As a woman concerned with self-defense, one may consider carrying a firearm. But, finding the right purse that is both discreet and stylish can be difficult.
Featured Image via Gun Tote’n Mamas
The wrong purse can not only give you away, but it can also make drawing the gun difficult in an emergency situation. And furthermore who the heck wants to carry around an ugly handbag?
A concealed carry purse for women or CCW purse for women is a great way to keep your firearm close at hand while still maintaining a sense of style. A lot of women struggle with finding the perfect purse that can do both, but with the right concealed carry purse, you can have the best of both worlds.
On Women Carrying Firearms
Since the early days of America, women have been carrying concealed firearms for self-defense.
In colonial times, women carried pistols in their skirts to protect themselves from danger. In the 1800s, after men started carrying firearms on the battlefield, women began to carry them as well in order to defend their homes while their husbands were away. And even today, in a world where crime is on the rise, more and more women are choosing to carry concealed firearms for personal protection.
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Concealed carry purses are a modern take on this longstanding tradition of female self-defense. And today there are a number of brands that make high-quality, stylish, and functional concealed carry purses for women.
5 Quick Tips on Choosing the Best Concealed Carry Purse for You
When selecting a concealed carry purse, there are a few important factors to consider. Here are 5 tips on choosing the best-concealed carry purse for you:
1. Choose a concealed carry purse with a dedicated gun pocket.
This pocket should keep your gun separate from your wallet, keys, hairbrush, and whatever else you carry while you’re out and about. You may also choose a concealed carry purse with a zipper or some other type of closure to keep the gun secure from falling out. At the same time, however, the gun pocket should also be easily accessible so that you can draw your firearm quickly in an emergency situation.
2. Choose a CCW bag with a good amount of other pockets.
Reading the reviews of some of the top-rated bags, you’ll find many women are thrilled with concealed carry purses with lots of compartments. A concealed carry bag with ample compartments allows you to keep all of your items organized (away from your firearm of course). Just as you don’t want to be rummaging through your purse for your firearm, you don’t want to be rummaging through your purse for your lipstick either.
3. Make sure the concealed carry pocket is the right size for your gun.
If it’s too small, the gun may not fit snugly and could fall out. If it’s too large, the gun could get lost in the purse and be difficult to find in a hurry. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that your gun fits snugly in a ready position so that you can draw it quickly and easily.
4. Make sure the strap is good quality and comfortable.
Carrying a Glock, for example, in your purse will no doubt make your handbag considerably heavier than without a Glock. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure that the strap is made of good quality materials that won’t wear easily with the weight and that it’s comfortable to wear over your shoulder.
5. Find a purse that suits your personal style and body frame.
You will certainly feel empowered carrying your CC purse knowing you’re packing — would it be nice to feel stylish too? After all, you’ll be carrying it around with you everywhere you go, so it might as well be a purse you love. These days there are all sorts of styles and designs to choose from giving you lots of options to find a purse that’s both fashionable and functional.
Additionally, when selecting a purse, you’ll want to make sure that it’s the right size for your body frame. A large tote bag might look stylish, but if you’re petite, it could overwhelm your frame and be difficult to carry.
Conceal Carry Purse Brands on Amazon
Order with Amazon Prime one of these CCW purses that you can shop on Amazon.
1. Gun Tote’n Mamas | Shop These Bags on Amazon
Since launching in 2009 Gun Tote’n Mamas or GTM has been a champion of women’s protection. GTM is one of the leading concealed carry purse brands creating high-quality products, that can be used for safely carrying all kinds of self-defense tools, beyond guns.
GTM professes that every one of their products have been tested, tried, and true by Instructors from facilities training CSI, FBI and Navy Seals to consumers like yourself. Every detail is considered. That’s why, a decade later, GTM remains one of the most popular concealed carry handbag brands on the market.
2. Jessie & James | Shop These Bags on Amazon
Founder James and his wife Jessie set out to create a concealed carry handbag to empower the everyday woman with a tool for self-defense. The brand is inspired by the American Western folklore tale of bandit Jesse James, who was infamously represented as an outlaw “for the people.”
