Glory Threads - How Did You Find Iron Heart?
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I think I've posted this story somewhere before so I'll keep it short. Back in the day when $150 for jeans and $80 for a shirt was on the high side for me I discovered Self Edge while looking for some mens retailers online that were a little less mainstream. I loved just about every piece from every brand they carried but couldn't stomach the price. I didn't have the luxury of seeing the goods in person so it took the slow, nagging curiosity of wondering why this shirt (the Johnny Cash) cost over $300. At least 6 months later I finally said, "F it. I'm rolling the dice and seeing whats so good about IH." Next thing you know I can't recommend the brand enough to people.
Awhile back some friends of mine and I were having a conversation about items that in our opinion are just way better than any other similar items made by another brand. This covered literally everything, not just clothes. The only thing I could think of that in my opinion is just way better than what any other brand makes is an IH flannel.
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Awhile back some friends of mine and I were having a conversation about items that in our opinion are just way better than any other similar items made by another brand. This covered literally everything, not just clothes. The only thing I could think of that in my opinion is just way better than what any other brand makes is an IH flannel.
Agreed. I own quite a few flannels but when it comes to warmth there's no topping IH. I sweat in my UHF's if it gets above 30 but holy hell they're warm as shit was it hits 0 or subzero temps.
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I tinkered with other brands but finally it came to…
Who makes the best jeans? Iron Heart (mainly my baby the 888)
Who makes the best flannels? No contest, Iron Heart
Who makes the best winter coat? Errrrrr..... Iron Heart
Who makes the best denim work shirt? Iron Heart
Who makes the best hoodies?
SupremeIron HeartI think i’ve found my brand
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@der Anschiss Good stuff and an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
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It's so fascinating to read everyone's stories. I wish that I could remember exactly what led me to Iron Heart. I know that it was c. 2009 or so. I think that I had just started making belts and other products out of recycled fire hose, and during my explorations of that material, I started wondering if anyone had ever sewn pants or jeans out of really heavy fabric. I'm pretty sure that I just googled it, and ran across IHUK v. 1.0. I was loath to purchase such expensive clothing, but I was fascinated by it. The same google sesh led me to read a profile of Kiya from the SF Chronicle, that talked about Japanese denim. I had never even known that the denim scene existed, much less that SESF was so close to my house at the time.
Fast forward a couple weeks or so after I had obsessed over the websites long enough, and I dragged my girlfriend at the time down to Self Edge to ogle some jeans. From the second I touched them, I knew that the Iron Hearts were the ones I had to try. I convinced myself that black jeans were the only hole in my wardrobe that needed filling, so I ended up with a great fit on some super black 9301s. They were sooo heavy and thick and hardcore, felt like armor. I grabbed a Strike Gold belt on that same visit, because I was positive that none of my belts were going to be up to the task. I remember the guy who was incredibly helpful and patient with me at Self Edge trying to lure me into going upstairs to check out the shirts and jackets, but I somehow sensed that was a mortal danger to my wallet.
After a couple of weeks in the super blacks, I found a pair of almost unworn 634s on ebay, with the old pre-lawsuit arcs. I remember taking those out of the envelope when they arrived in the mail, and almost dancing a little jig over how soft and comfy the 21oz. was compared to the superblack. I wore the crap out of both of those pairs, and grabbed some overdyed SE007 not long after.
Fast forward again to a few years later, when I moved to Mexico in 2012. I was a little isolated, and definitely lonely in Mexico City, with no friends except my wife, and her family, so I started hanging around in the forum. My first purchase from IHUK was some 705 cargoes that were on special. They were a bit too big, but that 23oz. serge is such an amazing fabric. Soon thereafter, I went for my first IH flannel, the purple 101. For reasons that are probably obvious to all of you, after that I was more than hooked, and have gone a bit overboard, upping the collection, ever since.
