Best posts made by rydor

So, I'm in the middle of a "I'm tired of Iron Heart shirts I can't wash and dry" and my old Kersey was one of the most aggressive shrinkers on me. I'm also sizing up a little bit more these days on everything, no more fitted looks. So I picked up a practically brand new (worn 1x) size XXX-Large because of my measurements on shrinkage on my previous size Large. Thought I'd post my wash/dry experience here because I had a lot of success with this one.

Pre-wash: 24.5" chest, 20" shoulders, 27.5" sleeves.
Very hot water soak, hot air tumble dry: 23.5" chest, 19" shoulders, 26.25" sleeves.

It now fits absolutely perfectly for my taste, and I have no worries about future shrinkage on it. For the record, I'm a true 41" chest, I wear shirts in a 16-35, usually a size Medium or Large in most US sizing, usually a 42 or 44 in most Japanese brands. I got this one because the kersey was so aggressive and because I got it cheap enough to experiment on. I'm still thinking XX-Large UHF's are the way for me to go, going forward.

And yes, I know most people like the "just don't put your shirt in the dryer" lifestyle, but I have 3 kids and I like the way that flannels wear in over time when wash/dried, so that's just not going to be my taste.

So, went an a hunt the last few weeks compare the RMC N-1, the Buzz Rickson's N-1, and this bad boy in XL and XXL (from Fountainhead NY). And definitely came away with the (as expected) realization that the IH oiled N-1 is indeed the best for me. Just more substantial, and the oversized collar just looks great.

Definitely was the right choice swapping up to an XXL for this (from my old L in the old olive drab). The XL also might have worked, but I could tell it was still going to just be a bit too snug when layering. Just got tired of not being able to wear over a sweater comfortably, and wanted a bit longer of a body length. Maybe not the way everyone wants it, but I wanted more of the Paul Newman N-1 fit, which this is a little closer to now. I just like the fuller fit on this. I'm definitely happy this new model shortened the sleeves a bit, makes this work for me.

It's wild how much demand there was this time around. I grabbed my pair a few years ago, at least a year after the most recent restock, they were mostly sold out but still had no trouble locating a pair from a stockist. If I recall the sentiment around then was "no one wants the 1955" and "no, we definitely won't be offering this in 25oz, it's hard enough to find buyers at 21oz."

Just shows how much tastes have changed, wider legs and higher rises are back. Maybe the 25oz version has a chance now...

@Chibs I've considered on my past CPO's just doing a little wabi-sabi hand stitching on the bottom of the pockets to close out the bottoms. Not fully closed to hold coins, but a 4 or 5 points to hold my phone or wallet. I'll probably go ahead and actually do that when my OD comes in.

I just got the new oiled N-1 deck jacket and came across this IHM-11 post. First thought was "oh man I wish they'd remake this, it looks sooo good and would be a great addition to the N-1." Second one was "oh man, I forgot I have one of these from my grandfather, who served in the US Navy with the Icelandic Defense Force, that's been sitting around needing repairs."

Thought I'd take some pics. Needs some real TLC which I'm gonna do (button repairs, holes, and zipper fixing). But tried it on and it fits me great. Long story short, this plus the new N-1 I just got make me convinced that this should definitely be run again.

Adding to the "same size or different" I'll add a little data. I just got my 1955S OD yesterday, and as usual, first thing I did was a hot wash and hot dry cycle inside out. I like to get it a little softer this way and it kicks off the roping effect on the new hem.

I didn't measure ahead, but after the waist on the 32 measured all the way down to just above a 30" waist. After a day of wearing it, it's all the way back to a 33" waist, and all the measurements are exactly the same as my 1955S non-OD from a few years ago. Or at least within margin. Now, of course, denim stretches with use, and depending on fit, lots of different sizes work. I have other pairs of high-rise Oni denim that fit comfortably at 34" cause of how much that stuff stretches. So people sizing up a size, I think you'll be happy too, both options will work imo.