From Crossbody backpacks to chic structured satchels, we love the stylish concealed carry purse options carried by this brand. The Dina Concealed Carry Lock Satchel, for example, is a perfect way to conceal your weapon elegantly. This beautiful faux leather bag is great for everyday use and can hold everything you need comfortably. Additionally, you can shop many Jessie & James concealed carry purses on Amazon.
3. Lady Conceal | Shop These Bags on Amazon
Pretty on the outside and powerful on the inside, Lady Conceal handbags are designed to conceal and protect. The brand offers a variety of concealed carry purses in different styles, colors, and designs to fit any woman’s needs and personal style.
Lady Conceal leather handbags are made of 100% oil-rich full-grain cowhide leather or premium faux leather. This superior leather is unique and has its own natural variations in grain and shading. Over time, the natural oils in the leather will develop a stunning patina unique to your bag. The texture and scent of these genuine leather bags is unlike any other!
4. Montana West | Shop These Bags on Amazon
The Montana west collection combines the best of western elements with modern design. If you can appreciate a unique luxury purse design with a cowgirl flair made from premium materials, this may just be the CCW handbag brand for you. Their quality fabrics, trims, hardware, and the pricepoint are unmatched.
My favorite CCW purse from their collection is the Concealed Carry Hobo Style Purse. This bag is roomy enough for all of your everyday items with multiple pockets and compartments to keep you organized on the go. The tassel detailing on the side gives this bag a touch of western flair.
5. Browning | Shop These Bags on Amazon
Based in Morgan, Utah, Browing is a company with deep western roots that offers a broad swath of products for the outdoors person — including the gun-toting woman! The company’s line of concealed carry purses is both stylish and functional with a variety of designs, colors, and styles to choose from.
The Browning Miranda Concealed Carry Handbag is one of my favorites from the collection. The Miranda handbag is a refined, medium-sized tote with sophisticated details. This bag is designed for the woman on the go with plenty of compartments and pockets to keep you organized. It’s also designed to be worn in a variety of ways.
6. Bulldog Cases | Shop These Bags on Amazon
With a wide range of nylon and leather goods to meet your specific demands, each Bulldog item is built from the highest-quality handpicked components. For decades, the Bulldog Cases company has been at the forefront of weapon-carrying and storage innovation.
This is a brand that prioritizes quality and affordability in every product they design and manufacture so that the items last and are accessible to everyone. Additionally, outstanding customer service is something that sets Bulldog Cases apart from other businesses in their field.
Looks Like Luxury, Very Stylish CCW Bags
For gun-toting gals that want the best quality materials and stylishly chic designs.
7. Kinsey Rhea
Founded in Allen, Texas by mother-daughter duo, Diana Kinsey and Ashley Malfitano, Kinsey Rhea makes high-quality handbags and tactical gear designed for and by women. This brand is committed to providing women solutions that help them feel stylish, organize their busy lives, and empower them to feel safe in all situations.
Kinsey Rhea makes bags for women who stand up for what they believe in, and lift up those around them. Their customers are strong, independent mothers, wives, daughters, aunts and friends who value patriotism, freedom, and hard work. Kinsey Rhea supports all women in their ability to protect themselves and those they love.
8. Zendira
Proudly woman-owned and led, Zendira creates some of the most beautiful, luxurious, and thoroughly modern concealed carry handbags in the world. A Zendira handbag is the perfect carry-all solution for every woman and each bag has been designed to meet the needs of the modern concealed carrier.
If a Michael Kors or Prada luxury handbag suit your fancy, you just may appreciate Zendiras popular Monday purse in stiletto leather. This chic bestseller does sell out, but now you can get the Stiletto Leather Zendira Monday purse delivered in less than a week.
9. Haute Southern Hyde
If you want a cute and stylish carry purse, look no further than Haute Southern Hyde. Established in 2020 by a Homeschooling Mama with an itch for Western Fashion, Haute Southern Hyde has one goal and that is to make every customer feel like a million bucks!
Amongst all of the CCW handbags I’ve seen, Haute Southern Hyde definitely has some of the cutest bags. Additionally, many of their items are made from genuine leather and cowhide materials with craftsmanship that is sure to last.