The quality and simplicity of Iron Heart clothing really speaks to me, but I have to say the main reason why I've really gravitated to the brand is the forum. Having ready access to a community of people from all over the world who also are into the brand, as well as feeling like I really know (and appreciate) how the business is run, makes it special.
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Absolutely loved reading that @sabergirl . Got me all emo in fact.
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Wonderful writeup @sabergirl ! Loved the emotions you convey and the intense self-awareness throughout your descriptions. Very cool. Thanks.
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My journey began when I started researching boots.
Back in 2009, I got a gorgeous pair of Frye boots online, and they didn’t fit me when they arrived. I have pretty big feet, and both feet are different sizes slightly, and they’re a little wide, and they have very high arches. Shoes for me had never been comfortable because they were always ill-fitting in some regard, and I what I really needed was something that I wasn’t going to find on the shelves. I started researching custom boots, and their construction, and boot making materials (i.e. steel shanks, stacked heels, etc.) and came across Wesco. The thought of spending $800 on a pair of boots that I’ve never seen in person was a big pill to swallow, but when I thought about all of the ill-fitting shoes I’ve purchased over the years, it started to make sense. I started the process for my custom Boss boots (still my favorite pair of boots) and it was all downhill from there. Also, since then, I’ve tried some other boot makers, and Wesco stands head and shoulders above the competition.I started to become obsessed with quality and began looking at everything around me differently. Why on earth would I want to spend money on something that I’d only be replacing a couple years later? This led to me researching the crap out of every purchase I would later make, and also led to my ultimate foray into leatherworking. One of the things I discovered was the selvedge denim community, and I kept seeing the name Iron Heart popping up. I’m never been big on wearing clothing with big logos or things that appeared trendy and I’ve always been into things that are understated and classic. Classics always look good, and if you combine something that’s both classic looking and well made, you’ve got yourself something that can be with you throughout a big portion of your journey through life. Iron Heart had this look, and once I began researching, it appeared that the quality was on the level that I was looking for as well. Combined with incredible customer service, and you’ve got yourself a real winner of a company. In the restaurant business we have a saying “You go for the food, but come back for the service,” and that’s absolutely true about Iron Heart. The fact that they go the extra mile to provide measurements for every little thing, send you personal emails to verify your size (and part of this is to avoid hassle on both sides as well as expense, but it still comes across as a genuine interest in customer service), and going the extra mile to say “Hey, I know you’re not totally sure about your size and you want to get it right, so we’ll send you BOTH sizes and let you figure it out. Send the one back that you don’t want with this prepaid shipping label.” And oh by the way, this is the service I got serving on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Arabian Gulf. Knowing the people that run the business is another layer of customer service that’s impossible to quantify, but it makes a huge difference.
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My Story is not that intresting, I started getting Into "Raw" Denim around 5 Years ago when again a Designer Jeans passed to fast on me so I bought a Pair of Nudies (that seems to be a Pattern here). The Nudies where Grim Tim Dry, after I wore them to Pieces (I still own them I have to post a Picture soon the Fades are insane) I bought myself a Tellason Ladbroke Grove 16oz but I couldn´t find a decent Denim Shirt at the "Normal" Stores. The search went on an on until I found Vater & Sohn and spotted the IHSH-132 on their Website which I then checked out at their Store, I loved the Fabric and the Details Right away and bought the at that Point most expensive Shirt ever 2 Years ago. After that I bought more Iron Heart Tops and last Year finally my first IH Pant, the V&S 777 SBG.
