The town where I live, Stockport UK , was once the global epicentre of the felt hat industry. It produced millions of hats annually throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, my wife and I took a guided tour of the Hat Works museum, a once-functional factory full of the old machinery, steeped in historical millinery. We learnt a lot. For example, the links to the slave trade and Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln’s letter to the workers here. The industry-fuelled mass extinction of beavers in the UK, which saw them being shipped over from Canada (before a more sustainable solution saw 150,000 dead rabbits every week instead). The punishing poisonous process of hat-making itself, that led to countless deaths. And the money made, that was manipulated in an underhand fashion to prevent the GDP of Stockport eclipsing that of London and likely rewriting geographical history. Then there was the Gallery of Hats, with over 400 historical examples of hat styles from around the world, from the functional to the fashionable to the fantastical and everything in between. After lunch at the charity-ran cafe and art installation, we exited through the gift shop… where we both bought a hat! My wife went for a purple Winter Cloche Wool hat, which frames her face wonderfully and shows off her excellent hair. After much deliberation, I went for a black Pork Pie Wool hat, partly because I like the semi-formal nature of it but mostly because it gives off Heisenberg vibes. Both hats are Dentons, a company that is still local to me and very well regarded. If you’re in the neighbourhood and at a loose end, I can highly recommend the museum and the guided tour. And the hats? They’re pretty decent too.

What to say in your intro? Share where you're from, your reason for joining, perhaps your favorite fragrance, watch or a picture of you dressed sharp! It's a small action, but a HUGE step in you getting value from this community becasue you go from being a lurker to an ACTIVE member. In fact men that introduce themselves are 10X more likely to the actions to becoming their best selves. Bonus Point - By introducing yourself you're guaranteed to level-up. Seriously, you'll get at least 5-20 likes/points (oftentimes more) which will move you to level 2 and possibly level 3. And just like that you have access to more of this community!

For the final day of the challenge, I’m pulling out the Tie I hadn’t worn yet. It’s the skinniest of my ties, and perhaps the one I’ve had the longest. 20 years maybe. I’m also trying the super casual approach of wearing it loose with the top button undone on this Linen shirt. I crammed the shirt into the Polo Seersucker Trousers. Used the Brown Belt and Vivobarefoot Ababa sort of Driving Mocs. The Jacket is Vintage JCPenny with Raglan sleeves. I rewarded myself with cake 🍰 for completing this challenge.

There’s a special kind of quality family time that comes from standing side by side on the range, sharing laughs, friendly competition, and a commitment to safe firearms training. Days like this are about more than ringing steel targets—they’re about building memories, passing on skills, and enjoying each other’s company away from the distractions of everyday life. The sound of steel, the smell of gunpowder, and the camaraderie of family make for an unforgettable afternoon. Time spent together is always valuable, but time spent making memories on the range is hard to beat.