The Nick Wooster Interview with Throwing Fits

Summary

Throwing Fits Podcast Summary

Episode: The Nick Wooster Interview
Date: April 6, 2026
Host(s): Throwing Fits (Hosts 1, 2, 3)
Guest: Nick Wooster, Creative Consultant, Allen Edmonds Reserve Collection & Fashion Icon

---

Episode Overview

In this lively and wide-ranging episode, the Throwing Fits crew sits down with legendary menswear consultant and sartorial influencer Nick Wooster. Together, they explore topics spanning Nick’s gym style, philosophy on shopping, his role at Allen Edmonds, fashion industry war stories, personal style evolution, gay culture, fitness routines, and his unfiltered thoughts on the fashion ecosystem. Wooster’s blend of candor, humor, and authority makes for a deep and entertaining dive into both the past and present of fashion and style.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nick's Personal Style & Daily Fit

• [04:01] Nick details his podcast outfit: a rear quarter zip ("because I'm trendy"), burnt orange Studio Nicholson pants ("not flattering, but they're so comfortable"), Allen Edmonds Reserve Collection brown alligator Miller loafers ("I demanded dark brown instead of chili"), a Sunspel tee, and Kapital accessories.
• [06:19] Watch: eBay-acquired, small and classic, a nod to the current trend.
• [07:10] Ascots: Inspired by shopping in Japan recently, now wears them casually ("just tie it twice, tuck it in with a T-shirt").
• [09:20] On accessorizing: “It just finishes it, you know, it's the finisher.”

2. Philosophy on Gymwear and Underwear

• [01:36–03:50] Nick describes his gymwear transition from all-cotton to technical fabrics like Satisfy and Rick Owens. Has recently bought his first pair of Hoka shoes in Japan ("so comfortable, military green").
• [12:26] Underwear: Diehard woven boxer devotee ("I am so not a boxer briefs guy. I'm briefs or boxers").
• [13:28] On boxers’ sexiness: "Extremely. Because it's like, at least some of the imagination's left."
• [14:09] Shares the story of coming out and the significance of his adolescence in small-town Kansas, moving to New York as soon as he could.

3. Fashion Industry Perspectives

• [18:16] Allen Edmonds Reserve Collection: Wooster’s role is to "wrangle" the highest-end offerings and infuse his taste while respecting business needs ("There's power in saying no, there's curation, there's intentionality").
• [24:11] On compromise: “What I've learned is the things that you hate the most are the things that sell the best.”
• [26:58] On being outspoken: Acknowledges he's lost jobs with GQ and Neiman Marcus due to his honesty ("my big, pretty mouth"), but mostly has no regrets.

4. Candid Fashion Opinions

• [28:12] “Prada sucks—well, the Prada people suck. The group. Not the clothes, the clothes are amazing.”
• [30:12] Age has brought acceptance and perspective; he's less reactive to industry slights like being snubbed from Prada shows (“There are so many other things one can do during fashion week”).
• [33:09] Discusses his status as a “daddy” and “fashion uncle,” with significant popularity in Asia and Europe for personal as well as professional reasons.

5. Shopping Addictions & Storage

• [35:21] Japan as a shopping Mecca: Spends most at Dover Street Market, Comme des Garçons, and for accessories; leaves LA with extra empty duffels for his hauls.
• [37:40] Storage solutions: Keeps a large, walk-in-like storage unit in LA ("Not as climate controlled as it should be, but very organized").
• [57:51] On spending: Won’t specify monthly clothing budget but admits to spending more on clothes than drugs in his lifetime (“When I think about it, probably all the real estate I could own…”).
• [58:37] Most expensive single purchase: $7,000 one-of-one kimono-style coat by Hartley Goldstein (“It's art. It's a beautiful object—cost per wear? Maybe twice.”).

6. Style Philosophy: Uniforms, Repeats & Hoarding

• [76:06] “Shop your closet”: Encourages keeping old pieces—never throws anything away because it may become relevant again.
• [71:44] Most worn item: Uniqlo underwear, then probably wool shorts (Sakai, COMME).
• [73:46] “There's nothing better than a Levi cut off... It's got to be super up with some holes in it."

7. Fitness, Wellness & ‘Looksmaxing’

• [45:03] Fitness spend: "I don’t know that it’s changed much ... It costs money to stay afloat."
• [47:14] On GLP-3 meds and peptides: Early adopter of “the future of fitness and aesthetics."
• [49:01] “Looksmaxing is just a code for gay.”
• [49:37] Addictions: "Straight up. Shopping, working out, sex, food. Any and all of the above."

8. Retail Experience, Brand Loyalty & Trends

• [61:08] Prefers new to vintage shopping, loves retail environment for legitimacy and curation.
• [62:44] Favorite LA stores: Mohawk General, Union, Dover Street Market, Departamento.
• [80:18] Rejects “power brands” (LVMH, Kering): “What’s interesting are brands like Dries, Comme, Sakai, Apresè, Visvim... You’re not paying for all that marketing.”
• [81:09] On “Quiet Luxury”: “There’s always been—it's called taste. No taste.”

9. Legacy, Influence & Industry Ecosystem

• [82:48] On “Nick Wooster clones”: "Especially with haircuts and facial hair...A lot of DMs asking, 'What is that?' I say, 'Good luck, you’re not gonna get it.'"
• [84:21] Viral outfitting & streetstyle: Discusses orchestrating looks for “Comme des Garçons day” at fashion week (“somebody’s gonna take this picture... because it was so twisted, I snapped a mirror selfie”).
• [92:04] Comme des Garçons devotion: “I just love everything about it... fundamentally classic, just twisted.”
• [93:02] On the brand's future post-Rei Kawakubo: “I am not emotionally prepared. I’ve heard she may not want Comme to live on.”

