REAL ☘️ IRISH 🇮🇪 SHIT!
Friday night, they'll be dressed to kill / Down at Dino's Bar and Grill / The drink will flow and blood will spill / And if the boys wanna fight, you better let 'em
Before you Split The G, get familiar with Irish garms and culture in this week’s edition of The War Report. Éirinn go Brách , Soldiers!
💥TUESDAY MEANS WAR💥
GARM OF THE WEEK
The Fisherman’s Sweater
Today is St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a holy day celebrating a Religious Wackjob who converted the pagans to christianity is now known for Wearing Green and Blacking Out. Ireland is a tiny country with a rich cultural heritage and history going back millennia! Sure, the Irish love a drink, but they have given so much more to the world than just Guinness! One unsung bit of Irish kit is the Aran sweater, a proper fisherman’s garm made with untreated wool that adds water-repellence to the warmth of its thick yarn. The sweater hails from the Aran Islands, a treacherous archipelago off the western coast of Ireland. The traditional Aran sweater is adorned with ornate stitching patterns that were used to identify clans and other associations, symbolizing far more than the modern cable-knit decoration. American audiences were introduced to the fisherman’s sweater when it was worn by Irish folk musicians during a surprising burst of popularity in the 1960s. A cottage industry sprung up in Ireland and the style was picked up and interpreted by everyone from Brooks Brothers to J. Crew and the Irish icon has lost some of its luster.
Nowadays you’ll find the style on standard crewnecks in addition to being repurposed for other sweater variations like cardigans and vests, but nothing beats the classic. Here are some of our favorites:
Quince isn’t just making clothes for your girl! They’re making some really solid Shit at affordable prices for Soldiers, too! They focus on quality and sustainability in producing garms with timeless designs and no branding. Australian merino wool is the chosen textile for Quince’s take on the fisherman’s sweater for a smooth texture and maximum breathability. They say a comparable version would cost 65% more than Quince’s, and that sounds like savings you could take to the Bank! Or use it to buy more garms.
Beams Plus consistently delivers classically-inspired clothing from around the globe imbued with their renowned attention to detail. Their cable-knit features a heavy 5-gauge yarn and we love the deep green colorway that’s ready to pair with a lovely pair of chinos or cords.
Dime is the most fun brand in the world, and one of the ways that manifests is the persistent wave pattern seen across seasons and style as a signature design element. They take the standard knits and make them Wavy for a purely Dime take on the old-fashioned sweater.
OTHER GOOD GARMS
Spicebag
Adam Doyle, also known as Spicebag, is an Irish artist and political activist using the written word and cleverly designed garms that bring much needed awareness to the decline of native Irish culture and language. Where Kneecap use music and public protest to raise attention for the Irish cause and its people’s solidarity with the Palestinian struggle, Spicebag uses art and jawns. Tees, scarves, hats, and football shirts flying the Irish tricolor mix with novelty toy soldiers and a rug made to look like an Irish scratch ticket. The best ones are the Ireland/Palestine solidarity items, especially this football kit that raised funds for Dignity For Palestine. Word to the wise: order a full size up from your US size to get the proper fit! And if you want one of these jerseys in an XL (fits size L), hit us up :)
Pellador
Pellador is offering a thoroughly Irish take on the classic era of sportswear that looks just like the Shit our Irish cousins used to run in the 90s. Billed as a mash-up of Irish heritage and wider European football culture, it is everything you’d expect to see on the terraces and in the pubs of the golden age of football. They specialize in knitwear, a staple of any Irish brand worth their claddagh, along with track suits and football shirts. Then they balance out the tasteful and understated with wild Shit like a skullies with photos of Damien Duff or John O’Shea. And their version of the fisherman’s sweater is a t-shirt printed with an Aran pattern. We love brands that can mix Sophisticated with Flashy. We’d choose Damien Duff, by the way.
SOLDIER OF THE WEEK
Dee Collins
The Irish skate scene has yet to make a major impact in the wider world, but Northern Ireland’s Dee Collins is more than making a mark for Eire right now. He has a distinctively European flavor and an Irish threshold for pain (high) that make for exciting skating. He’s a one shoe guy, increasingly rare, who runs every colorway of the New Balance Numeric 1010 with pants that rival Tiago’s. Collins put down for New Balance and his board sponsor, The National Skateboard Co., in a banner year for the Derry man. Collins is another proud Irishman from the north who uses his Irish name on Instagram and paid tribute to Irish/Palestinian solidarity with his debut pro board for The National Skateboard Co. Last year was a big one and we’re stoked to see him push Irish skating to even further heights in 2026.
ENEMY OF THE WEEK
Showing Ankle
Fake Spring is springing for many Soldiers, and the glimpse of sun and warmth sure brings the dogs out. And by dogs, we’re talking about men’s feet. We have many rules as it pertains to Showing Feet and the violations come flooding out as soon as guys get the slightest sign that it might be time to air them out. One egregious offense that persists throughout the year, though, must be addressed: Throwing Ankle. Gentlemen, it’s time to put those damn ankles away!
There was a Moment about a decade ago where pants and socks both got shorter, a tactic sometimes meant to highlight the footwork in the era of pinroll jeans and…joggers… The Moment seemed to pass as quickly as it came on, but a lot of fellas are still back in 2016. Lots of us wish we could go back to those simpler times before the hell that was unleashed, but the only thing worse than living in the past is Dressing in the past!
Ankles should only be out if you’re rocking sock-optional footwear, like water shoes or slides. It’s important that we draw a line here, though: All Other Footwear Must Be Worn With Socks. We know plenty of freaks that go barefoot in their creps and it is a downright despicable act! Near treasonous. It’s gross and smelly and tears up your feet, a red line for TWR. A Soldier can only go as far as his Footwear can take him. And you already know that no-show socks do not count. They are to the sock world what thongs are to the underwear world. Nobody is supposed to see it but yourself and your partner. Don’t get caught having to remove your shoes at the party only to walk around with most, but not all, of your feet out for everyone to see!
Fill your sock drawer with solid colored cotton socks in crew and quarter lengths. We usually stick with Polos. White is really all you need, but it doesn’t hurt to keep some grey and black ones stashed away, too. You don’t want to look like a goofball and have socks the same color as your shoes, do you? That’s a topic for another edition.
ADDITIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Weird Ireland
Irishman Brinsley McNamara is shining a light on the island’s most bizarre Shit on Weird Ireland.
Meditations For The Anxious Mind
Frankie McNamara (no relation to Brinsley) is skewering Irish and British culture and goofball Lads in deadpan Irish delivery on Meditations For The Anxious Mind.
You’re now up to speed on the latest from the battlefield. Use this intel wisely and pass it on to others who may need our guidance. We can’t win the war unless we’re in it together. TWR sticker packs available here.