While the other coats drooped,this one looked as if it were holding itself up.The thick,black wool of the double-breasted chesterfield was soft and unworn,as though it had been preserved in mothballs for years in dead old Uncle Henry's steamer trunk.The coat had a black velvet collar,beautiful tailoring,a Fifth Avenue label and an unbelievable price of $28.We looked at each other,saying nothing,but John's eyes gleamed.Dark,woolen topcoats were popular just then with teenage boys,but could cost several hundred dollars new.This coat was even better,bearing that touch of classic elegance from a bygone era.
