I BROKE MY OWN RULE IN NEW YORK CITY
Burgermeister Meisterburger from “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”
Christmas time is almost here, bringing with it annual routines and traditions that I, and so many others, look forward to all year. It’s my favorite holiday, so for the sake of brevity, I’ll spare you my full list (Christmas cookies are involved in most of them, though). One of those traditions is rewatching stop-motion Christmas movies, such as Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. It’s my favorite stop-motion Christmas movie, with The Year Without a Santa Claus not far behind in second place. For those of you familiar with Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, you’ll know the dastardly, toy-hating antagonist, Burgermeister Meisterburger.
The first time Chris Kringle meets the Burgermeister, he tricks him into playing with a toy he made. The Burgermeister, having outlawed toys in Sombertown, is interrupted by his right-hand man, Grimsley. "Excuse me, sir, but you're breaking your own laws." The embarrassed Burgermeister fumes and orders the arrest of Chris Kringle. Whenever I see my godfather, Chucky, during the Christmas season, I set the over/under for how many times he’ll say that line during a single visit at 2.5. It still cracks me up every time, even at 32 years old.
What does this have to do with menswear? See my previous blog post about tips for in-store shopping. The very first piece of advice I gave was: “Do not buy anything you were not already planning on buying.” I was recently away on a long weekend trip to visit my brother in New York City. The menswear nerd in me’s favorite activity when visiting is people-watching and window shopping. I popped into over a dozen stores that weekend, one of which was Standard & Strange on Mulberry Street. S&S is a store I had walked by a few times in the past, but finally had the time to explore properly during this trip.
Johnny Coat - Handwoven Iron/Acacia Canvas Ticking Stripe by Indi + Ash offered by Standard & Strange
While in the store, I came across a unique greatcoat from Indi + Ash. I’ve wanted a full-length coat with a belt for a while now. However, unlike many full-length coats I come across, this one is unlined and lightweight, yet robust enough for transitional weather. This means I would have a full-length coat to wear in milder conditions when most other people would not be able to wear a coat like this. Its color, with ticking stripes, slubby texture, four welted pockets (including ones for your hands on a crisp day), and unstructured fit also caught my attention and made it a pretty unique item. When I saw the price, I honestly thought it was a mistake. A coat like this, I expected to see listed for at least $600, but even at full price, it was listed for just $368. As for the fit? It was perfect. Dammit. Now what?
Based on my own advice, I should have tried it on, taken a picture of myself wearing it, gone home, and slept on it. However, I was leaving New York the next day. The one exception to the rule is when you're traveling and really, really like an item but won’t be back anytime soon. Between the fact that I was leaving, the price, the unique nature of the coat, and the fact that I was looking for a belted greatcoat (even if the one I imagined was very different and for colder weather), I bought it. And what do you know? Immediately upon returning to Boston, I regretted the purchase.
I regretted it because it’s something I really didn’t need, despite how much I liked it. I got swept up in the euphoria of the find and the fit, thinking less about its practicality. This coat, for me, is a “nice to have.” There are other items on my wish list that are more versatile and that I’ve wanted for years. I guarantee that if I had left the store, I would not have gone back for the coat the next day, even if the fit was great and the price was exceptional. I should have heeded my own advice.
That being said, I am not returning the coat. “Wait, what? Why?” you ask. I have not seen one quite like it, especially at this price point. Also, it fits beautifully and pairs exceptionally well with my existing wardrobe. I enjoy dressing down formal outfits and dressing up casual ones, and this coat allows me to do both. I got lucky this time, but it’s a great reminder—especially with the holiday season and Black Friday deals approaching—not to “break my own laws” when shopping in the future.