Beautiful Vest

1:53 a.m. Amsterdam. She’s sitting in Het Hok, a café filled with smoke and mismatched chairs. Playing chess for money but hadn’t bothered bringing any. She moves her rook, runs her thumb against her vest, untying it.  “Checkmate,” she whispers in a southern American accent. “Prachtig,” says the man behind me. She wipes the court with a Master, swallows her beer, and at 2 a.m. elegantly pedals off into the night.  I pass her on Keizersgracht later that afternoon. She’s still wearing this vest, still  unselfconsciously, prachtig. 

Beautiful Vest (No. J8943). Luxurious velvet cotton vest with a flattering peplum. Head-turning multi-colored panels at front and sleeves. 1" lace trim at sleeves. Satin binding at front edges. Button closure at center front. Fully lined in quilted acetate. Imported.