WAYWT - Family and Loved Ones Edition… (pics and anecdotes)
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This story belongs on the appropriate thread perhaps. But seeing as you touch upon it here @Aetas, and seeing as I’ve teased it twice already, then I’ll do it now. I do love this thread.
When I first discovered IH, one of the great things was how it aligned with my younger self. These were the clothes I wish I could have bought when I was 18. When I was 18 one of the things I loved to do was trawl charity stores for suit vests. I would wear them with my army surplus pants and boots, and band tees. Mohawk high, middle finger higher.
So the fact that Haraki-san made vests was huge! The shop listing for the IHV-03 and IHV-04 hung around here in 2013, despite the fact that they had been sold out for a good while. The IHV-02 was still available and I snapped them up in both colours in numerous sizes @Aetas probably still owns one of them.
I proceeded to champion the cause of vests at a time where they were fringe at best, and got some traction here from @hajduk @UnTucked and @wdw amongst others. I finally got my hands on the IHV-04 from @wdw. I was in love with it and wore it a lot until I grew out of it. But the IHV-03 was the grail. The one I desired above all others. I campaigned for it to be remade. @Giles sold his at a time when I had zero funds… it was never meant to be. And it sucked. The perfect mix of material and design. But it was just not to be though. I gave up and made do with other wonderful vests instead.
As many of you will know, I had a period of acute poor health a few years ago. Secure psych wards, the whole deal. I dropped off the forum and everybody here was super supportive. So many messages and acts of love. Gifts and whip rounds, and so much support. It’s a testimony to the severity of suicide brain that one can’t really deal with that kind of love. It’s a terrible thing. Suicide brain wants you dead and had no use for support or love. Actively rejects it, in fact. But it helped in a way. Reminded me that, deep down, I mattered to some people, that I had a place in the world. Gave me a reason to keep going when suicide brain had control and wanted me dead.
At one of the parties I missed, @scooter brought me a present and due to my absence left it with @Giles. Who promptly mislaid it. If you’ve ever spent time with Giles you’ll understand exactly how that happens… he has a brain that rarely stops working at full pelt and inevitably some things fall through the cracks.
I never knew what the present from @scooter was. I visited with Giles and Paula, together with @goosehd, and G couldn’t trace the gift at that point. Time went by.
Then I made it to the last party in September 2025. @scooter was there and Giles tracked down the gift. Scooter gave it to me and it was of course an IHV-03 he had spotted on eBay he’d thought of me and pounced. Glorious.
It was the perfect size for me. Two years previously. 10kg later, not so much. Something of a tragedy. End of the story.
Except it isn’t. For whatever reason, IH have phoenixed this most glorious of vests and there was no way it was getting past me this time. Which gave me the impetus to do something with @scooter ’s gift. So now my oldest son and I have matching vests (as well as matching IH814’s, IH tee’s and so on). Scooters gift to me became a gift to my son, and it fits him perfectly, and I finally own an IH duck work vest. Thanks so much Scott
️ And thank you to everyone else too. You all know who you are. Suicide brain is a thing of the past, and this place and you people helped that happen.
«Stevie Heighway on the wing!
We had dreams, and songs to sing…»- Dame Vera Lynn
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@Tago-Mago let’s not use the word moist, without due caution…
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@sabergirl my secret style icon. Thank you
️. We need to have a word about the 21oz serge work pants… -
@Tago-Mago that’s just beautiful. Accidentally moist…
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Incredible story. I am so glad you are back. You helped me more than you know in this Iron Heart journey.
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@neph93 I read this twice. It's very heartfelt. I am glad you are better.
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Great vest and great story! Cheers to brighter days
You’ll scare me off 