Wearing mine today. This is easily my favorite IH shirt, in the rapidly expanding collection I have. Like a buttoned corduroy sweatshirt. Can't wait until it's fully faded.

@JohnM Yup, the olive from 2022 actually but same pattern. I’m switching to XXL in flannels too for a much roomier fit that can be wash/dried for 20 years without ever worrying about shrinkage.

Will these have a restock anytime soon? I'm in the market for an XL or an XXL. I know I can buy from other stockists, but I want to swap to white snaps and the logistics of doing a buy/ship/pimp is a bit more than I want.

Part of my whole "oh I was wearing shirts too slim, and need bigger shirts" campaign to swap out my wardrobe. FML.

@John-Galt I took my Kersey all the way up in XXXL vs my current UHF of XXL because of how much it shrinks. (I’m a 41” chest, TTS 42, usually medium or large in US sizing). Now, I’m in the “I don’t want a flannel/denim shirt that I can’t put in the dryer” so my sizing is for that and for a vintage fit which is less modern/slim than a lot of people like.

Point being, I agree with that they shrink a lot. And I always suggest erring on the side of “get these even bigger than you think” and if the shirt “fits” before you throw it in the dryer, size up if you think you might ever throw it in the dryer.

Getting my fitpic game up to speed, with a much better selfie setup with my M11. This N1 has been the best winter jacket I've had, and I'll def say it's more versatile in more temps than you'd think. Was great this morning in the 20's (F) and it's been comfortable up in the mid 50s too, since it's really breathable. It's made my Storm Rider take a bit of a backseat, honestly, but this is just so good.

I decided to grab these to go with my older 1955 non-OD’d pair. Got the 32 from The Shop (since I missed the 32 here), feeling pretty good about it.

@bluemantra Most of the shrink is in the dryer, not the washer. The first dryer run will get rid of all the shrinkage. Subsequent wears may stretch it a little bit (like with jeans) but nowhere near where it started, and another dryer will shrink it again.

Just did a first pass of the driveway for the blizzard going on right now. This jacket was so perfect. Kept me warm and dry.

Edit: Added another photo the next day of it out in the snow with the boy. Also, this jacket went through the dryer twice, 20 minutes each time to dry it out from the snow, and it came out great.

@Alexander Do you want crisp fades or vintage? If you want crisp, best to just wear right away. I like vintage fades so I always wash and dry my raw denim to get any starch out and the top layer of indigo, and then keep washing and drying regularly.

@bluemantra

More like 2 sizes. My XXXL measures 23.5" chest, 26" sleeves, 19" shoulders. That all matches the "as shipped" XL measurements for the shirt. This is with a bunch of dryer cycles so far, some of them with high heat. I don't have what this actual shirt was ahead of time, but it was definitely too big for me, fresh, 2 size shift feels about right.

As a comparison, my UHF's shrink more like 0.5 size, with similar measurements to my Kersey except for still having slightly longer sleeves and slightly narrower shoulders.

It's worth noting that with a 41" chest, a 47" flannel is a great fit for my tastes, especially with the way Iron Heart shirts are cut in the front.

Pic with my new IHSH Indigo Buffalo check under it. Obviously you can see the arms are bulky and a hair long, but the rest of the body is exactly the fit I want/need. This is specifically going to be my daily winter coat, so I wanted that bulkier less fitted look.

@Mister_Brue My taste for my 1955S pair (wearing right now) was plain hem with a little break. Looks good with loafers and boots, and in the spring/summer they're still long enough that I can cuff them into high waters.

@indigostiff I haven't noticed any, but also there's no tightness on it for me to stretch. The chest is comfy, the shoulders aren't tight, and I'm not pulling on the sleeves. My guess is that yes, it'd stretch out somewhat if needed, but I doubt it would stretch all the way back to the pre-dried measurements.

Got it on the higher size specifically to be a winter jacket for snowy situations. It's fantastic for this, and so warm.