10. On Social Media, Content, & Generational Friction

• [98:55] Has no interest in TikTok or “Get Ready With Me” videos (“I'm lazy. And it's really corny and stupid.”).
• [100:08] Criticizes unsolicited advice culture, especially from non-authoritative voices: “There are women who are trying to tell guys what they should be wearing ... and they should shut the f*** up."
• [102:54] Open to educating via social, but only if it doesn’t feel “douchey.”
• [103:41] Advocates for mentorship and rules as a foundation that must eventually be broken, credits mentors from his retail days.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Style:
  • “I want the path of least resistance and so Zen, you know?” — Nick ([08:51])
  • “If you want to get laid, you got to look good. The gays have been doing this since before time.” — Nick ([49:06])
  • “I've loved clothes since I was old enough to speak.” — Nick ([68:48])
• On Shopping:
  • “I could spend a lot more.” — Nick, on his current shopping habits ([57:52])
  • “Cost per wear: $3,500.” — Nick, about his $7,000 kimono ([59:52])
• On Acceptance:
  • “What I've learned is the things you hate the most are the things that sell the best ... It gives you runway for the stuff you want to do.” — Nick ([24:11])
• On Industry & Criticism:
  • “My big, pretty mouth certainly cost me jobs.” — Nick ([26:58])
  • “Prada sucks. Well, the Prada people suck...” — Nick ([28:12])
• On Fitness:
  • “It costs money to stay afloat ... just to tread water.” — Nick ([45:15])
• On Guidance & Influence:
  • “Shop your closet.” — Nick ([76:12])
  • “I'm not a believer in if you haven't worn it in a year, get rid of it—absolutely not.” — Nick ([75:54])

---

Timestamps by Theme

| Timestamp | Segment / Theme | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:36–03:50 | Gymwear opinions, transition to technical fabrics, Hoka in Japan | | 04:01–12:26 | Full fit breakdown (tops, bottoms, shoes, underwear, accessories) | | 18:16–26:35 | Allen Edmonds role, Reserve Collection, philosophy on compromise | | 26:58–30:12 | On being outspoken in the industry, losing jobs, speaking his mind | | 28:12–30:12 | Unfiltered feelings about Prada and “fashion people” | | 35:21–37:40 | Shopping routines, Japan, storage strategies | | 57:51–60:51 | Spending habits, most expensive purchase, shopping psychology | | 73:46–75:32 | On jorts/shorts, favorite types, rules for shorts length | | 80:18–81:09 | Critique of “power brands,” preference for under-the-radar labels | | 82:48–83:27 | Influence, DMs, and “clones” | | 92:04–93:02 | Devotion to Comme des Garçons and thoughts on the brand’s future | | 98:55–102:31| Social media, Gen Z style content, critique of unsolicited fashion advice | | 106:02–107:15| Style mentorship, learning from classic retail titans |

---

Closing Thoughts

Nick Wooster's interview with Throwing Fits is a treasure trove of unfiltered style wisdom, cultural insight, and humor. Nick’s legendary status is confirmed by his encyclopedic knowledge of menswear history, embrace of both modernity and tradition, and a rare willingness to laugh at himself—even as he shapes trends and industry standards. With candor about his shopping addictions, fitness obsessions, sexual candidness, and fashion world war stories, Nick offers lessons on the value of taste, personal evolution, creative rebellion, and why sometimes, you just have to “shut the up and pay attention.”

Follow Nick:
Instagram @nickwooster

---

For Listeners: Why You Should Tune In

If you care about fashion, culture, or just want to hear someone speak frankly (and hilariously) about the realities behind the “fit pic” and the streets of New York and LA, this episode is an essential listen.

Transcript

[Host 1]

So you're running out of closet space. The good news, you don't need to stop shopping. You just need to start selling with the RealReal. The RealReal is the world's largest and most trusted resource for authenticated luxury resale. Whether it's that mini bag that can't even fit your phone or those boots you never fully broke in, the RealReal handles everything from photography and copywriting to shipping and pricing. So you can just sit back, get paid, and make room for things that actually feel like you. And with 10,000 new arrivals every single day from top designers like prior Prada, Celine, Louis Vuitton, and Loewe, all for up to 90% off retail, you're bound to find something perfectly on brand to fill that extra closet space with. Plus, right now, you can get an extra $100 to shop when you sell for the first time. Make room for what feels like you. Go to therealreal.com to start selling and get your extra $100 to keep [e-mail] that's therealreal.com terms apply.

[Host 2]

Our guest this week wears the shorts in the relationship. This Wooster's got the cocks crowing from dust till dawn. And just like his cobblestone namesake, he's in the streets. And so ho hopping coast to coast is the only thing about him that's by. But he's back in NYC and ready to rise and grinder. This fashion hitman is a bonafide chic ario and here to chat. Indulging a shopping addiction around the globe, being one of the few people in fashion who isn't afraid to speak his mind, and wearing comme des garcons to the gym. Creative consultant of Allen Edmonds Reserve collection and absolute fashion legend, Nick Wooster. Nick, how are you?

[Nick Wooster]

Fine.

[Host 2]

It's fine.

[Host 3]

Is that intimidating to you to hear all that?

[Nick Wooster]

It was funny.

[Host 2]

Do you disagree with any of that?

[Nick Wooster]

I don't wear comb to comb. Dick Arsan to the gym. Rick Owens. Yes. But.

[Host 2]

Oh no, you do wear Rick to the gym.

[Nick Wooster]

Sure, that's fine.

[Host 3]

What do you mean sure? That's not a normal thing.

[Nick Wooster]

Actually, it's satisfied these days. But yeah.

[Host 2]

What shoes do you wear to the gym?

[Nick Wooster]

Satisfy? Yeah.

