EDC Holster or Carry Other Method for the Shirt & Tie/Suit Crowd

If you have the money, leather holsters and pouches are definitely acceptable for suit-and-tie attire, in my opinion. Although that will vary somewhat - in the US West and South-West, leather accessories are more likely to be better received than, say, in the North/North East. The Western cultural theme with cowboy roots is more accepting of an elegantly tooled leather belt pouch(es).

I don't know that I'd go Batman in leather, mind you. Discrete dark black nylon works reasonably well also, considering how many people sport smartphone belt carriers.

What are you planning on carrying?

How much weight?

Exactly.... I carry my wallet, folding knife, phone, .380 and extra mag, and keys all in my pockets... My leatherman,flashlight, and headphones go in my messenger bag or backpack.

There was a post recently on IWB EDC carry. For most folks this would work fine for a light EDC load. My pockets could easily fit mostly IWB. (Spidy, and skeletool are the biggest items I carry.) Most folks carry a bulkier keyring than mine, and mine has a Fenix AAA light, Lighter, P38 and dog tag on it (plus my car keys with a MicroSD reader). My wallet is similarly small, and will be smaller with the HuMn mini I should be receiving this week. The only other thing I carry is a business card holder and blackberry.

There are a few In The Pocket organizers available to flatten out the MT and Flashlight keeping them smaller than the average wallet.

If you have the opportunity, a kit can be made to fit in your Briefcase for stuff you don't need ready access to. Tom Bihn makes a bag that is the same size as a laptop bag that is basically an admin panel. There is another one called "Grid-It" IIRC that is similar but in more sizes.

Get a Smartcarry holster. I have the one with the pocket behind the holster so I can carry a pistol, extra mag and other stuff behind the gun. I carry my knife in my pocket with the clip. Not the fastest draw, but better than nothing. Pleated dress trousers work really well. Another idea for deep concealment is a cell pal holster. I use a Nite Ize case with that for my droid.

IWB your larger items using a Remora single magazine pouch....

You can put a knife, or MT in there instead of a magazine. Even a flashlight.

Get something like a Bill's Custom wallet for the other stuff and that can carry in your pocket.

My coat has six pockets, and the overcoat I wear in the winter can carry even more. If you like your coat, but it doesn't have many pockets, a tailor can sew in additional inside pockets.
If you carry a bag, no one has to know what's in it.
If you wear a coat and don't take it off then you can carry things IWB or OWB as well.
Even in slacks, I carry this pouch in my back left pocket without a problem (I refuse to buy pants that don't have a back left pocket). I'm thinking of something similar for my back right pocket, since my wallet there takes up so little space.
I've also seen back pocket holsters for small pistols.
Some slacks have a handy coin pocket sewn inside the right front pocket, and using it reduces perceived bulk (holds my knife against my leg, rather than pushing out against the visible fabric). You could have something similar sewn in the left front pocket as well.
Your pants and coat pockets would have to bulge quite a bit before anyone would notice or say anything.
I heard of someone who got a belt pouch made to hold a pair of glasses - no one gave it a second glance, and no one ever knew it held a knife.
And the leather belt pouch that looks like a cell phone holster won't draw any attention.

If you list the items you carry we can offer more specific solutions.

I wear a suit to lecture; EDC supplies but nothing more dangerous than a knife. The Kershaw goes inside the belt/pant in the back, by the kidney. Suit jacket pockets contain thumb drive, pen/pencil, notebook, leather jotter, minimal wallet, flashlight (Preon01) and laser pointer/wireless presenter. And sometimes lip balm. Front breast pocket has silk kerchief, to look good and cuz you always need a cloth. Suit pants pocket has two danglers, one with office keys (incl. micro light and Gerber minitool) and other with car/house keys. IPhone on the belt in Otterbox, but I frequently take that off in front of the class to remind them that the phones are off for lecture out of courtesy. (Mine's on cuz the school might call about the kids getting sick). The brief case has a separate kit, but that's another post.


Semper Paratus, Semper Vigilans.

Trust me, Eric (Metroplicity), can make something that will make your suit look shabby. As for leather, in my state nothing other than a nice pair of cowboy boots is considered proper formal attire. Gotta love Idaho.

I have been using this for a number of years, it works well and does not look out of place at all.