Most lists of concealed carry purses for women are the same eight bags ranked by price. This one is organized by the day you are having, because the right purse for a commute with a laptop is the wrong purse for dinner, and the wrong purse gets left at home with the gun in it. Every bag here has a separate padded compartment with an included hook-and-loop holster; the differences are size, access, and what else it carries.
For the office: a tote
Cameleon Evelyn, $139.99
A slim rectangular tote big enough for a tablet, files and lunch, with the CCW compartment in the center under a top zipper, padded both sides, and cut-resistant handles. Green, smoky purple or brown.
Cameleon Matilda, $89.99
A 16-inch tote with a 14-by-8-inch compartment, for anyone who carries a laptop. Blue/white or red/white.
For everyday: a mid-size handbag or crossbody
Cameleon Darcy, $119.99
The everyday size, structured, crossbody or handbag, full-size pistol in a padded center compartment.
Cameleon Remi, $119.99
Not too big, not too small, with the compartment on the back accessible from either side and a detachable shoulder strap. Black or pink.
For a night out: compact
Cameleon Zoey, $139.99
A half-moon bag, 11 by 8 by 4.5, with a front flap on a magnetic snap, a detachable crossbody strap, and a three-sided double-zipper gun compartment. Mint, apricot or wine.
Cameleon Venus, $99.99
Quilted, compact, curb chain strap, rear compartment with 270-degree zipper access, and a tail for pepper spray.
For hands-free days: a backpack
Cameleon Amelia, $149.99
A vegan leather backpack with a drawstring main compartment and an 8-by-8-inch ambidextrous pocket with a universal holster for a full-frame pistol. Black, maroon or hunter green.
What every one of them needs from you
Off-body carry has one rule that outranks every feature: the bag stays on your body. A gun in a bag on a chair, in a cart, or on a car seat is a gun someone else can pick up. The second rule is that the gun lives in its own compartment, in a holster that covers the trigger, and nothing else goes in there. And the gun that goes in the purse should be one you can shoot well; a purse takes a Glock 19 as easily as a .380, so there is no reason to carry less gun than you would on a belt.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best concealed carry purse for work?
The Evelyn or Matilda: totes with a center compartment and room for a laptop.
What is the best small concealed carry purse?
The Zoey or the Venus.
Do they come with a holster?
Yes, adjustable hook-and-loop, ambidextrous.
Can I carry a full-size gun?
In the Darcy, Evelyn, Amelia and Mia, yes.
Is purse carry safe?
If the purse stays on your body and the gun is alone in its compartment in a holster, it is as safe as any off-body carry. Set the bag down and it is not.
The bottom line
Buy for the day you actually have. A Darcy for most days, an Evelyn for work, a Zoey for evenings, and keep it on you.
Related reading
Best concealed carry purses
Belly band holster for women: a practical guide
Best handguns for women (and how to carry them)