[Host 2]

Wait, Satisfy nut.

[Nick Wooster]

They have these running shoes. They're called. They're called something or something or they're their own. No. And then I bought my first pair of Hoka in Japan last week. Oh, I went to the motherlands. Oh my God, they're so, so comfortable.

[Host 2]

I only buy my hokas in Japan?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, because I've always been. I've tried to go there and try them on and I'm always like, not for me. These were so comfortable and they're military green, so they're a good color.

[Host 2]

There's a ASIC store there where you can rent gear and shoes and then like go and use it and like go for your run and go for your work or whatever and return it. And they like, you know, process it, dry clean, whatever. They have locker rooms and a shower and everything.

[Nick Wooster]

Wow.

[Host 2]

I don't know if you're an asics guy, but.

[Nick Wooster]

No, I think Asics, I mean, yeah, they'll pay.

[Host 3]

When you're in the gym, it's important that you look good. Like in the terms of your outfit that's important to you versus, like, us. We were ratty teeth ease. We don't care. Like, well.

[Nick Wooster]

So I used to always subscribe to the cotton philosophy of the gym. Like, I would never wear anything stretchy. The problem is when you travel, like, then it start. You start to understand why people wear this kind of stuff. Although I think I'm going to get a yeast infection if I said if I sit in something stretchy for longer than a half hour.

[Host 3]

Sweaty guy.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, like, but I'm all for ratty. Like, cotton is what you're supposed to wear to the gym. Right. That's why I love moth tech.

[Host 2]

But you don't want just a sweaty, soggy T shirt sitting in a removal.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. And if you do a lot of like hiit training and you're literally sweating like, you know, if you're riding, if you're. What do they call it? Soul cycle? Like, if you do that kind of thing spinning, you know, you sweat like a motherfucker's neck.

[Host 3]

You're sitting in a pool of your own fucking filth.

[Nick Wooster]

That day has passed me by. Really? Yeah.

[Host 2]

Also, I guess the stretchiness can also, you know, constrict as well.

[Nick Wooster]

Right?

[Host 3]

We can spanx for men, basically. Okay, speaking of clothes, real quick, before we dive in to the show, what did you wear today to podcast with us? Let's go through everything.

[Nick Wooster]

So it's a rear quarter zip because I'm trendy. Yeah. And red on trend. Well, isn't it kind of orange?

[Host 3]

Little burnt orange?

[Nick Wooster]

It's like orange, but whatever. Your high vis studio Nicholson pants that I really like that are not flattering, but they're so comfortable and I don't care like, do you get a.

[Host 2]

Do you get a discount because of the namesake?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, we did discuss this. I You know, so I actually. So my name is Nicholson, and I C K E L S O N. But the. But what most people probably don't know is my grandmother, my mom's mom, her maiden name was Nicholson. N I C H O L S O N. And she married Harry Nicholson. CK so for sure, that's some inbred chef.

[Host 2]

That's how they do it in Kansas.

[Host 3]

Couple times removed.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. But then Nick told me that. I can't remember what the story is, how she came up with Nicholson, but it's like. But even that's not her last name, right?

[Host 3]

I mean, Wakeman, right?

[Nick Wooster]

Wake. Wake. Yeah, exactly. I believe she's so nice. Like, oh, the best goat.

[Host 3]

Wonderful lady.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 3]

So then the pants are flattering. I will say they're nice.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, thank you. And they're really comfortable.

[Host 3]

They look.

[Nick Wooster]

And I love the fabric. And then I'm wearing Allen Emonds Reserve. Yeah. Brown alligator. It's called the Miller. Thank you.

[Host 2]

Are these. Are these a Wooster product?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I wouldn't say that. No. They. So they did a lot of the heavy lifting before I got there, but this was a loafer that they had developed. But the first thing that I saw, when I saw that they were making things in crocodile, I'm like, you have to make that loafer in brown. And they used to use kind of a weird color called chili, which is kind of orangey. And I'm like, no, no, dark brown. Like, spicy. Right. So they look great. Thank you. Thank you.

[Host 2]

I will be picking up a pair at our dinner, which we're going to talk about later. What about the socks?

[Nick Wooster]

I don't know what the socks.

[Host 3]

Nicola.

[Nick Wooster]

They are probably Falki. I don't know.

[Host 2]

What do you call me? And what about the T underneath the rear?

[Nick Wooster]

Sunspell.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

And then capital. Capital that I just got in. Capital.

[Host 3]

Can we talk about the watch?

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, this was so.

[Host 3]

This whole thing.

[Nick Wooster]

This. No. So this is the. I always. I lie and say I've never done this, because I really have never bought anything on ebay, except when, during the pandemic, they hire me and I did a. And because they were entering the watch business, and this was like a watch that I got from ebay. Amazing. So it's a.

[Host 3]

It's a little. It's a small. Like, this is. You're, like, participating in the smaller watch

[Nick Wooster]

trend, which I've always been a fan of, having small wrists. Limp and small wrists. Well.

[Host 2]

Well, what do you mean by that?

[Host 3]

Yeah, what are you buying?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Is it something that Your kerchief wasn't. Couldn't say for itself, you know?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, that's now just kind of. I mean, I have now gone into the world of ascots. Like, I.

[Host 3]

No, stop it. Dude, for real.

[Nick Wooster]

Charvet. And then I bought two in Japan last week. From where? Beams.

[Host 2]

Oh, beans has ascots.

[Nick Wooster]

Not in the. Not in the plus department, but in the international gallery. Like the classic side beams has.

[Host 2]

There's like a beams for everything. So maybe they just beams ascot.

[Nick Wooster]

I don't know. Oh, no, no, no.

[Host 2]

Neck.

[Nick Wooster]

The best ties and scarves are found in Japan.

