The Second Amendment Wears Lipstick
One of America’s most controversial and powerful forces dips their bullet shaped toes into the fashion world.
Often in the fashion world, we tend to associate New York City with fashion week, America’s fashion capital, or the countless designers and artists that have emerged out of the city over the past century. But as the Lady’s Mile was just beginning to take shape, before Lord & Taylor was ever a conceived, million dollar idea, a different pillar of America arose. Out of the victorious Union ashes of the Civil War came the National Rifle Association, better known as the NRA. According to the NRA’s official website, they were established from a charter given by the State of New York in 1871, first located in Staten Island before being pushed upstate due to political opposition. The main goal during the NRA’s humble beginnings was “in promoting the shooting sports of America’s youth,” quoted from their Brief History of the NRA tab. Their brief history happens to omit one of the more fascinating facets of their deeply controversial past, present, and future; The Inaugural Concealed Carry Fashion Show.
Whether you love or hate the NRA, there is a potential for real, down to God’s green earth camp in the concept alone. The way the NRA funds every blue and red political candidate to keep school shootings alive, you’d think they could hire a couturier. Or at least show some fur and pelts on the runway. According to coverage of last year’s runway posted by Channel 5 on Youtube, almost every outfit was a travesty, and lacking serious natural fibers. Most of the concealed carry designs consisted of Spanx-like girdles with a glorified glock pocket, which is how you shoot yourself in the leg, or the dick, for the man who unbuttoned his jeans to show the prop handgun pointed safely at his. The man’s toddler clung to his leg as he buttoned his jeans back up and the room applauded, naturally. The Wild and Uncut Podcast Ep. 32 host spoke with Amanda Suffecool at the 2022 show, in which she explained, “Women are all different heights and shapes, some women prefer modesty, some women not as much,” so she showcases an “inclusive” assortment of concealed carry designs for each year. One of the more interesting designs was a corset with ambidextrous handgun pockets to double shoot from, extra magazine pockets, and a knife pocket. The guns sit higher than the typical Spanx type appendix carry, and there's lacey details which adds a nicer touch. According to their audit filed with North Carolina’s Secretary of State, the NRA raised $213.5 million and seemingly spent none of it on their fashion show.
Needless to say, the NRA could do a lot of work to gain respect from the fashion community, and it might not be the worst idea. The main goal of the NRA is to keep Americans and American politicians interested in upholding the second amendment right, so it would make sense to host a fashion show targeted at women who are interested in self defense. If the second amendment now apparently wears lipstick, according to Suffecool herself, then you would hope the fashion show would reflect this empowerment. Fitted blazers emulating classic female spies, with small double shooter pockets on either side, leather boots with the back of your pistol peeking out the top. The issue is in the designs and models representing everything white women are afraid to turn into, leathery skinned, with a bad tan and questionable morals surrounding the ‘Stand Your Ground Law’.
