I stand open mouthed at the article of clothing above in the Polo Department at Bergdorf Goodman. A sales clerk approaches.
Clerk: Isn't that a great looking jacket?
Me: Actually, I think it's obscene.
Clerk: (With a, "Oh, shit." expression) Uh, well. Why is that, sir?
Me: They're knocking off uniforms. That ain't right.
Clerk: You know, I asked my manager if we've ever had complaints and he said, no. Maybe if we were in West Virginia it would be different.
Me: Why is that?
Clerk: 'Cause they're more patriotic than New Yorkers I guess.
Me: You know, some men died wearing this stuff. Don't you think it's a little...I don't know...
Clerk: No, I know what you mean. Still, no one complains. You're in the minority.
Me: I guess so.
Made in China by the way. By Communists. Odd that.
the girl who works at the Bergdorf Polo is Hot with a capital H....
ReplyDeleteyou're right, that is kind of obscene.
ReplyDeleteI strive to be funny on this blog. Probably a mistake. That Ralph Lauren is knocking off Army uniforms and having them made by Communists is pretty funny...and obscene. But I'm not even in your ballpark. "Ceiling cat watching me..." You are a genius.
ReplyDeleteObscene--fucking obscene IMO. You don't knock off the uniform or sell it at B-G. No way. Too many men died for that uniform. And are still dying. I don't get pissed off that easily but this has me on the edge.
ReplyDeleteBeau in Seattle.
Beau in Seattle,
ReplyDeleteIn the last three weeks I've seen a number of down coats with the XVIII Airborne Corps patch sans Airborne tab on the streets of NYC. On the right shoulder no less! I always thought this was against the law. I'm looking into it and I like you on edge.
The other question is, who would buy it? It's hard to picture someone who didn't look remotely military answering questions about how/when/in what capacity they served and then saying, "Oh, I just liked the patch. I bought it at Bergdorf's." Not an attractive image.
ReplyDelete"Too many men died for that uniform."
ReplyDeleteOne hopes those men died for their country, not their clothes.
What's most obscene here is that she went out of her way to tell you of your "minority status." Truly, I haven't ever become accustomed to what I see as a common "New York" and growing customer service attitude that uses such a tactic to defend their practices. In light of the priority given to individuality, diversity blah, blah, blah this is highly hypocritical.
ReplyDeleteTintin, I'm sure that by "some men died wearing this stuff" you meant "some men and women died wearing this stuff" and didn't intentionally diss the proud service and sacrifice of women in uniform.
ReplyDeleteAnon- I would never diss women's service. No intent here but these were men's apparel based on Vietnam era jungle fatigues and WWII paratrooper uniforms.
ReplyDeleteA lot has changed for women since I served. Some good and some not. This I know, you don't have to be infantry or any of the other combat arms branches to be exposed to some of the most dangerous places in the world.