[Host 2]

I mean, really, what isn't the best?

[Host 3]

Not France, like Hermes and Charlotte.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, sure, except that they do a better job of editing and putting together an assortment so you can find things. Is this like the.

[Host 2]

The beam store that's, like, shaped like a. Like a falafel?

[Nick Wooster]

No, falafel.

[Host 3]

Like a circle.

[Host 2]

Like the big. Like. Like a honeycomb.

[Nick Wooster]

No, this is the beams. That's like horizontal. It's like a series of different.

[Host 3]

So like an actual beam

[Host 2]

Boy, Beam plus, beam, whatever.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, Beam girl beams.

[Host 2]

I got beams for girls now. Damn, you got everything.

[Host 3]

Japan. Wait, can we not bury the lead? How do you wear an ascot? You wear casually. Like, what are we talking about?

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, yeah. Like, you just have to tie it twice to make it seem not so serious. And no, wear it with a T shirt. Tuck it in. Like.

[Host 2]

Oh, okay. You know, how do you, Nick Wooster, learn? Like, let's say. Let's imagine that it's your first time ever wearing an ascot. Are you going on a YouTube for a tutorial, or are you.

[Nick Wooster]

I wish I was that clever.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

No, I just. You know, it's like this. I don't even. I know that there's probably better ways to tie something, but it. This is how I know how to do it. So that's what I do. Like, I don't care.

[Host 2]

All right.

[Nick Wooster]

Sure.

[Host 2]

That's how you make it look good.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I.

[Nick Wooster]

You know, you just. I. I mean everything as guys, and I think this is something we all share. I just. I want the path of least resistance and so Zen, you know? And I used to always turn my nose up at, like, people that wore neckerchiefs or it's like, ew. Like, too fussy or too something. Now that I sort of have. You just kind of understand why people do it.

[Host 2]

Draws the eye to the face.

[Nick Wooster]

There you go.

[Host 2]

Greatest asset.

[Host 3]

But also, mustache helps, too.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it's all a diversion. No, but the. But the thing is, like, I just feel like, because we've casualized ourselves out of business basically. And so yeah, like people want to wear T shirts. You know, the old ways of looking. Wearing a dress shirt and a tie don't always. But although there's something nice about that too sometimes. But I always feel like something like a, like a bandana actually a silk scarf, something. It just finishes it, you know, it's the finisher.

[Host 3]

High, low.

[Host 2]

Do you ever find yourself over accessorizing? Is that possible?

[Nick Wooster]

If. Well then you'd hopefully want to do the Coco Chanel thing and take something off. But I probably over volumize on the bottom. But I wouldn't say that I necessarily. I hope I don't over accessory.

[Host 2]

You're a fan of big bo bottoms is what you're saying.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm a huge fan of big bottoms in more ways.

[Host 2]

Look at this big top. What's his bar? This coat.

[Host 3]

Tell us about your barber.

[Nick Wooster]

So that is actually a gift. They gave it to me because Allen Edmonds. So I help Allen Edmonds do all things creative and they actually buy third party product and one of the brands that they actually bought was barber. And so when I went on an appointment there, there was like a style that we weren't. And we don't buy for the store because. But it's, it's that. It's called the something.

[Host 3]

Is it the spay or the transport?

[Nick Wooster]

The transport. Thank you. And it's such a great jacket. Like it's. And so they sent it to me and, and I, I love it. Like it's the perfect thing because it looks really good with big, big bottoms and yeah.

[Host 2]

All about balance. What about the spectacles?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, these are, these were another gift.

[Host 2]

These are kind of a signature Wooster.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I, I am into a light frame with a dark lens, you know, sort of 1920sish or something. These were a gift from Barton Pereira. I went and saw them in Venice in California at their Patty Pereira's like house. Basically. She was super cool, super nice. So they gave me a few pair and nice little parting gift. That bag was another freebie from our Terex, like years ago. But it's like the perfect thing because it packs super flat. And then when you have to bring a computer or drag stuff around the city, it's just like what's in your bag right now? What's a laptop, a color card, some receipts.

[Host 3]

Do you have more important appointments than podcasting with us today? Is that what you're implying?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I had some important appointments this morning and yes, I Could show you the spring colors for spring 27. Alan Edmonds. That's inside.

[Host 2]

Burnt burnt chili crock. And last but not least, what about the panties, Nick?

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, if any today? Because I just happen to know. Because I brought all of one pattern. They're blue and white stripe Uniqlo. Like woven boxers. I wear woven boxers I do not wear.

[Host 2]

They're on my list.

[Nick Wooster]

I am so not a boxer briefs guy. I'm briefs or boxers. Like, oh, okay, there's no boxer one or the other. Right. Like a boxer brief.

[Host 2]

Why do you prefer boxers over things? See? Free range nuts.

[Nick Wooster]

It's so. I. I never understood this idea of, like, why you wouldn't do that.

[Host 2]

I. I'm 100 with you, and you are on a. I remember because I keep a list in my phone of notable boxer wearers, and I think you're one of the early entries, if not the first person that started off that entire list. It's like, me, you, Tony Soprano. Y. From our legacy.

[Host 3]

Reynolds Woodcock.

[Host 2]

Reynolds Woodcock from Phantom Thread.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Just a murderer's row boxer and fake. I have a question about boxers. Do you think that boxers are sexy?

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 3]

Really?

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, extremely.

[Host 3]

Because I have boxers as sleep shorts, and Jenna hates when I wear them around the house. I don't. Yeah, maybe it's just a her thing,

[Host 2]

but, like, poor carpenter that blames his tools.

[Host 3]

All right, anyway, so I just. In my mind now, I can't associate boxers with sexiness.

