I’m often asked why I make such poor footwear choices at the range. Men seem especially confused when they see me shooting in high heels or dresses. They seem to think I should be decked out in mossy oak camo with my feet shod in military style combat boots. While this might make sense, especially for those concerned about the burns from casings, I wear what I wear. I shoot in a dress, in high heels, in a ponytail, with my hair down, in skinny jeans or in yoga pants. I just shoot in anything I happen to be wearing that day because . . .
I want to be an effective shooter no matter what I wear.
Women are fortunate to have a farrago of clothing and shoe options available to us. Like a lot of women I never know what exactly I’ll be wearing on any given day. But I do know that on any given day, I may have to shoot my gun in self defense. So I don’t change my clothing when I go to the range, no matter what I’m wearing. Ditto at home.
I live on ten acres; I have my own little handgun shooting range. I’ve woken up at 6 am, rolled out of bed in my pajamas, hair a mess, pulled on my UGG boots, gone outside and squeezed off a few rounds. And not just in the summer. I do random shoots in the winter too. I will sometimes just grab a handful of ammo, walk out of my house in what I’m in and practice with my concealed carry gun.
Obviously, immediate access to a shooting spot isn’t the norm. But the principle is simple, well-known and valid: train as you mean to fight. I highly recommend that both men and women wear the kinds of clothing and footwear during practice that they do in “everyday real life.” Armed Americans should be prepared to draw their gun on any day, in any season, wearing any outfit. This seems like a pretty good reason to shoot in high heels. If that’s the way you roll.