Gatsby Was Amazing. He Even Managed to See to It That the Book About Him Was Regarded

Gatsby was amazing. He even managed to see to it that the book about him was regarded as a novel, fiction, as though he didn’t exist. Even Fitzgerald, by the time he was through writing it, believed he’d made the whole thing up. There were those who knew the truth all along, of course; knew everything except where all that money came from. (Even by today’s standards, when millions mean nothing, only billions matter, Gatsby was incomprehensibly rich.) Gatsby walked into rooms wearing a shirt with no collar. Even a little thing like that made people talk. And probably will still make them talk. The Gatsby shirt, of course, has no collar. Only a simple collar band. The placket is simpler also: narrower. (Gatsby had them made in France, originally.) The cotton we have used in our uncompromising replica of Gatsby’s shirt is so luminous, in and of itself, that even a person who notices nothing will notice something. Gatsby, of course, could afford stacks of these shirts; rooms of them. Never mind. All that matters is that you have one, just one. A piece of how things were. Gatsby Shirt (No. 1038), cut full, with two-button cuffs, real pearl buttons, handsome brass stud at neck. Colors: Black, Blue with White stripe, Cream with Rust and Yellow stripe, Blue, Red and Gold stripe. Men’s sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL. (Downright beautiful on a woman, too.)

An attractive woman might reach out and run her fingers lightly down your sleeve. And then say, “This is nice. What is it?” In which case you might have to confess, “Camel’s hair, actually.” Otherwise, the fact that this shirt is made of camel’s hair might just as well be kept to yourself. Because even in this enormously enlightened age, there are still people who would think a camel’s-hair shirt a bit indulgent. A bit sumptuous. And they would be right. The camel’s hair used in this shirt is indeed an uncommonly fine substance. Luxuriously soft. Drapes handsomely, in smooth, slightly thick, slightly luminous folds. Wears surprisingly well, too. Perfect for roughing it in Old Westbury or (with tie) at the next board meeting; makes it permissible to drink coffee out of a styrofoam cup. Camel’s-Hair Shirt (No. 1425), impeccably constructed. Mitered chest pocket with angled reinforcement stitching. Serious 3" point collar. Rounded corozo buttons, like discs of caramel. All seams and edges (at collar, cuffs, plackets, sideseams, armholes, and hem) have a posh, piped look. Men’s sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL. Color: Camel. There’s something faintly pugnacious about this vest. It’s not itching for a fight, but it’s not backing off, either. (A Red Sox fan sitting behind the Yankee dugout.) With this vest, there is no “friendly” game of poker. Even when you smile, this vest doesn’t. Women are drawn to it. Men grow cautious. It hints at your dark side. This is the kind of vest that built railroads, fleeced carpetbaggers, intimidated robber barons. A handsome, subtly determined article of clothing. Genuine lambskin leather. (A mysterious dark Chocolate Brown.) Backed and lined with brooding, complex twill paisley. Two pockets. Adjustable leather strap on back with aged brass buckle. The front has five brown buttons carved from ivory-like tagua nut; extra buttonhole is a vertical pocket-watch buttonhole for your 1931 Santa Fe-approved railroad Elgin. You will like slowly removing your jacket. Lambskin Vest (No. 1117). Men’s sizes: S, M, L, XL, and (watch out for this guy) XXL.

She was born in a village in Ukraine over a century ago. Peasant stock, yes. But the peasants in Ukraine weren’t serfs, they were free. Free to become rich, if they could. And her parents did. She married an impoverished nobleman, eventually, moved to a genuine palace. She still wore her hair in thick gold braids coiled on the back of her head, though, and favored blouses like these. “Správzhniy,” said the woman in the clothing shop in Kiev. “Authentic.” Ukrainian Embroidered Blouse (No. 1734). Light cotton voile, cut full. Taped and gathered neckline and cuffs. Meticulous Ukrainian embroidery pattern in two traditional color schemes. Sizes: XS, S, M, L. Colors: White with Black and Red embroidery, Black with Green, Yellow, Orange, and Burgundy embroidery. » Browse next item in this category » Share this item with a friend