[Nick Wooster]

See, I think boxers are so much sexier because it's like, at least some of the imaginations. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Kind of.

[Nick Wooster]

Right? Yeah. Like a little schoolboy, you know? Yeah.

[Host 3]

I mean, not that we're sexualizing schoolboys or little boys, for that matter.

[Nick Wooster]

To be clear, I mean, I used to wear briefs when I was a kid, and then I just graduated to boxers. Like, in high school. Like, it was just.

[Host 2]

And it was.

[Host 3]

So you matriculated into.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it's about the time they all start to fall.

[Host 2]

And when did your nuts drop?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, I think 1312 or 1312, probably because I did it with guys at 12, so. Oh, all right.

[Host 3]

Hell, yeah. We're getting into it, folks.

[Host 2]

What, like a cornfield,

[Nick Wooster]

1972? Didn't I tell this story?

[Host 2]

I don't know.

[Nick Wooster]

I've seen the movie Billy Jack, and if anybody who's, like, my age. Age. You know, it was like, literally, this is when there weren't multiplexes. There was. There were two theaters in my hometown, and Billy Jack was, like, at one theater for almost a year. Like, it was like something that played forever. It was like American Pie, you know that song like that was like the top of the whatever, top 40 for like 50 weeks. Well, this was like a similar thing.

[Host 2]

And what, so how did that happen?

[Nick Wooster]

After Billy. After, After Billy Jack is when I did it with this.

[Host 2]

Is it like a gay movie or just like woke you up or did you just like, okay, movie.

[Nick Wooster]

No, it's like sometimes like it was, I, I vaguely remember the plot, but it was something about a guy who was kind of a do gooder, cowboyish kind of person who used to fight. But there was like a, there was like a Native American woman that he protected or he did something. There was a thing.

[Host 2]

You're not bothered, like, get her out of here. Right, Cowboy.

[Nick Wooster]

Exactly.

[Host 2]

More assless chaps over Boxer.

[Host 3]

So early bloomer. Extremely early.

[Nick Wooster]

Whoa, okay, wait.

[Host 2]

But you're in a small town, you're in Kansas, right?

[Nick Wooster]

Salina, Kansas.

[Host 2]

Was it tough being a young gay man in Salina, Kansas? 1970.

[Nick Wooster]

Whatever the 72 was, that was that year. But yeah, like I grew up, I was born in 1960. So yes. To be a gay kid in Salina, Kansas. Yeah. Was not a good. No, David.

[Host 2]

Music died.

[Nick Wooster]

Exactly. No, but the thing is like I, I didn't know that that's what it was, but I just knew that, okay, I was marking time as a child. Like, get me the out.

[Host 3]

Got you. Wow.

[Nick Wooster]

You saw the finish line and I, and I just knew that the options were New York or la, New York or nowhere. I chose New York because I was wouldn't have to get a DUI.

[Host 3]

This is what you're thinking about as a 12 year old.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, grew up quick, man. By the time, by the time I graduated from college and I announced, I'm moving to New York.

[Host 2]

And how'd that go over with the folks?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, they were like, well, don't you want to go somewhere else first like Dallas or Kansas City? I'm like, no, you're like, one day

[Host 2]

I will work for JCPenney.

[Nick Wooster]

Right? Yeah, I never saw that coming. That was never on my bingo card. Well, it's fun while it lasted, but, and it was. No but the thing is like, I just, I, I, I just knew that it was like New York, right? And yeah, I, that the thought of not driving factored into it. But also I thought New York was cooler. And it was. And you're correct, you know.

[Host 2]

When did you move to New York? Like, what year?

[Nick Wooster]

19. January of 1983.

[Host 2]

Was it happening in the gay underground at that point in the gay scene?

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Were you like on the piers?

[Nick Wooster]

I. I did do that. But the. But the thing was they literally. See, this is the sobering part. That weekend, the January 8, 1983, that Sunday, New York Times magazine, they had just given the name to aids. Like, and I was like reading this hadn't come out yet. And I was reading this, my aunt, uncle's apartment. And they were like, here, take this section. And so I'm looking at. And I'm like reading this story and like, oh, fuck, this is not cool. So, yeah, other than a slight, you know, AIDS epidemic. Yes, it was.

[Host 2]

Epidemics aside, you've always had great timing, Nick. Really, we're gonna get into that and so much more. But first off, you're New York, I think, because we are all attending an Allen Edmonds Reserve collection dinner tomorrow as the creative consultant and face and feet of the brand. Are you doing the seating chart?

[Nick Wooster]

I am. Oh, well, I'm. I. Yes, it's been sent to me and I have to. Yeah, you have to prove it.

[Host 2]

Who are we currently sitting next to?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, you're. I want to be at your table.

[Host 2]

Oh, okay, cool. Are you at the kids table or are we finally at the adults table?

[Nick Wooster]

I'm gonna be not at the kids table.

[Host 2]

So we. We finally made it.

[Nick Wooster]

No, there's two. There's two.

[Host 3]

Yes. Book it.

[Nick Wooster]

There's two tables that I would happily be at.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

And you're gonna be in a good table. Like. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Who are you sitting yourself next to? Because that's the best part of doing it. Someone you have a crush on.

[Host 3]

Oh, let's keep it professional here.

[Nick Wooster]

I'll just leave it. I'll let you surprise.

[Host 3]

Because we. We did the last time we were at Wild Cherry, ironically, I felt like we were the youngest people in a very old room and we deliberately got sat at what felt like a kid's table.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Host 3]

Which is weird. As nearly 40 year old industry veterans ourselves.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes. But the thing is, like, it's a.

[Host 2]

It's a.

[Nick Wooster]

First of all, I'm super, like impressed slash, you know, flattered that the people who are showing up are showing up. So there's a nice. There's a nice.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

And there will be some shoes involved, which is always a nice. Of course.

