference. If you touch your gun every third step, walk around the front of every building looking for signs, watch every person you see to size them up for being a terrorist or not, turn to make sure everyone sees that you are carrying and generally act like this is your first time to OC in public you can wear a three piece suit and you are still going to scare people or at least cause them to comment.

It is all in mannerisms rather than dress that will cause concern. I have read too many posts from people that have been long time carriers tell about how they have had to point out to people that they were carrying before they even noticed to think that everyone walks around looking for people with guns. Then I have read about the ones that talked about how they went into the 7-11 with cops out front and turned to be sure they saw the gun. As they say in football act like you done it before. You want it to be a normal part of life so act like it is already. Confidence is everything.

While I understand your views, I do disagree with them. Mannerisms DO make a difference. Whether we like it or not, so does how we dress. That isn't to mean that there is a dress code. It simply recognizes that people DO judge others based upon appearance. You can either ignore this, or use it to your advantage. If you would think of it as a tactical tool, maybe that would help you understand the point that is opposite of yours. Once that tactical tool is no longer necessary, regale it to the history books. For now, dress IS a valid tactical tool.

ososik · Nov 15, 2010

Well i'm legal in all aspects, and when i'm not with my children, i'll dress like me, while OC'ing and take all the crap that comes with it. Because it sounds like if i don't, who would? Here goes.

since9 · Nov 15, 2010

ososik said:
I'm a firm believer in standing up for what you believe. So I dont wanna change who i am, but i dont want to hurt our movement either.

Thanks for carrying. Many just go off doing what they dang well please with little regard for the consequences.

Since you're already aware of and recognize the issue, you're obviously mature enough to use your best judgement!

Carry on.

open carry dress code, thoughts

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Regular Member

Campaign Veteran