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I'm not entirely sure where to begin but I'd prefer to gloss over the the middle school JNCO phase…
While in college, I stumbled across SuFu and Styleforum around 2005ish. Being a flat broke college student, I didn't have many luxuries but I sprung for a pair of Nudie Regular Ralfs and wore them non-stop for about 2 years until they completely blew out. I went through a number of pairs of denim that were never quite right and didn't fit the way I wanted. Then, in 2007, I bought a pair of 634S off of a well known member of Styleforum. I was working in my current field at that time and making decent money so I was constantly purchasing different denim and trying other fits and Japanese brands and I kept coming back to IH. I lurked on the IH forum for about a year but joined to message a member about buying a pair of IH301's and that just fueled my obsession. I bought a few IH shirts secondhand and things just spiraled out of control from there. If I remember correctly, my first IH shirt was an IHSH-23 in red and that's when I knew I was truly hooked. Fast forward a few years and I feel like I've gotten most all of my grail IH items I could ever want. I'm just enjoying the ride now, trying to control my urges not to buy items that won't get the love and wear they deserve.
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Great stories everyone. Keep them coming.
Interesting to see the common threads that pretty much run through all of our stories.
Edit: no pun intended.
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Fun reading, guys.
Westcoast skater style in mid 90s–think vans, etnies, jencos, plaid button ups and flannels, band t-shirts, etc--then graduated to more of an 'urban' theme after the board went away--think Nautica and Puma while still rocking Etnies, probably silver tabs--cant recall the jeans, but def not the cartoon Jencos!
A decade or so barely ever clothes shopping--girl friends would by stuff, but mainly not really caring, and wearing frumpy oversized tops and bottoms long past their cheaply made lifespans and looking like a schlub. Growing hair out and going for the I dont give a feck look.
Early 30s shifted more towards technical outdoor gear, but a little Filson too--still looking meh and overdoing the cargo pants and shorts just blending in with the heard.
Mid 30s get this notion that I want to dress nicer and more age appropriate and turned to the trusty google for my answers--went preppy and loved Bonobos' fits, then discovered Taylor Stitch, Corridor NYC and Freenote and was floored by the quality and 'tailored' fits.
Researching TS, I found a forum called selvedgestyle that was active with dudes chatting it up over clothes. Super helpfull in propelling me down the rabbit hole, the forum introduced me to the Japanese brands and went first to Studio d'artisan, Samurai, and momotaro--all shirts. But the real chatter and polarizing convos, all revolved around IH and soon I had ordered the IHSH-129 blue to see what the hype was all about.
The other JP brands didnt stand a chance, compared to the fits and the classic styling of IH and soon I was in full blown geeked out and overspend mode.
So now I've got a closet full of epic gear, but don't really know how to pair/wear them. So this forum with all the photos of dudes around the globe rocking their gear with style, class and flair was a God sent and I started coppying and trying to follow suit!
This has been a huge progression for me and I'm still learning and growing, and hope to keep refining my style down to simple combos that garner quiet compliments vs the garish loud, look at me fits. Work in progress still, but very happy with how far I've come.
Huge thanks to this community, this brand, and you awesome individuals for all the help!
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Fun reading, guys.
Westcoast skater style in mid 90s–think vans, etnies, jencos, plaid button ups and flannels, band t-shirts, etc--then graduated to more of an 'urban' theme after the board went away--think Nautica and Puma while still rocking Etnies, probably silver tabs--cant recall the jeans, but def not the cartoon Jencos!
A decade or so barely ever clothes shopping--girl friends would by stuff, but mainly not really caring, and wearing frumpy oversized tops and bottoms long past their cheaply made lifespans and looking like a schlub. Growing hair out and going for the I dont give a feck look.
Early 30s shifted more towards technical outdoor gear, but a little Filson too--still looking meh and overdoing the cargo pants and shorts just blending in with the heard.
Mid 30s get this notion that I want to dress nicer and more age appropriate and turned to the trusty google for my answers--went preppy and loved Bonobos' fits, then discovered Taylor Stitch, Corridor NYC and Freenote and was floored by the quality and 'tailored' fits.
Researching TS, I found a forum called selvedgestyle that was active with dudes chatting it up over clothes. Super helpfull in propelling me down the rabbit hole, the forum introduced me to the Japanese brands and went first to Studio d'artisan, Samurai, and momotaro--all shirts. But the real chatter and polarizing convos, all revolved around IH and soon I had ordered the IHSH-129 blue to see what the hype was all about.