[Host 2]

Can you explain what the Reserve collection is in like the Allen Edmonds universe?

[Nick Wooster]

So Allen Edmonds, you know, is 103 year old brand. They've been around for a minute. And the thing is, they've always been able to make beautiful shoes. And there was a time in different ownership like, they were owned by private equity at a point before Caleris, who's the. The. The company that owns. Owns them now. Yeah, before that. And so they started to do a lot of things that someone like Alden didn't do, which was they started to make hybrids and sneakers and all these kinds of things that now are, you know, unfortunately or fortunately a part of the business. Like, you know, so what they did before I started working with them is they understood that there was an opportunity to go higher because they were sort of going down. And smartly they figured out, hey, there's something on the other side. And so the reserve collection was this thing that they came up with which was like, they did the heavy lifting. Like, they did it before I got there. My thing, my contribution has been to try to, like, wrangle it so that it's like a taste that I think can go a little better than maybe the direction it was going.

[Host 3]

Like, the EG collab. Right.

[Nick Wooster]

Is.

[Host 3]

I believe that's something that you set up, right?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it wasn't. No, they. That was also in the. In the works before I got there.

[Host 3]

That was a great show.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. I mean, public school happened since I've been there. And there's going to be a couple more that are. That I.

[Host 3]

These are made in America.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes. So that. So that's the other thing is they have this amazing facility in Port Washington, Wisconsin. When I. I saw Port Washington, I'm like, oh, Long Island.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

And so when they stop Ron Concoma.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, you're gonna go to Port Washington. I'm like, awesome.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I'll hop on the train.

[Nick Wooster]

And no, I mean, it is. No, it is. And it's actually in the most scenic sort of interesting kind of place. But yeah, so they. But the thing is, they. They have been used to doing things a certain way, and part of what I believe I've done is disrupted it a little bit to sort of push them to do things outside of their comfort zone.

[Host 2]

What was like, the first mandate you came in? You're like, it's got. We got to do this. We got it. We got. We got to make this happen. Was it like a collab? Was it, you know, no, it's more lux materials.

[Nick Wooster]

So the two shoes that we're offering, you know, for these guests at the dinner are the Miller, which was a loafer that they had already developed before I got there, and then an Officer Derby, which is what I brought to the table.

[Host 2]

That's a bit. That's a. That's a wooster.

[Nick Wooster]

Shoe.

[Host 3]

Absolutely. Is a wooster shoe in many an officer's derby.

[Nick Wooster]

I mean, you know, to me, it's just the most fundamental, basic, correct shoe. If there was one shoe that I could, I could only have one shoe, it would be an officer derby.

[Host 2]

Is that, Is that the pair that you're wearing the most?

[Nick Wooster]

It is, yeah. I, I, But I've always liked a heavy black. Usually black, but, you know, I think brown is super chic. Or quarterman's, even better. But, like, it's the perfect shoe because you can wear it with Comme de Garcon. You can wear it with jeans. You can wear it with, you know, a tailored suit. Like, it's always good. It looks great with a skirt, looks great with cutoff shorts. Like it all. And I love a derby at the beach.

[Host 3]

Wait, what? Really?

[Nick Wooster]

Absolutely. The boardwalk, Sapphire Island. Like, absolutely. It's like Tom Ripley, sand your toes

[Host 3]

all mangled or what's the deal?

[Host 2]

Oh, like in the beach town.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, like, when I go to.

[Host 2]

When you're going to high tea.

[Nick Wooster]

When I go. Totally. I, I love a up brogue

[Host 2]

high te. Come on in the pines. Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

Absolutely.

[Host 2]

What pair do you, what pair of Allen Edens you hate the most?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, they make, they make a few things that I sort of ghost, you know?

[Host 2]

Have you ever killed anything? Like, guys, we. No, we can't do that.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm trying to help them kill some

[Host 2]

things because, honestly, there's. I say this once all the time. There's power in saying no.

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 2]

There's curation, there's editing, there's intentionality versus just like, spray and pray.

[Nick Wooster]

I've never heard that. I like spraying.

[Host 3]

But you practiced.

[Host 2]

Yeah, Usually that's a sex thing.

[Host 3]

No praying involved for these, for these folk.

[Nick Wooster]

Okay. But let's go back. So, yes.

[Host 3]

Like, yeah, we digress.

[Nick Wooster]

Here's. So this is actually, you know, something that I've actually only come to sort of late in life, and that is, like, when I was younger, and I think many young people, and I'm going to speak for them, do this where they. Ugh, I hate that. Oh, why would they do that? Ugh. And what I've learned is that you could walk into any store, you could go to any Runway show, you could open any magazine. And when you see things, especially the things that you don't get or that you don't like or that you think that's stupid, what you have to understand is it didn't happen in a vacuum. A lot of people had their fingerprints on something. And so Things happen for a variety of reasons. And what I've learned is that many things in life, I mean, this was true, you know, when I was a buyer 30, whatever, 38 years ago. The things that you want to sell aren't always the things that sell the best. And the things that almost inevitably the things that you hate the most are the things that sell the best. And so I've learned to come to peace with that. So that. And what I've understood is that, okay, keep those things going so that it gives you the Runway or the ability to be able to do the things you want to do, which, you know, are not going to sell.

[Host 3]

Yeah. Compromise.

[Host 2]

So Ralph says, sells the cologne, you know, or like any. Or like any fashion brand, if they have a hit bag or a hit scent, then that kind of can kind of fund like, you know, the progression and evolution of, like, the tippy top. But, like, you know, if the mass is hitting, why fix that?

