I could work from home in sweatpants and slippers, I suppose…nah!

Conveniently cut off my smug grin and my slippers!

Today, Ed is mostly wearing…

@Ross said in Iron Heart Japan Fit Pics - and other great images from Japan…:

Not sure I can pull that one off quite so cool…

So…@Alex very kindly reached out to me yesterday, and a little over 24 hours later, I have the sample on my back!
The phrase ‘standing on the shoulder of giants’ never felt more apt, bearing in mind the forum legends that have previously put sample items through their paces, as well as the legendary status of the 12oz hickory, as used on the IHSH-07.
My wife gave the fit a nod of approval, so there is no excuse not to wear it continuously for the new few months and see what desk surfing does to the elbows! Straight into a conference call this afternoon, with garage clearing duties and a tip run scheduled for the weekend - I’m showing it the high life from the off!

Interestingly (?) the pocket tabs are grey compared to the red of the IHSH-07 - everything else is the same as the 07 as far as I can tell, but obviously there may or may not be changes by the time the production run comes in.

@Denman-John - they are the Viberg Service Boot BCT in HRWN Oak Chromepak - on the 2030 last E fit, to be precise. Lovely boots - recent purchase, so very few miles on them so far, but will be my go to for the coming months.

Just prior to the party, my wife and myself spent a week in Italy - Tuscany and Liguria, to be specific.
We haven’t visited either of these regions previously, so we decided to bear the crowds and largely seek out the ‘greatest hits’ the area has to offer - hoping we’ll get the chance to go back in the future to get off the beaten track.

We stayed in Florence (Tuscany) for the first few days, which is a wonderful place to wonder round, see the sights, people watch, and generally eat and drink well.

Ponte Vecchio:

Piazzale Michelangelo (view from):

Opera Duomo (inc. view from the bell tower):

Piazza Santissima Annunziata:

Piazza Signoria:

We spent a day out visiting Pisa (see the tower, move on, type of place):

Then on to Lucca which is a beautiful walled city from the Renaissance era with a circular central piazza:

We then stayed a few days in La Spezia - ultimately, this is a fortified port town, but was a nice base for a few days:

From La Spezia, we visited Porto Venere:

We then spent a couple of days visiting the villages of Cinque Terre, although the weather restricted walking the (somewhat perilous) trails between the villages:

It’s definitely a tourist hot spot, so not for everyone, but we had a wonderful time there.

I’ll add a separate post in the next day or so with thoughts and recommendations based on information we were provided and/or gleaned from the week, in case anyone is travelling in the area.

Contemplating whether to go 666 or 777 when the ducks restock…
IHSH-303

Hope you’re well, Reuben. @neph93

Oh, and I forgot the @endo homage in our Florence apartment building!

Good few years back now, but I unexpectedly saw a barn owl when out taking some landscape photos one evening. The camera was not set up for a movement shot, and the lens was less than ideal in terms of focal length (so this is a significant crop), but I was so pumped for seeing the bird, let along getting any kind of shot of it…

Outstanding @agardnerf ! I will be queuing up for this one.

I’ve loved every minute of wearing it - 23 wears in 30 days since it was delivered, and no holding back.
Only problem is that on the odd day of not wearing it, I’ve frequently reached for the pockets that have not been present!

After cleaning out the barbecue recently, and more work in the garage, the shirt was looking a bit grimy. I’ve started to see some wear and a little bit of smudging in high wear/crease areas, as reported in the other hickory shirt threads, so it’s been in for the second wash…currently drip drying. Pre-rinse, then 30’ wash for 30 minutes (400rpm spin) and I’ve tugged the shirt out to maintain the length in the body and the arms.

@Matt said in Iron Heart Army Meeting 2025 Bremen, Germany:

It’s the only way to fly.

I’m reminded of our flight to Barbados a couple of years ago where a guy had too much carry on at the gate so, being a plucky Brit an’ all, decided that rather than waste it, he would neck the ‘offending’ bottle of vodka before boarding.
Fast forward a few hours, and with several members of the crew and passengers standing on his chest, we arrived for an impromptu visit to Bermuda - his visit being longer than the rest of us!

I should add, I will already be out of the UK, and will not therefore be able to make the meet, sadly.

16 wears in 21 days with 1 wash - it’s not missed a beat, whatever I’ve thrown at it so far…

@T4920 - far from extensively, they’ve been a good new ‘find’ for me. Loving the sound and especially the socially perceptive lyrics.
During my work days, music is the continual background, but I have to stop and listen if I put VB on, so they’ve been primarily restricted to evening listening. The wife is less keen, which limits time further!!

Viagra Boys - Man Made of Meat

Lyrics are brilliantly ironic, but this line specifically made me LOL…because I lack maturity, thankfully.

“I’m subscribed to your mom's OnlyFans
I spent five bucks a month to get pictures of her flappy giblets”

My older brother gave me this full-length wallet for my 18th birthday - so a long, long time ago. No idea on the make-up, but it used to have brass(?) corner stays, although they disappeared at some point past.
I don’t use it day to day anymore, but it is treasured - it largely stays in a drawer, keeping some IH tokens (and spare stickers) safe!

Very unscientific, but you can get an impression of the post-wash length difference in the before and after photos (against the fly placket).

Just to update, I remeasured immediately after washing (and a very low heat iron), and compared to the ‘out of the bag’ measurements, it had snugged up upto half and inch through the body (chest, waist and opening) as well as in the back length - not much movement in the shoulders or the sleeve though.

I was not able to wear it over the weekend (except for Friday date night), but will now see whether it eases back out with wear - initial impressions are that the chest has loosened up once more, and I’m using the pockets to see whether I can regain some of the lost length in the body (nothing too vigorous).