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Thread: Suit Carry

  1. #11
    Member TGS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocGKR View Post
    Not tuckable.

    I wear the holster at 1 o'clock.

    When sitting, it is easy to unbutton the jacket while ensuring the right side of the jacket front remains lying over the pistol.
    What about when the wind blows hard and lifts up the flappy corner of the jacket front? If youre only doing your top button, then it would surely reveal your gun, no?
    "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer

  2. #12
    Men's Warehouse has been great with me. I have two "Suit Uniforms" from working a Federal contract protection detail where the whole Secret Service look was required. The belt loops were made wide enough for a thick real gun belt and strengthened. The coats were tailored around the gun.
    I recently bought a Tux. It was tailored around a P2000SK in an Alessi Bodyguard shoulder holster with two spare P30 mags. This will also work with a S&W 2" Model 12 carried AIWB under the cummerbund with a Model 37 on the ankle if I want a set up where I can take the coat off. I have also used messenger type bags when working protective details that will hold an amazing amount of support gear and do not look out of place in today's office environments.......although I never seem to blend in to those environments and look like "the bodyguard". It is why I prefer to dress like the landscape contractor when I can to better fit in.
    Just a Hairy Special Snowflake supply clerk with no field experience, shooting an Asymetric carbine as a Try Hard. Snarky and easily butt hurt. Favorite animal is the Cape Buffalo....likely indicative of a personality disorder.
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  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by nyeti View Post
    Men's Warehouse has been great with me. I have two "Suit Uniforms" from working a Federal contract protection detail where the whole Secret Service look was required. The belt loops were made wide enough for a thick real gun belt and strengthened. The coats were tailored around the gun.
    I recently bought a Tux. It was tailored around a P2000SK in an Alessi Bodyguard shoulder holster with two spare P30 mags. This will also work with a S&W 2" Model 12 carried AIWB under the cummerbund with a Model 37 on the ankle if I want a set up where I can take the coat off. I have also used messenger type bags when working protective details that will hold an amazing amount of support gear and do not look out of place in today's office environments.......although I never seem to blend in to those environments and look like "the bodyguard". It is why I prefer to dress like the landscape contractor when I can to better fit in.
    Did you encounter a problem with the regular belt loops?

    All of my pants seem to fit a horsehide 1.25" double-thick belt a-ok.
    "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer

  4. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by ScotchMan View Post
    How do ya'll carry when wearing a suit? This is one thing I have never really come up with a good answer for. My current answer is a J-frame in my pocket, but it doesn't fit super well, is difficult to draw due to the cut of the pockets, and has all the negatives associated with a J-frame. I would normally say it didn't conceal well enough, but with a jacket it's tough to see, so I've been getting by. It's not super comfortable either. I attended an outdoor wedding in 80+ degree NC this summer, and actually ditched the J-frame in the car halfway through (not my proudest moment).

    I normally appendix carry a G19, but none of my tailored suits/tuxedo will fit it. And I don't yet have the kind of relationship with my tailor where I might ask to have my pants 2" larger to accommodate a firearm. Not to mention that I would have a tucked-in shirt and don't feel great about the exposed clip on tuck-supported holsters. I could move back to 4:30 so the jacket covers it I suppose, but that position conceals poorly for me. And I would need to buy a black leather gun belt that looked dressy enough to expose to the world, an additional expense.

    Every time I suit up, I mentally chastise myself for still having not ordered a shoulder holster of some kind. I have no experience with them, and that is likely the only time I'd use one. I would probably dig the Walther PPS out of the safe for that, but having no experience I don't know what reasonably conceals well. Seems awfully James Bond too.

    Then there's the ankle holster. Would still probably roll with the J then, but maybe I could manage a G26/P2000sk type thing. Also no experience there, familiar with the multitude of downsides.

    So what do you all do? On paper I think shoulder holster with a subcompact and/or single stack is my best shot, but I have doubts. For reference I am 6'5" and almost back down to 200lbs.
    Can you give me an idea of what kind of suits you wear? Bespoke, MTM, or off the rack? I'd like some brand names as I'm familiar with most of the major brands and how they fit. How often are you in suiting?