[Nick Wooster]

Right? And so, But. But to go back to the thing about killing things. So, yes, there's. There's lots of things that should, or you hope would die, but there's also sometimes things that you can sort of accept as, like, okay, I can live with that. So as long as it gives you the opportunity to have something else. And I would say that's been my experience in the past year and few months working with this. This team is that they're very open to understanding that they want and need to. To move forward and to do some new things, even if it's outside of their comfort zone. But also, I have to be respectful of, like, the things that are going to keep the lights.

[Host 2]

Of course.

[Host 3]

Yeah, yeah, that's professional and personal growth from Nick.

[Nick Wooster]

We love to see that.

[Host 3]

That's great. It just took them, you know, a little bit of time.

[Host 2]

I mean, yeah, it sounds like compromise and acceptance of. And. And like, maybe be softening your borders or whatever. It sounds like It's. It's a recent development. That being said, you are one of the rare people in fashion who isn't afraid to speak his mind. Has your big, pretty mouth ever cost you brand dollars?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it certainly cost me jobs like. Like GQ and, you know, Neo Marcus. Well, that was also stupidity on my part because I, you know, I, you know, even someone who went to journalism school, I sort of thought we were off the record, but I wasn't. And so then that's no, that's no one's fault but my own. Like, I don't. I can't be upset with them. For that. Right. They did their job.

[Host 3]

And you've come to grips with all that stuff, too, Like.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, but, you know. Wait, what was the question?

[Host 2]

Has you. Have you ever, like, spoken in your mind? You're like, I don't know. Like, I like. I hate sweaters. And, like, the sweater brand that you're, you know, has, like, a. You're doing a gig with is like, you, Nick. Like, we're pulling our dealers.

[Nick Wooster]

I haven't, to my knowledge, done that, but I'm sure that I.

[Host 2]

Your manager might say different.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. But I'm sure that that's, you know, still it's a. Yet for me, as they say in aa,

[Host 2]

one day at a time.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

But, yeah, I mean, I. I do have plenty of opinions about some things.

[Host 2]

What's your most unpopular fashion opinion that you. That right now is, like, burning a hole in you?

[Nick Wooster]

Prada sucks.

[Host 2]

Really?

[Host 3]

That's a personal beef.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, actually, let me put it this way. The Prada people suck. The group. Yeah, the Prada group.

[Host 3]

Not the clothes. We love the clothes.

[Nick Wooster]

No, the clothes are amazing.

[Host 2]

Mutcha, Raph.

[Nick Wooster]

I. You know, system. No, the. That whoever determines who gets to go to their Runway shows. Not including me in that. That, you know, was. Yeah. So, like. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Did you clap back at them?

[Nick Wooster]

No, because you are now. Well, I am now. Yeah, exactly.

[Host 3]

He just waited. He needed the platform.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. But it's just that, like, I. The thing that I always thought about. Think about menswear in particular, and I understand the world is not just men. Menswear. Hashtag menswear. There was always a kind of, like, generosity of spirit around men's. Like, it just was kind of like the sleepy stepchild or whatever it was. So the stakes didn't seem to be as high.

[Host 3]

Totally.

[Nick Wooster]

And Prada was the first, you know, time that I ever was, like, not offered an invitation when I requested one. I was like, excuse me. And this is after having worked with them, but, you know, having been and. And actually liking it. Like, I like them. I like what they do. Even if I don't like what they do. I like what they do because they stand for something. Like, they. You know, it's usually really beautifully made. And that's. That's a rare and nice thing. But if you're not going to. I mean, really me, like, okay, but, you know, but I get it. Like, they have metrics. They have whatever or whatever, so they can do whatever they want to do.

[Host 3]

They're Italian.

[Host 2]

They had to hit their billionaire quota.

[Host 3]

Yeah, well, your seat was given to Mark Zuckerberg, sadly.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, you know, but so. But here's the thing. So it's like, okay, great. Well, then I just don't have to worry about you.

[Host 3]

Have you softened as you've gotten older? Like, whereas maybe if this happened to you 10 years ago, you're going ballistic on Instagram or something, versus how you react now?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, because there's so many other things one can do during, you know, a Paris Fashion Week, a Milan Fashion Week, you know, a Pitti. But you don't want me to come. Perfect. I'll. I'll find other ways to spill the time. Like, I'm not worried.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Nick Wooster]

And I have softened because you're right. Like, 10 years ago, I would not have felt that way.

[Host 2]

What would you have done?

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, I'm sure I would have tried to, you know, do some pissy, you know, thing, Tweet, slash something. Slash something.

[Host 3]

Twitter.

[Nick Wooster]

It probably would have, like, not landed and, you know, would have just made me look worse in the end. And that's really it. The end of the day what this kind of thing is. It's like Prada.

[Host 2]

All my homies hate Prada. Unless you want to invite us to the show.

[Host 3]

Yeah, that's the thing, by the way.

[Nick Wooster]

Every. Exactly.

[Host 3]

All the opinions expressed are Nicholson Wooster's own.

[Nick Wooster]

And listen, if you got.

[Host 2]

I mean, did they give you an explanation where they just like, sorry, we're full.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, like, sorry, damn.

[Host 3]

You know, the same they would give to civilians like us, but. But he's not a civilian.

[Nick Wooster]

As the thing is, it's like, okay, like, sure, have a good life. Right? Like, okay. I mean, you know, you get to do what you want to do, and I get to do what I want to do. So if I want to talk trash about someone, I can choose to do that.

[Host 2]

What do you do instead of attending the Prada show? Hit Sniffies.

[Nick Wooster]

Sure, I hooked up. Yeah.

[Host 3]

This time well spent, man.

[Nick Wooster]

I would have gone shopping.

[Host 2]

How crazy does Sniffies go during, like. Like, you know, a grindr lights up during, like, the Republican Convention, Right? Like, is it the same thing with Paris Fashion Week?

