And your ears shall hear…

There’s a certain kind of satisfaction that only comes from the long game. You know the one—where you spot something you want, but instead of diving in, you hang back. You play it cool. You wait, like a cat watching a mouse, or like Kurt Vile waiting for the perfect guitar tone. And then—bam—you pounce. That’s the story of this vest.

I first spotted it nearly two months ago at TJ Maxx: an Original Penguin by Munsingwear piece in a sleek “Black Iris” colorway. MSRP? $120. But this wasn’t just about the price tag—it was about the timing. It hovered at $45 for a while. Then dropped to $34.99. Then $28. I was watching it like it owed me money. And finally, just this week, that red tag hit $22. That was my breaking point—in the best way. I copped it.

The slang term “garage sailing” refers to the activity of going from one garage sale to another, often on a weekend morning. It’s a playful way of describing the practice of visiting multiple garage sales to find bargains. 

Grandma Franklin always said, “Patience is a virtue.” She also knew a good deal when she saw one. I should know, we went Garage Sailing every Saturday morning, and you never paid sticker price.

This vest doesn’t just feel like a steal, it feels like a statement. It says, “I’ve got taste. I’ve got timing. And I’ve got a little swagger.” There’s a kind of cool that comes from knowing you played the long game and won. And now I’m walking around like I’m in a Kurt Vile album cover, draped in discounted glory.

As the man himself said:

“I woke up this morning / Didn’t recognize the man in the mirror / Then I laughed and I said, ‘Oh silly me, that’s just me’ / Then I proceeded to brush some stranger’s teeth.”

—Kurt Vile, Pretty Pimpin’

Because yeah, it’s me in the mirror—but now I’m rocking a $22 vest and feeling pretty damn pimping.