The other JP brands didnt stand a chance, compared to the fits and the classic styling of IH and soon I was in full blown geeked out and overspend mode.
So now I've got a closet full of epic gear, but don't really know how to pair/wear them. So this forum with all the photos of dudes around the globe rocking their gear with style, class and flair was a God sent and I started coppying and trying to follow suit!
This has been a huge progression for me and I'm still learning and growing, and hope to keep refining my style down to simple combos that garner quiet compliments vs the garish loud, look at me fits. Work in progress still, but very happy with how far I've come.
Huge thanks to this community, this brand, and you awesome individuals for all the help!
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
Interesting journey. I went through my 'streetwear' phase in my 30's. Think Bape, Supreme, SSUR, Recon, Kaws, etc. After a few years of that I lost interest in the look and haven't looked back. I think, too, there was an element of snobby streetwear elitism that existed in those days that kinda irked me, so that made purging my closet that much easier
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@Dishelveled I really enjoyed that one. I've held off posting here because I think my story is quite dull, and I recall I told it a while ago on another thread. But your perspective, how your tastes have developed, was really good to read and made me see this thread in another light. I might write my version up after all…
The other JP brands didnt stand a chance, compared to the fits and the classic styling of IH and soon I was in full blown geeked out and overspend mode.
So now I've got a closet full of epic gear, but don't really know how to pair/wear them. So this forum with all the photos of dudes around the globe rocking their gear with style, class and flair was a God sent and I started coppying and trying to follow suit!
Overspend mode sounds familiar. 4 years in and I'm still there. Also your humility doesn't suit you, your fit pics and combos's are some of the best posted here. I really enjoy seeing your WATWT's.
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Thanks, GaseousClay! Super humbling to realize how similar many of our personal journeys are. Don't lie–bape still fires you up!
Rad, Rueben; that means alot coming from you--lot of respect for your style.
And yeah, love to hear your personal style/IH evolution tale.Keep em coming guys...
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The year was 2007. I had spent the greater part of 2006 diving into the whole raw denim craze, via Nudies, APC, Ande Whall. Think Superfuture.Superdenim, Self Edge, Blue in Green. The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college was marked by my cousin's suicide, my first girlfriend, and a good summer job in NYC. During this time, I was dead-set on getting myself a good type-3 denim jacket, and I had only three criteria in mind: 1. Blanket lined 2. Hand warmer pockets 3. Internal pocket. This last one probably stemmed from having grown up watching Bond flicks and somehow being entranced whenever he would reach into his suit jacket to pull something out.
Anyways, I did lots of searching. At that time, I believe the Iron Heart UK website had one pair of jeans for sale, old arcuates and tab in tact. I remember something about being able to select your rivet metal, but could be wrong about that. No jackets though. I think I eventually landed at Rebirth and found the IH 7526-J. Maybe I was bad at research then, but this was the only jacket I could find anywhere that met my criteria.
This was before Paypal; getting it paid for required an in-person trip to the bank and a wire transfer to Japan. At the time - being only 18 years of age - I felt very pleased with myself for going to such lengths to acquire a gem from abroad.
It came, I wore it pretty much every day for most of college, and the rest is history. Actually, I didn't buy another IH item until several years later when I bought my dad the first release of aprons (you should see the wear on that thing now). Then again years later when I moved to Colorado, got my first therapy job, and started amassing a wardrobe of western shirts. Just yesterday a kid asked me "why you always look like a cowboy?" Who knew it would end up here.
So soft:
Now I'm an old man and mostly just rock 'n' roll by drinking tea:
Edit… This is how I used to rock 'n' roll:
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An old man, who Rock's his Thermos tea from high above
.Would love to see the Apron @TaBLemann .
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