Clothing: My Organized Approach

Clothing

Clothing is a basic need, but moving from a sometimes-cold climate in People’s Republic of New Jersey (PRNJ) to the mild to hot climate of South Carolina has caused me to reevaluate my wardrobe.  I might as well make it more “prepperish” while I am at it.  I’ve always been something of a “gray man” dresser, not a mall Ninja, so to turn over my wardrobe, I don’t need a 5.11 catalog.  What I do need is a more climate friendly set of clothes.

To prep, these clothes need backups and should be friendly for physical labor, outdoor activities, etc. but not make me look like an anything other than what I am, a very average looking retired senior citizen.

I need pants that are casual and have decent sized pockets to pocket carry in the summer months and shirts with collars.  I have rarely worn T-shirts in the past.  If I suddenly started wearing T-shirts, everyone I know would notice.  I also need hats.  I am very fair skinned and there is nothing more painful than a bad sunburn on a bald head.

All of my New York banker suits can largely be packed, with luck permanently.

Pants

Having never had the opportunity to legally Concealed Carry in PRNJ, but now being in a Shall Issue state, I need to consider how I wish to carry in my choice of clothes.  My first problem is a lifetime of habit of wearing shirts tucked in.  This gives me a choice of either changing my habits or finding an alternative to typical waistband carry options.

I took a look at some choices like belly bands and found them workable, but not appealing.  I then found a small company called CCW Breakaways.  (Ccwbreakaways.com)  The basic idea is to make pocket carry work by designing the pants around the issues with pocket carry.

For folks who pocket carry, there are two problems.  The first is a problem called “monkey fist”.  You reach in your pocket, grip the weapon, and find you can’t get your hand out of your pocket without tearing your pants.  The other problem is pockets aren’t really designed for firearms.  As a result, larger handguns don’t really work and you are restricted to really small handguns, e.g. .380 or similar guns.

CCW Breakaways make two modifications to address these problems.  First the pockets are huge and holster shaped.  You could drop a very large handgun into your pocket and it would not be noticed.  Second, the top of the pocket is held in place with a couple of well-hidden snaps, so the top of the pocket can “break away” during a hurried, vigorous, draw.

I decided to try this concept and ordered a pair of jeans to try this concept out.  What I received was a traditional looking pair of jeans without any logos or identifying brand marks.  The front pockets were huge and seemed to have larger openings than a typical pair of Levis or mainstream jeans, but nothing attention getting.  The pockets are huge inside.  Then I noticed the breakaway feature.  The snaps at the top are well hidden beneath the waistband.  The pants are in no way attention getting and look quite ordinary.  You could drop a full size duty pistol in a front pocket and not be noticed.

I’ve worn these through a couple wash cycles at this point and they seem like an ordinary set of jeans to anyone else.  I have received no comments on them whatsoever.  The company also produces khakis and other casual pants.  I believe these will be my pants of choice.  A good leather belt is not out of place with these pants.

Shirts

My shirts have always been button down dress shirts, but the solid white Brooks Brothers type shirts I wore for working in New York seem a bit heavy for the climate.  I have a number of golf shirts, often with scuba themed logos instead of little alligators and polo ponies.  I’ll probably get more use out of these as I try to stay cool in the summers.  I am looking for more golf shirts, which seem great for the climate and my now retired lifestyle.  I hope to find some that can be worn tucked or untucked, to see reactions.

While considering shirts, I read that the government was worried about the Boogaloo movement being a real thing, some sort of right wing conspiracy group.  Since it is unlikely that any remotely clandestine group would choose a uniform of Hawaiian shirts, I find this funny.  Yes, I have a twisted sense of humor, so I am on the lookout for Hawaiian shirts.  These have the advantage of also being collared and typically are worn untucked.  The government can have fun monitoring me as my main activity at my age is afternoon naps. 

Okay, Hawaiian shirts are not exactly “gray man” wear, but it is fun to think about. 

Putting the “gray” in gray man! 

Jackets

During the winter I no longer need the heavy coats I needed in PRNJ, but it does rain and it gets cool enough to require something.  So far, a fleece lined waterproof jacket from any one of a bunch of manufacturers seems to be perfect for the climate.  I can see picking up a few more of these in various colors.  This sort of jacket is useful a good six months out of 12 each year.  A camo jacket for hunting may also be desirable.

Hats

There are serious disadvantages to being an old bald guy, like sun burn.     A typical baseball cap solves the problem, assuming I can get in the habit of putting one on as I go out the door.  Unfortunately, my stash of baseball caps acquired on scuba trips over the years is pretty beat and salt encrusted.  A few new hats are in order.  I’ll probably pick up a few varied hats over the next few months.

I need something with innocuous logos to stick to my “gray man” approach.  My favorite hat, which is aging, says “Old Guys Rule” across the front.  That’s perfect for a senior citizen,    It draws about one comment a year when someone actually reads what it says.  That is close enough for gray man wear.

Boots

There really isn’t much difference in footwear between PRNJ and my new home, though my bankerish dress shoes will probably see less wear.  My casual walking shoes and boots are fine, but will probably see more use and turnover.

Gloves

In PRNJ I needed warm gloves in the winter, but here not so much.  Fortunately, I was in the habit of wearing glove liners under my gloves.  The glove liners are perfect for what passes for cold weather here, are light weight, and provide some hand protection when required.  Furthermore, they are cheap!  I put them in jacket pockets, Bug Out Bags, etc.

Clothing Summary

While clothing is one of my prepper categories, my move is going to require clothing changes due to climate, change to a more casual retired lifestyle, and concealed carry, more than anything to do with prepping.  I can put away my suits and heavy winter clothes.  I believe this would be necessary whether I was a prepper or not.  In addition, my retiree wardrobe will lend itself to prepper situations better than my former suit and tie wardrobe.

In Dystopia, I’ll be the guy in a funny baseball cap, a Hawaiian shirt, and jeans.