  5. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by SouthNarc View Post
    Can you give me an idea of what kind of suits you wear? Bespoke, MTM, or off the rack? I'd like some brand names as I'm familiar with most of the major brands and how they fit. How often are you in suiting?
    All off the rack, and then tailored. My build generally requires very large sizes in order to get long enough sleeves, and then to be taken in greatly to actually fit me. I'm 6'5" so finding sleeves long enough is a challenge as most can only be let out an inch or less. As for brands, my tux is Calvin Klein, I have a couple Joseph Abboud (now owned by Mens' Wearhouse), these are half-canvassed, and one that I can't recall the brand of, cheap fused.

    There will be a three piece Brooks' Brothers full-canvas purchase in the mid-near future. I suit up quarterly, or so. Hence why this is still a dilemma 5 years into my becoming a responsible citizen.
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  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by ScotchMan View Post
    All off the rack, and then tailored. My build generally requires very large sizes in order to get long enough sleeves, and then to be taken in greatly to actually fit me. I'm 6'5" so finding sleeves long enough is a challenge as most can only be let out an inch or less. As for brands, my tux is Calvin Klein, I have a couple Joseph Abboud (now owned by Mens' Wearhouse), these are half-canvassed, and one that I can't recall the brand of, cheap fused.

    There will be a three piece Brooks' Brothers full-canvas purchase in the mid-near future. I suit up quarterly, or so. Hence why this is still a dilemma 5 years into my becoming a responsible citizen.
    So you have the waist suppressed? Or is there other tailoring involved? What's your drop? 7-8?

    Abboud generally has pretty aggressive waist suppression and would be on the slim side.

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by SouthNarc View Post
    So you have the waist suppressed? Or is there other tailoring involved? What's your drop? 7-8?

    Abboud generally has pretty aggressive waist suppression and would be on the slim side.
    I may be in a little over my head here on the formal wear talk. Not sure what waist suppressed means. Usually they don't need to do much with the pants other than make them a touch longer. They do take them in a little sometimes in the waist. I don't know what drop is.

    They are slim fit suits I recall now that you mention it.

    Is this what it feels like when new gun owners come and we are talking about bore axis and length of pull?
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  8. #18
    Site Supporter DocGKR's Avatar
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    Guys---work with your tailors; they do this stuff all the time for cops, DA's, judges, Federal agents, PI's, citizens with CCW's, etc...

    If you want the bottom button undone look, have your tailor fabricate a hidden fastener to keep the jacket from blowing open while still looking stylishly "unbuttoned" or just keep it buttoned.
    Facts matter...Feelings Can Lie

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by TGS View Post
    I think you might be surprised to find that tailoring for firearms is more routine, normal business than you think. I just bought a couple suits from Jos A Banks and they had such options listed, and said they do it all the time. They even suggested that I wear my gun in, to measure while actually carrying.
    This^

    I've had a number of suits/sport coats fitted while wearing my carry rig.

  10. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by ScotchMan View Post
    I may be in a little over my head here on the formal wear talk. Not sure what waist suppressed means. Usually they don't need to do much with the pants other than make them a touch longer. They do take them in a little sometimes in the waist. I don't know what drop is.

    They are slim fit suits I recall now that you mention it.

    Is this what it feels like when new gun owners come and we are talking about bore axis and length of pull?
    No big deal! Drop refers to the number in inches difference between waist and chest So a drop "7" would mean that a 40 jacket would have matching trousers that have a 33" waist. The drop number is a pretty good general indicator of how fitted an off the rack brand is. And this gives me an idea of how fitted you are wearing your suits.

    Most Amercian men wear a drop 6 hence the old phrase the American "Sack" suit. Good Brit or continental tailoring usually starts at a 7 unless you have you're thick around the middle.

    I would do this for right now: Get a good inside the waistband strong side hip holster in a minimalist configuration like the TT Gunleather Mke's Special and try it with your suiting. The worst case is that it doesn't work and you still have a fine holster. The Mike's Special has some extra cant and might very well do the trick.

    If you are going to be taking the jacket off and walking around then it's belly band time and that may very well require some trouser and shirting adjustment.

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