Gray Man Theory Pt 2: American Tradecraft Secrets

    In this video, Greg Tambone unpacks more valuable information on what it takes to “Go Gray”. When looking for places to acquire items to help in transitioning from your normal, everyday appearance to a new identity, thrift stores are a great option. Greg buys a long-sleeve, light brown collared shirt in this episode of the series. The reason being is that they are an ideal garment for completely going gray in several different environments, from urban environments to rural settings. He reiterates the importance of knowing your local culture and customs of the place (or places) where you plan on going gray. This is vital for you to adopt a plausible, accurate depiction of the type of person you want others in your vicinity to see you as.
    In addition to the clothes you decide to wear, there are certain things you can do with your face and hair to change your appearance. Just like facial-recognition technology, people rely on distinct points of recognition and symmetry when looking at a person’s face. Changing these points, even slightly, will go far in concealing your identity and convincing others that you are someone else. For men and women, hair and/or a hat are great starting points. If you’re a man, growing a beard can often throw off people who would normally recognize you, or going clean-shaven if you wear a beard typically. Glasses are also useful in certain contexts. Again, like Greg emphasized in part one of the Gray Man series, don’t overdo it. Going gray is walking a fine line, and doing anything too drastic to your appearance will draw more attention to you and make people realize something’s amiss, creating the opposite effect you wish to have.
​    While a change of appearance and clothes is a great start to going gray, you can take this one step further by completely changing your whole demeanor. Your mannerisms, the way you talk and communicate with others, your stance, and your gait are all things you could consider changing. Each of these on their own might be enough to identify, and if you make a conscious effort to alter them, those who would ordinarily recognize you will likely take you for a completely different person.