Elegant & Armed

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How To Make Peplums Work For You - Concealed Carry

I originally planned to use these photos in my review of the Springfield Armory Hellcat, but this top was too similar to another one in the post, so I decided to save these pics for today!

Did you know I’ve been reviewing firearms? In addition to the Hellcat, I’ve also written about the Sig P365, and Glock 43. Part of my evaluation includes how well a gun conceals with various clothing styles, and the pics above show my favorite look from the recent review. Wouldn’t this outfit be cute for dinner with the girls or date night?

I bought this top with the understanding that peplums are great for concealed carry. Plus, this one was so pretty and feminine! However, when I styled the outfit the holster created an unattractive bulge under the smocked part of the shirt. What in the world?! If I had paid a little more attention to detail, I could have anticipated this. Lesson learned: not all peplums are made the same, people!

you want the gun and ruffle to line up.

Whether you’re buying online or even in a store, it’s good to understand your body type and pay attention to the details of the shirt.

Ask yourself, where does the ruffle start? Some might initiate by your natural waist while others start more towards your hips. Pay attention to the length of the ruffle and is the top is fitted or loose. It may be easier to conceal with a longer ruffle but even a short one can be effective when lined up properly.

Next, think about the holster you want to use and where on your body the gun would be placed. If the two don’t line up, you can either pick a different blouse or change the holster.

For this outfit, it was a simple fix. I ended up switching the kydex holster out for a belly band that sat lower on my hips and compressed the gun to my body. Then I was ready to go!

This top is currently sold out, but I found some pretty peplums I thought you’d like!

sHOP pEPLUMS

Similar to mine | White Polka Dots | Micro-pleat Peplum | Off the shoulder Pink | Off the Shoulder Floral Top

I’ve been getting requests for plus-size options, so I was thrilled to find this off the shoulder floral top that comes in sizes 1X-5X. Since the sash is removable, you get to decide how long to make your peplum ruffle. The material is also somewhat stiff, which I think will help avoid “printing” or showing an outline of the gun.

Chime-In!

Do you have a favorite out of the peplums I linked?

Let me know which ones you like in the comments below!