Strapped, Still Sexy: Why Women Shouldn't Have to Choose Between Style and Safety

A serious article with a sense of humor. We promise to be funny about the handbag and serious about the gun.

Let me tell you about a bad-ass. We'll call her Kacie (not her real name, because she likes her privacy almost as much as she likes her handbag).

Kacie walked into our facility looking like she had some style. Great outfit. Great bag. We all figured it was an "I'm just here to pass some time" situation. Somebody may have even placed a bet.

Whoever bet on that lost money.

Kacie was not messing around. She was a quick learner, she shot great, and she asked all the right questions. Then, with about ten minutes left in class, she raised her hand with the burning question of the day:

"How can I carry and still be cute?"

Silence. The instructor had nothing.

Because here is the thing: it is a great question, and almost nobody has given women a good answer. When they go shopping for a way to carry, they keep running into the same two choices: ugly and tactical, or pretty and unsafe. Kacie wanted neither, and honestly, who can blame her?

So we gave her a real answer, and then we decided the whole idea deserved a name. We call it the SSS movement: Strapped, Still Sexy.

"Sexy" is not the opposite of "serious"

Let's clear something up. Sexy, in this context, does not mean reckless. It means a woman who has made a decision about her own safety and refuses to apologize for her taste while she does it.

A woman who takes a real class, learns the rules, practices, and carries responsibly is not less stylish for it. She is the most prepared person in the room, which is, frankly, a very good look.

The handbag problem (a love story)

Here is the part where we get honest, because it is where most women get hurt.

For years, the "purse carry" advice was a punchline: toss the gun in your bag next to the lipstick, the keys, and four mystery receipts. Do not do this. A loose firearm in a bag can end in a negligent discharge. It can be impossible to find in a hurry. It can be grabbed with the bag. And in a house with children, a bag left on a chair is a disaster waiting for a bad afternoon.

Style and safety only work together when the gear is built for the job. A good concealed-carry bag does the boring, important things quietly:

• A dedicated, separate compartment for the firearm, so nothing else touches it.

• A holster that holds the gun in place and covers the trigger, every time.

• A design that doesn't print. If the bag shows the shape of a pistol, it is not doing its job.

• Strong, anti-theft construction, because a bag that can be snatched is a bag that can lose your gun.

• A comfortable draw for your dominant hand, practiced until you do not have to think.

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Companies like Gun Tote'n Mamas (GTM Originals) exist because women asked for exactly this: concealed-carry bags made by women, for women, in real handbag shapes (totes, crossbodies, clutches, slings), with built-in holsters and features like slash-resistant straps. We have not worked with them yet. We would love to. More on that below.

The honest truth about off-body carry

We would be bad teachers if we only told you the fun part.

Carrying in a purse is called off-body carry, and it comes with trade-offs. The gun is not on you. If you set the bag down, hand it to someone, or leave it in a shopping cart, the gun is no longer under your control. Many instructors prefer on-body carry, such as a belt holster, a belly band, or a shapewear holster, for exactly that reason.

The right answer is different for every woman. It depends on your clothes, your body, your job, your home, and your habits. That is not a question for a blog post. It is a question for a live instructor, with your actual handgun in your actual hands.

Florida, in one honest paragraph

Florida law on carrying has changed in recent years, and the details matter, including where you can and cannot carry. Take a real class and talk to a Florida attorney about your specific situation. We teach safe handling and the practical side. We are not lawyers, and nothing here is legal advice. Always consult an attorney.

Why we are writing this

Women are one of the fastest-growing groups of new gun owners and new students at Top Shot. Many arrive nervous. A lot of them have been told, one way or another, that this world is not built for them.

We think that is changing, and we want to help. That is why we teach in small groups, run couples and women's classes, and offer private and in-home lessons. Nobody gets judged for being new. Nobody has to know a single thing on day one.

A couple things for Gun Tote'n Mamas

1. Your bags. You already build concealed-carry bags in real handbag shapes (totes, crossbodies, clutches, slings) with the safe stuff built in. Thank you for that. We will order a few samples soon to test and show live in class. 

2. Here is the part Kacie's question really exposed: plenty of women already have a beautiful designer bag—the gloriously overpriced kind—and they are not about to retire it. They want a safe way to carry in that bag. A properly built holster insert, a dedicated compartment, something that keeps the gun secure, covers the trigger, and does not wreck the lining. Ideas? We know that you bring the style!

And Kacie?

She says to tell you the bag is still a work in progress but the class made her feel capable!

Learn first. Shoot second. Look great doing it.

Ready to start? Text Top Shot Firearms Academy at (305) 791-4249 and we will help you pick the right class. Top Shot Firearms Academy & Gun Club, 16300 SW 137 Ave, Suite 130, Miami, FL 33177.

This article is for education and entertainment only. It is not legal advice. Always consult an attorney. Last reviewed: October 18, 2026.