Choosing the fitting shirt is critical for those who carry concealed. Whether using IWB, OWB, or any off-body carry options like ankle, thigh, or pocket, the shirt you choose must allow easy access and provide sufficient concealment. In general, a light covering garment is best. A blazer should be adequate for most situations.
Concealment
If you’re wearing an IWB holster inside the waistband, you’ll need a loose-fitting shirt to accommodate both your gun and the holster. Loose clothing shows less printing, making it easier to clear your weapon. A button-up flannel or denim shirt, long or short-sleeved as preferred, worn untucked, is one of the most common concealed carry cover garments. It provides adequate coverage, allows you to use an IWB or OWB holster without compromising your look, and is comfortable. If you’re carrying IWB, choosing holster shirts for concealed carry sizes up from what you typically wear is a good idea. A slightly oversized shirt mitigates the issue of your gun printing through the fabric, making it easier to draw from a closed-cover garment (like a jacket or overshirt). If you’re using a pocket holster, a thicker cover garment can reduce the chances of wind gusts blowing your gun like a cape. If you’re going to a tailor, it might be worth letting them know you’ll carry a gun and holster in your wardrobe so they can consider this during the fitting.
Comfort
When you carry a firearm in an OWB or IWB holster, you need to be able to clear your cover garment and get the gun out of the holster quickly when the time comes. A shirt that is too tight and makes this problematic will not serve your needs well. Whether a police officer, security guard, or entrepreneur in a hotspot, your concealed carry shirt should allow for the ideal range of motion. That doesn’t mean the shirt needs to be baggy or billowing; it simply has to be loose enough to drape over your gun and holster and onto you without showing any printing. This is true of any shirt, from a T-shirt to a dress shirt. Shirts with longer hems, particularly those explicitly designed for concealment, can also help.
Durability
Most of us know that a good concealed carry shirt has to have a longer hem than the average t-shirt or polo. This is to help prevent the holster and gun from showing when you bend over or sit down. Some women’s shirts even come in tall sizes to provide this coverage. Consider how easy it is to clear the cover garment and draw your weapon in emergencies. Some shirts are better for this than others, such as a blazer or sport coat, since you can leave a button undone while still being able to clear your gun and respond to the situation quickly. Finally, you’ll want to ensure your gun holster is durable enough to keep its grip on your weapon if you’re in a sudden physical fight with an assailant. Some holsters have been engineered to hold up to 10 pounds of weight, so your weapon will not fall out during an attack and disarm you.
Style
The word “concealed carry” has two parts – you have your gun ready to use when you need it, and it’s hidden from view until you’re ready to draw it. This is an essential consideration for people who carry as part of their jobs, such as police detectives, security guards, and entrepreneurs in dangerous countries where they might be attacked. The right shirt for concealed carry must fit in with how you dress, not stand out like a sore thumb. That’s why looser clothing is better, especially if you carry on your pants’ waistband (OWB or IWB). A roomy shirt doesn’t need to be billowing or baggy, but it should have some extra space to help conceal the gun and holster. Sweatshirts and hoodies are good choices, but they add too much bulk for some men and look too much like urban camouflage to be useful in many situations. Some people also carry inside the waistband with a belt and have to wear a larger size of pants to accommodate the extra bulk of the gun and holster.
