Does dress matter?

[indytechnerd]

...
I can see the point of both sides, but with the world we live in today, I subscribe to the first idea. If I were to OC, I'd at least be in khakis and a tucked in polo, cleanly groomed, with a matching belt and holster. (holster should be proper as well, ie not some nylon deal that flops around with each step taken)

How about your purse? Would it be matching also?

I'm in with the clothing makes the man crowd, I guess. But, I'm also one of those folks that won't go to the store for any reason in sweatpants, thinks flipflops are for wearing to the pool, and leaving the house without a belt makes me twitchy all day. The only exception to #3 is hiking shorts that have belts built in.

Pants have sizes listed on them, get one of those lovely ladies working the men's section at Von Mar to measure you and buy the appropriate pants.
[ / END RANT]

I think, considering first impressions are what really wins or loses the perception war, if you dress like Eminem and act like a gangbanger, you'll get lumped in. If you want a positive first impression, you need to look it. Why else do you dress up for a job interview?

 

[concrete dog]

i personally have noticed that dress does matter.when im dressed in my nice clothes people dont even look twice.

 

[agentl074]

One should also dress the same when picking up an application as the interview

 

[Jubbie]

One should also dress the same when picking up an application as the interview

As in OC? That would help finding a firearm friendly job.

 

[agentl074]

As in OC? That would help finding a firearm friendly job.

Well that depends... however, a lot of security employers don't mind that—at least mine didn't

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

The way I see it, people that have little or no concern for how they look in public are likely not winning us any favor when they OC.

Like it or not, when you OC, you are representing all of us. If you look like a responsible individual, then we all do and visa versa.

To a small extent I agree , an example .

I was at my local gas station a few months ago and was in line behind a young , 20 something guy . He was wearing jeans and no shirt .

He was carrying a pistol at the 6 , tucked in a "preemie" diaper for a holster .

My "gut" reaction was to snatch it away from him then slap him ! Obviously , I didn't do it and said nothing to him . I wish I did talk to him about it though .

 

[femurphy77]

In that case make sure you shave your legs.

Stuff like that on this site always makes me nervous. . . . . .and I lived in Key West for 3 years

 

[esrice]

How about your purse? Would it be matching also?

Messenger bag Brian, messenger bag. . . .

He was carrying a pistol at the 6 , tucked in a "preemie" diaper for a holster .

Please tell me I'm simply missing part of this joke, and that the shirtless guy wasn't actually using a baby's diaper as a holster. . . . . ?

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Please tell me I'm simply missing part of this joke, and that the shirtless guy wasn't actually using a baby's diaper as a holster. . . . . ?

No joke , that's what he was using for a holster .

 

[esrice]

No joke , that's what he was using for a holster .

You're going to have to tell me one more time before I believe you. . .

This is what you ACTUALLY saw?

 

[ihateiraq]

i rarely wear anything besides shorts and a tshirt in the summertime. my shirts run a little bit on the tight side too, and no matter what my gun usually ends up showing. i have tattooed sleeves and a surly disposition. i wear my hat backwards. i also dont care. i dont carry a gun to change peoples perception of gun owners. i carry a gun because "bad guys" carry guns. people can look at me and think whatever they want. who cares what other people think they know?

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

YES , that setup was tucked in his pants (at his 6) with the top of the diaper and pistol sticking out and the grip was turned the other way , as if he were a righty .

If you turned the grip to the right and put pants about an inch below the top of the diaper it would be EXACTLY the way he was carrying .

Have him speak ebonics and walk with a slight limp .

 

[cosermann]

The urge to say something about "wearing a diaper" must have been almost irresistible. I salute your self-control in not doing so, sir.

 

[alwalker84]

YES , that setup was tucked in his pants (at his 6) with the top of the diaper and pistol sticking out and the grip was turned the other way , as if he were a righty .

If you turned the grip to the right and put pants about an inch below the top of the diaper it would be EXACTLY the way he was carrying .

Have him speak ebonics and walk with a slight limp .

You should have at least givin him a invite to the board. 20 pages minimum on the thread in which he explains this carry method.