10. Beau + Arrow
What began as a passion project for the founders turned into a full-time business and today when the founders recognized that there are core traits that appeal to all women. “Women appreciate beautiful aesthetics, clean lines, solid materials and quality when they see it whether it’s in their handgun or their handbag” and Beau + Arrow was founded to deliver just that.
Having worked in New York and Los Angeles with such established lifestyle and luxury fashion houses as Quiksilver, Roxy, Diane Von Furstenberg, Ralph Lauren and Nicole Miller, the founders of Beau + Arrow understand fashion.
11. Sew Happy
Based in Powell, Tennessee, Sew Happy is a small woman-owned brand that customizes embroidered conceal carry handbags and sells them on Etsy.
Sew Happy customers certainly seem very happy with their purchases, one customer sharing in a review “I received my bag last week and I absolutely LOVE it! It is so much better than what I expected! It is super easy to carry my gun in and still have room in the main compartment for all the rest of my things!”
More Awesome CCW Handbag Options For Gun Toting Gals Who Mean Business
The following brands also create some pretty awesome concealed carry handbags that are definitely worth checking out!
12. Hiding Hilda
Born out of the want of style and the need for protection, Hiding Hilda has one heck of an origin story. A stalking ordeal beginning in October of 2006, would be the catalyst for the creation of the brand. Hilda was the name of the founder’s first gun — helping her take control of her safety and my life after the stalking experience.
Today, Hilda stands for more than just a gun, but the empowerment of women everywhere. The brand’s concealed carry purses are both stylish and functional with some of them offering features like RFID protection pockets to keep your information safe from electronic pickpocketing.
13. Tactica
Encouraging women to “dress to protect”, Tactica Fashion is a Post Falls, Idaho-based company that designs and creates some of the best concealed carry purses with contemporary style and function. The brand’s line of concealed carry purses includes totes and crossbody bags in a variety of colors and designs.
You can also shop holsters, self-defense tools, and clothing like a concealed carry corset, jackets, and even leggings specifically designed for concealed carry on the Tactica website.
14. The Well Armed Woman
As an empowered, independent woman seeking to protect the life God granted her, TWAW was created by the brand’s founder with you in mind. You can shop for a variety of top-quality concealed carry purses on the TWAW website.
Among my personal favorite CCW bag on the site is the White Croc Handbag. This bag is the perfect mixture of sophistication and functionality with safety being the top priority in designing this Croc Handbag! Accented with gold-plated hardware, the interior is spacious for all of your everyday items.
15. Mama Bears Concealed Carry
Gun Totin’ Mamas is a wife and husband-owned and operated business that designs and manufactures top-quality concealed carry purses and handbags. Whether it’s their gun, knife, stun gun, pepper spray, or panic alarm, the owners set out to offer bags to make the gun-toting mamas feel just a little better about protecting themselves or their loved ones.
If you’re looking for a smaller concealed carry purse that’s perfect for an elegant evening out, I adore their Bella bag. This stunner has a two-sided concealed carry pocket is located on the front of the bag and is enclosed with a heavy gauge zipper. It also comes in orange, peach, black and dark chestnut.
16. GunGoddess
“I like guns. But I’ll freely admit that I also like anything colorful and sparkly – and I don’t see why the two can’t go together” admits the founder of GunGoddess.com. This website offers a fun and girly selection of concealed carry purses and accessories, additionally, they offer customizing of many of their products as well.
Conceal and carry in style with their huge selection of genuine and imitation (vegan) leather gun purses to suit all budgets. Whether you like your carry purse classic and traditional or edgy and fun, you’re bound to find one here that will suit your style!
17. Gun Handbags
In business since 2013, GunHandbags.com is another woman-owned brand providing stylish and functional concealed carry bags for women. On their website, you will also find accessory items like matching wallets, briefcases, laptop bags, holsters, range bags, and much more.
With the motto of “look good, stay safe” gunhandbags.com promises both style AND function with each and every one of their products.
Best CCW Purses & Handbags — Takeaway
There are so many reasons why a woman may choose to carry a concealed weapon and an equal number of ways to do so. The important thing is to find the method of carry (and purse!) that works best for you and your lifestyle.
If you’re in the market for a new concealed carry purse, I hope this list has given you some options to consider. Do you have a favorite concealed carry purse not featured here? Share it with us in the comments below!