What is it? 

I’ve got two things here that are old and sentimental to me. One is a leather collar chore jacket. It’s lost its brand tag, there’s nothing on the buttons – very non-descript. The other is a Crazy Horse shirt I got after my first trip to Paris back when I was a buyer.

How long have you had it? 

The jacket I've had for about nine years. The shirt is about the same – I went to Paris in 2016, and some friends and I went to the [Crazy Horse] cabaret after a long dinner. 

How did it come into your possession? 

The jacket was purchased from a flea market in Houston, Texas. I used to go every weekend starting in high school and get a couple really good things. I still go when I visit, however it’s not as romantic as it once was. It was a great early morning activity, the sellers had so much to look through. I’m talking mountains of denim, racks of jackets, shelves of boots, leather jackets, shirts, etc. A lot of the sellers would specialize in used workwear for guys that might not need it brand new because they were just going to do manual labour in it and get the items roughed up, dirty, or covered in paint. Lots of fire-resistant clothing for the guys that worked in the plants close by. Definitely not what I was using it for, but I was very happy to find this piece. 

I was mostly looking for deadstock stuff back then. If you were able to dig, you’d find some great stuff. Every now and then some of the sellers would know what you were looking for and point you in the right direction. I wasn’t their typical customer and I think they knew they could get me in and out quickly if they showed me the good stuff right away. I remember showing up in a pair of RRL selvedge one time and the older guy working the booth was asking me where I got my redlines – he ended up selling me some older military jackets for dirt cheap. 

The shirt doesn’t have such a charming story. While I was on the plane back home from Paris, I kept looking on eBay for vintage Crazy Horse shirts. It was my first trip to Paris and my schedule was so packed, I didn’t have time to shop or get a souvenir. So, while taking a break from spreadsheets, I snagged it for a fraction of what they go for now, and ended up buying two or three more later on.

What does it mean to you? 

Both of these pieces remind me of a simpler time. The jacket reminds me of how much fun I used to have digging for vintage. Like most people, vintage was my gateway into higher end garments. I was learning so much at that time, I was living in Austin, and I was really coming into my own style-wise. At the risk of looking like one of those moustached Instagram-for-you-page guys trying to educate you about a chore jacket that you’ve had for more than half of your life, I wear it with pride. How’s the USMC rifleman’s creed go? There are many like it, but this one is mine. 

What do you like about the Harley jumper and Mackie hat? 

I get the same feeling putting the jumper on that I used to get when putting on some of my older worn-in pieces. It feels like I've already owned it, already lived in it, I can throw it on without thinking and just go. It’s soft, and it's thin enough to throw a couple of things over it if I need to. I can wear it under a sportscoat or casually like this. The hat is the same way – anyone who knows me knows I love a hat, especially a beanie. I'm so picky about shape and the way it sits on my head. This is basically perfect. If I get too hot, I just take it off and roll it into my pocket. Easy.