"Covert fashion": Clothes made for concealed weapons

(CBS News) Fashion conscious gun owners now do not have to worry about their concealed weapon making their clothes look bulky. Nor do they have to wear oversized clothes.

Clothing brands, including Woolrich, are designing clothes for fashionable gun carriers.

Woolrich, a clothing company that specializes in outdoors wear, introduced "conceal carry garments" into its Elite Series Tactical collection in 2010 at the request of law enforcement officers and military personnel who wanted normal-looking clothing for undercover or off-duty work.

The line features a new chino pant that is sleek, but can still hide a handgun. In order to do so, the company added a second pocket behind the regular one for weapon. In addition, they also added a stretchable waistband to accommodate a gun holster.

Woolrich isn't the only company offering clothes for those packing heat. Under Armour and several clothing companies are getting in on the growing business.

According to the New York Times, the number of people with permits to carry concealed weapons has risen from five million in 2008 to seven million last year, mostly due to changes in state laws.

Before "covert fashion" existed, carriers of concealed weapons were limited to a more "tactical" or military look. Though, some still do prefer it that way.

"They should dress for the gun. Not for the fashion," Howard Walter, a 61-year-old gun salesmen told the Times.

But, 35-year-old Shawn Thompson, a handgun carrier from Kentucky, wrote on his blog, "Most of the clothes I used in the past to hide my sidearm looked pretty sloppy and had my girlfriend complain about my looks. I'm not James Bond or nothing, but these look pretty nice."