The holiday party at my new company is going to be a classy affair. I'm not used to that. The men will be wearing suits and ties. The women, real dresses. No jeans, no casual trousers.

That means I have to dust off the old funeral suit. If anyone has suggestions on how I can be equipped without looking equipped, I'd love to hear them.

I can't have anything hanging from my belt, either, except the usual accepted cellphone. My SureFire is out, as is my Leatherman. My wife bought a very nice new dress for the party, and she has told me how she wants me to look (yikes), which rules out most beltwear and most of my gear.

I get hives whenever I'm too far away from my stuff, so I'm practicing by leaving my SureFire in my coat pocket. There's no place for the Leatherman.

Is anyone else childishly annoyed by having to attend parties where you gotta dress the way you used to in church?

A small SAK and a Micra or Squirt should fit into a pocket of the dress suit. A metal case for cigarettes or cigarillos could provide room for some items of your regular kit and provides a pretext for carrying the lighter. A Photon or small Maglite could be attached to the key chain. I´m aware of the fact that this is much less than desireable but it´s better than nothing at all. If you´re lucky you could even extend the kit to your wife´s purse.
You could put a picture of your stuff into wallet to ease the signs of deprivation <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

You put a smile on my face, Max. Thank you.

My wife has agreed to put my pill case (I get migraines) in her purse. That helps.

As for the lighter, I never make excuses for it. If someone asks why I carry a lighter since I don't smoke, and I'm in polite company, I say it's great for lighting table candles that have blown out.

If the setting is more casual, I say I'm a pyromaniac while grinning maniacally. It works. <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I hear that if you down a few ephedrins, you can soak up a lot more alcohol before passing out.

I have also heard the same stories about drinking 1/2 cup of vegetable oil before drinking.

This IS what you mean my "equipped," right?

Depends on where & what you want to carry. I carry my cell just behind the point of my left hip. My SureFire 6P rides just aft of that in a Kydex carrier from BladeTech. The large lockblade goes into the right rear pocket, next to the bandana (carried as a handkerchief, & for formal occasions, it's a black one). SAK Classic always goes in R Front pocket, along w/change. Keys are in L Front (Photon II on the ring); wallet & comb in L Rear. This is how I went to church yesterday, in coat & tie.

At times, I've carried the SF 6P in a coat pocket (just be sure to balance it with something on the other side!). A smaller SureFire would be easier (one of the Executive series), but I don't have one.

Improvise, adapt, & overcome!

Happy Holidays!

David

try this thread on preparadness for the "Brooks Brothers Brigade"

lol. good work.

I have found that my Wave can be moved to my inside jacket pocket when placed next to my wallet. If this is a bit heavy, try placing it next to your wallet in your rear pocket. This works well if the pants aren't "too" loose in the rear. That problem may be increase exponentially as some people might not have enough rear as it is. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Seriously,

Just wear what you want and damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!! Actually, try getting a micra and photon. I at least have those on me for a formal occasion. They wont attract attention at all.

My wife always asks me for scissors or a knife when we go out for a formal, and most of he time I clip my milie to jacket pocket anyway,

Just my two cents

Garrett

I like that philosophy. You're the kinda guy I hang around at those kinds of parties.
-Luke

No, no, no. What you have to do is make something else MORE noticeable. Just show up wearing your normal EDC items, and NOTHING else, and I guarantee they will not even be seen. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

That's the LSU way.

.....CLIFF