Guns: Two Approaches for Women's CCW

For female shooters that carry a concealed weapon for self-defense, there are two ways to hide a firearm in everyday clothing:

Option #1 - Get a variety of holsters and guns, enough so that you can adapt to almost any outfit save a bikini.

To demonstrate, here's a video posted by a woman named "The Traveler" (she has a blog that details how she lives on the road) describing pretty much every CCW method I can think of (ankle, thigh, belly band, shoulder, IWB/OWB, pocket), and in the process showing how to finagle a Ruger LCR onto your person without compromising your wardrobe or carrying off-body:


(The Traveler also did an interview with Gunholsters.com - well worth a look).

Option #2 - Change your entire wardrobe around the gun

This is Tam's approach - forget wearing skintight jeans and skintight shirts, get a good solid IWB rig, a compact-to-fullsize autoloader or revolver, and just deal with it. You won't be fashionable, but fashion won't matter if you're facing down a pack of criminals, a school shooter, or a terrorist - 8+1 rounds of .45 ACP will.

Which is better?

Well, I'm not really qualified to answer, since I have a Y chromosome (guys have it so much easier - I can pocket carry a 642 in dress slacks). I would argue, though, that neither is "better" or "worse." The first rule of a gunfight is to bring a gun; both approaches satisfy that prime directive.