Denim• Fall• Floral• High Waist• Pattern

{ Flares & Floral: Moto jacket, Wool fedora & Flare denim }

October 5, 2015

Have you ever found a deal that was too good to be true? This happened to me last weekend when in the window of my (former) favorite vintage boutique I spotted a Burberry trench coat that happened to be my size and about 70% less than the price of a new one! A Burberry coat has always been on my closet bucket list, and this one was just what I wanted: khaki color, trademark plaid lining, and mid-thigh length. Upon first inspection, the sizing looked a bit odd to me because it was labeled with a letter instead of the typical numerical sizing Burberry uses, but my husband did a quick Internet search and read that some styles are sized this way, and so, thinking I had been blessed by the fashion gods, I purchased the trench and we went on our way. Later that night at home, I was inspecting my coat more closely and saw a rather cheap-looking ‘Made in China’ label tucked away near the bottom of the jacket. That struck me as a bad sign, but again, we did some research online and read that Burberry does in fact have some production in China, so I thought maybe my coat just happened to be one of those.

The next morning, after reading even more about Burberry trenches, I still had a nagging feeling about the authenticity of my coat, so we decided to take the piece to the local store in Rome to have a professional opinion. While the salespeople at Burberry stores are not allowed to directly state whether or not an item brought into the store is real or faux, the girl we worked with thoroughly explained the trademarks of Burberry coats, and after comparing the two jackets it became clear that the one I had purchased was not up to standards.Since I knew the owner of the shop where I purchased the coat, I sent her a quick text message to explain our doubts and ask if I could return the coat, and was assured it was fine for me to bring it back. I went to the store today, explained the Burberry qualities which were lacking in the coat, and as I was making the return, the owner asked if I would be okay with having a store credit instead of cash. I had originally paid with a credit card, but unfortunately, in Italy, it is not possible to issue returns to credit cards on machines as we do in the States. I politely said we would prefer to have the return in cash–we knew we would be gone for a long time with various trips coming up, so I didn’t know when I would be back to shop.

To make a long story short, the moment I said I would prefer cash, her demeanor towards me completely changed. I know you are probably thinking the same I was–what’s the difference how the payment is returned? Either way, since the product sold was not as advertised, the money had to be given back regardless of whether the return was by cash, check, or store credit. After she hastily wrote a check, barely making eye contact and speaking in a very cold manner, I was all but shoved out the door of her shop and the door slammed behind me. I was completely shocked–this was the same person I used to air kiss on both cheeks in traditional Italian fashion whenever we saw each other (actually, she was the first person who ever greeted me that way after we moved to Rome); we used to talk about what was going on in our lives and our families, and I considered her to be a friend, not just the owner of the store where I shopped. I’m the type of person who takes things to heart, and barely made it down the street before calling my husband in tears (my eyes are filling up again just writing this). It was never my intention to quit shopping at her store, though after this experience I won’t be going back, despite having purchased plenty of beautiful, authentic pieces there in the past. Mistakes happen, on her part for selling a piece that wasn’t real, and on my part for buying one, but to be treated so rudely was shocking to say the least. Most of all, I am more sad than angry about the entire situation when I realize that our friendship must not have been genuine.Anyway, I’ll move from my story of a purchase gone wrong, and on to this retro-inspired outfit I wore over the weekend. You may remember this floral print when I wore the matching shorts here. Pairing the jacket now with dark flares and a wool fedora speaks to the fall season.I know this post is a lot longer than usual, so thanks for sticking with me–it’s been an emotional day, and I feel a little better having put my thoughts into words and sharing this story with all of you!