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Worn-down boots
TONY editor: Allison Williams
Original: When I threw down almost $200 for a pair of black leather boots at J.Crew six years ago, I wondered if they’d be worth it. After a half decade of constant wear, I yearned to go back in time and purchase them in triplicate. They’ve been reheeled three times in a desperate attempt to reclaim their youth, but there’s just no way to fix the gaping hole at the toes.
Copy by: Oliver Moore Bootmakers (856 Lexington Ave between 64th and 65th Sts; 212-988-7360, olivermoorebootmakers.com)
And?: Don’t tell my old boots, but these new versions have me believing in reincarnation. The details of the originals are perfectly rendered and the fit is uncannily perfect. My only gripe is that the new leather, while unblemished, doesn’t have quite the aged suppleness that six years of hard living gave my first pair. Welcome to my feet, Version 2.0.
Worn-to-shreds T-shirt
TONY editor: Erin Wylie
Original: This vintage ’70s shirt was already well loved when I bought it ten years ago. It’s only gotten worse: Now I have to safety-pin the giant tears over my left breast and right armpit before leaving the house. In high school I wore it with plaid polyester bell-bottoms. I should have been on a Maury Povich intervention show: “My Teen Dresses Like It’s 1975.”
Copy by: Silhouettes & Profiles (160 W 71st St between Broadway and Columbus Ave, 212-877-3372)
And?: It’s a remarkable facsimile—and they scored extra points by hand painting the weird “no nukes” design. The fit is pretty close to my vintage one—with similarly droopy sleeves—but wearing the new one won’t qualify as indecent exposure. Still, I prefer my attacked-by-moths original. This one will be great in another 20 years.
Ripped-up bag
TONY editor: Rachel LeWinter
Original: I bought this bag from a street vendor in Soho a few years ago and probably paid less than $30 for it. I loved it to death, literally. It was the perfect workbag, and I toted that sucker around until the inside lining became completely detached, and even then I tried to salvage it with safety pins.
Copy by: Artbag Creations (1130 Madison Ave at 84th St; 212-744-2720, artbag.com)
And?: I’m surprised how identical the bags look—they really did a great job of replicating it. The new one is a little darker and stiffer than the original, and I sort of feel like throwing it on the floor and stomping on it to wear it in. I’m guessing, though, that isn’t exactly the reaction you should have to a brand-new bag.
Frayed button-down
TONY editor: Drew Toal
Original: My college-era style was neatly summed up by Charlie Sheen’s character in the 1989 baseball comedy Major League. At a fancy dinner, wearing a sleeveless leather jacket—with a necktie—he deadpanned, “I feel like a banker in this.” Back then, that’s how I felt about anything with a collar, but this unaccountably beloved shirt changed all that. I can’t just stand by and watch it die.
Copy by: Guillermo Couture (237 37th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves; 212-366-6965, guillermocouture.com)
And?: This is a pretty sweet upgrade. The deeper blue fits better with my aesthetic sensibilities these days (it seems somehow less Banana Republican). I also like the thinner buttons. Same comfortable fit.… Yeah, I’m sorry to admit it, but the old shirt is going the way of Old Yeller.
Crotch-rotted jeans
TONY editor: Lisa Freedman
Original: I’ve had these jeans for years and, after several unsuccessful attempts to iron on patches, I continue to wear them regardless of the threadbare crotch and enormo holes under the ass pockets. They’re simply way too soft to give up.
Copy by: Guillermo Couture (237 37th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves; 212-366-6965, guillermocouture.com)
And?: Well, these certainly are soft, but that’s because they appear to be made out of cotton, not denim. The fit is pretty exact and Guillermo promises they’ll get even more formfitting after I wash them. They’re cool pants, but not quite the replica I was hoping for. Sorry, world, looks like there’s still lots more Lisa Butt Cheek in your future.