 

[public servant]

YES , that setup was tucked in his pants (at his 6) with the top of the diaper and pistol sticking out and the grip was turned the other way , as if he were a righty .

If you turned the grip to the right and put pants about an inch below the top of the diaper it would be EXACTLY the way he was carrying .

Have him speak ebonics and walk with a slight limp .

Where exactly in Mars Hill did you witness this??? Or should I ask which liquor store?

 

[Joe Williams]

It makes a difference in about every other walk of life, I certainly think it does when carrying a gun. Sometimes I care... but not often LOL.

 

[public servant]

IMO...this one simple act would have the most impact in the way people perceive OC. Dress smart.

If you took the most honest, law-abiding, mild mannered individual you knew, and dressed him down in a pair of baggy, sagging pants and a worn-out t-shirt and tucked a pistol in his waist and then stood him next to say...Ted Bundy wearing a pair of khakis, a polo and a proper belt and holster...then polled 1000 individuals who knew neither of them...who do you think those being polled would consider a threat?

Why do you think Ted was so successful in what he did? He won their heart's and minds in his dress and mannerisms.

Should you have to? No. Would it benefit the cause? Absolutely it would.

 

[SC_Shooter]

At the risk of repeating much of what has been said, there is a significant difference between what "is" and what "should be." We all agree that how someone dresses has nothing whatsoever to do with their responsibility as a gun owner or whether or not they present a threat. That said, we all seem to be in agreement that how people perceive things in most cases is driven by first impression.

Do any of you remember the post about the guy from Northern Indiana who was nabbed at the Taste of Chicago? How many of our own INGO members judged this guy by his mugshot and then felt bad about it when we found out more about him? Just saying...

Like it or not, people do judge other people by how they look and how they are dressed is a big part of the look. I for one generally have a shirt over my carry gun when I'm running around in shorts and a t-shirt for that very reason. I know that people would take more note of someone looking like that with a visible weapon, so I try to prevent it.

On the flip side, I'm not at all concerned about OC when I'm in khakis and a button down shirt. As another poster noted of job interviews, folks do tend to make some positive assumptions about people who are dressed well and who carry themselves as a professional (a professional in the sense of confident, alert, polite, etc.).

Right or wrong, sheeple don't think, they react...and usually not in the best of ways.

Should we all be concerned with making the sheeple feel comfortable? In some ways, I would reply "yes" simply because there are more of them than us and at the end of the day, they can be called on to vote. Lots of sheeple badgering their elected types to 'stop these hoodlums from running around and scaring us with their guns' can easily result in a few too many Senators having the confidence to legislate away more of our rights. I for one am of the belief that I don't want to do anything that might give them ammo for their fight.

At the end of the day, it's just my on how OTHER PEOPLE perceive OC. They see a uniform or a well dressed person and assume it's fine. They see me on a typical Sunday afternoon without a cover garment and they are likely to wonder.

 

[aikidoka]

Crap, I open carry a good portion of the time...wearing cargo shorts, which are sometimes camo and a t-shirt and nothing has ever been said to me no matter where I have carried.
It may be my nice clean hair cut...oh, what hair?

I wear cargo shorts in hot weather but usually a short sleeve tucked in button up collar shirt. According to one police officer those cargo shorts could have people thinking Im a cop when I open carry. Yes, try not to laugh to hard.

 

[teknickle]

When I open carry after work and im wearing my jeans, polo shirt and brown shoes, i dont recieve half the looks that I do when im wearing my regular saturday morning jean shorts, t-shirt and tennis shoes. It just shows you how strongly people judge you upon first appearance.

People DO just a book by its cover..isn't that the point of a book cover after all? To read the title and have a general understanding of what's inside?

If anyone OC's looking like a slob, (especially in ghetto carry) is giving a bad rep to law abiding citizens.
Keep in mind that the general public is NOT used to seeing firearms, so their limited exposure to only seeing slobs carrying firearms immediately creates the stereotype of gangsta or hillbilly.
Profiling is real. We all do it, because it GENERALLY is true.
The more people that look like slobs and carry are only going to reinforce the stereotype.

With that all in mind, everyone should be encouraged to START oc'ing if you don't already. Help beat back the stereotypes that only criminals and wreckless thugs carry guns.