Long have I lusted for a pair of blackish jeans with a polished finish, and that are crinkled and glisten like oil cloth. On Sunday, they found me. They are made by G-star, and they are the only new jeans worth buying. Admit it. You already own enough jeans. You need an exceptional reason to part with a sack of money for yet another pair, but that is what I did.

C and I got on our bikes and coasted down fifty blocks (with me yelling at the taxis and tourists) of Broadway to the G-star store where a very sweet and young Miguel guessed that I had a 30" or maybe 31" waist. I thanked him and said that we probably ought to start with the 33" ones but he wouldn't hear of it and I left with a pair of 32X30s that Miguel promises will not shrink. He was adamant about this and said that he would personally buy them back if they did shrink and that he'd give me his number to back up this promise. This made C snort. Here's a photo from the G-star website. I've got two words for those among you who might think my acquisition is age-inappropriate.

The nerdiest of plaids are back in town, as are the puffiest of parkas, but some things must not be dignified with photos. Also, it is a sign of cultural poverty, but there is no denying the yawning fact that black is the new black.

Speaking of plaid, I am wistful about the old Abercrombie & Fitch. Before they killed it. Many years ago, I walked into an A&F store and saw a classic plaid shirt that I coveted. The salesman came up to me and tried to be helpful but I assured him that I would never pay that much money for a plaid shirt. He told me that the quality made it worth the money. I agreed to purchase it and asked for a "large" while grumbling about the fact that it would probably shrink down to a dollish size. He gave me the "medium" and told me that A&F shirts do not shrink or fade and that if I ever had a problem with the shirt I could certainly return it. He was absolutely right. I love that shirt. It is indestructible. It has never faded or shrunk. I bet they can't say the same about the stuff they sell today.

While on the subject of the classics, here I am with Eddie, proving that even in the Carhartt store, if one has fashion sense, even brutalistic detachable hoods seem to fly off the shelf.

Finally, the resurgence of the pea coat, which began last year, has now acquired hurricane strength. I'll soon be trotting out my authentic British navy model, purchased at an army/navy store for less than ten bucks many years ago.