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 2]

Sick.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 3]

They call the City of Lights it.

[Nick Wooster]

They call it what?

[Host 3]

The City of Lights.

[Host 2]

They do lights up when you're on that circuit. Are you, like, seeing, like, the same, like, dick pics and profile photos? Like, you're like, oh, I've seen this guy.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, 100.

[Host 2]

Amazing. You do get to refresh, like, the same way that, you know, you plan your new outfits for, like, Paris Fashion Week or Milan Fashion Week. You get to like take new picks for your like Sniffer Grindies, whatever. Or Sniffy's Grinder.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. Well, you should always keep current with picks, so. Yeah.

[Host 3]

Great thing about Paris Fashion Week. He gets older, the boys stay the same age.

[Nick Wooster]

It's. It's. But it's interesting how like, you know, when you're 24, a 40 year old. E. So old. And now it's like a 40 year old that's like young.

[Host 3]

You're right in the center of. I'm sure a lot of kinks. Dude.

[Nick Wooster]

I am. Yeah, definitely. There's. I mean, the daddy thing. Like how that. Because again, I've always been into younger guys. When I was younger, I was into guys my age.

[Host 2]

I was 12.

[Nick Wooster]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Host 3]

And let's move.

[Nick Wooster]

Fortunately, I've never been. And I mean even Today, like a 30 year old is pretty young. Yeah.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I agree.

[Nick Wooster]

Really young.

[Host 2]

Totally.

[Host 3]

They're saying 40 is the new 20, dude.

[Nick Wooster]

And it kind of is.

[Host 2]

What are the other kinks that you check the box for? Your. You got the daddy thing. Mustache. Mustache rides silver fox. Fashion. What do they call you? Fashion Uncle.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

I think the Asian community called nickname.

[Host 3]

Right.

[Host 2]

Do you still get the most ass in Asia?

[Nick Wooster]

No. Oh, I would say I do pretty well. I. When I go to Asia, it's. It's usually. I'm usually not doing that because there's other things going on. It's celebrity. Well, no, but like, you know, you got a plan. And you know, I always. I find that like Europe is probably the easiest.

[Host 2]

France, Italy.

[Nick Wooster]

France for sure. Or. Or London.

[Host 3]

It's their culture.

[Host 2]

I see one and I see France. What do you think about speaking of Wisconsin and I. I kind of didn't realize this or only putting two and two together now that Wisconsin is kind of like maybe like the second or maybe third tertiary shoe capital of the world behind like Beaverton in New England or of the country. What do you think about Donald Trump's current obsession?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Dog.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh my God. I. It's so twisted and it's hilarious that Alan Emmons has not been included in that.

[Host 3]

Well, you don't want to be included because he likes floor Right. Floor shine because he's a tacky cheap bastard.

[Nick Wooster]

Right, right, right. Like they're super queens, I think.

[Host 3]

Totally.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. But what's so hilarious is that he thinks he can size up people's feet and then wasn't poor Marco was wearing a pair that were like little Marco. Little Marco. Oh, they all are.

[Host 2]

It's my thing is why don't you just. Okay, why don't you just get the same model but in your correct size? You're like, oh, Mr. Trump, thank you again for these shoes.

[Nick Wooster]

Exactly. How is he ever gonna know?

[Host 3]

Like, he thinks he's his own discount code, like a podcast.

[Nick Wooster]

And also, you could spring for your own parole floor shine if you had to do that. Yeah, but it's at least not.

[Host 2]

Thank God it's not Alan Edmonds.

[Nick Wooster]

And thank God it's not the ducky brown yellow. Oh, you know, like, you still have those. No, I wish I did because that's

[Host 3]

the last time I remember floor shine being, like, hyper relevant. This is many years ago, but the ducky brown floor shines were like, a big deal if you were a menswor.

[Nick Wooster]

They were a thing. I mean, 2010, they were a thing. Damn.

[Host 2]

We mentioned that you were just in Japan. Did you do a lot of shopping when you're there?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Too much.

[Host 2]

How much. How much damage are you talking?

[Nick Wooster]

I don't know. I didn't total it up. It's like I'm in denial. I don't want to know how much I spent.

[Host 2]

Where do you spend. Where do you do the biggest splash out in Japan?

[Nick Wooster]

You know, it just depends. But like, I. Dover street is. Is for me the sort of the perfect place to start. And I. I spent a lot of money there also at Calm. Those are probably my two. But, you know, I bought so many accessories on this last trip because, well, some mascots, lots of scarves. But the thing is, it's like packing. It's like the trip home is always like. Because also I have a Mini Cooper. And so I had to think about, like, what I could. Could physically fit in the car.

[Host 3]

Because I like driving home from the airport. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Because I. I do that LAX valet service where you drive and drop off. And it's such a great.

[Host 3]

I love the. The idea of you in a Mini Cooper. That's great. The visual is fantastic.

[Host 2]

Yeah. With like your nine Removas full of Columbia garcon and asphalt.

[Nick Wooster]

Like, it'll take two of the giant FPM trunks, one duffel, one roller Ramoa that sits on the ground in the passenger side, and then the backpack will fit right on the side.

[Host 2]

We joke about this, but with a lot of people, but I don't think you might actually be the first person. Where do you travel to Japan with an empty suitcase?

[Nick Wooster]

I bring a empty duffel. Yeah. And put it inside one of the two big cases. So I travel with two, come back with three.

[Host 2]

So this trip Was it mostly. You come home with mostly calm or a capital or.

[Nick Wooster]

Or calm Sakai. I bought a Paul Hardin suit. Of course. I bought two pairs of shoes. Were they sneakers? Okay, I. Which is weird because. Because the hokas are one and then whatever. The moon shoe was called that. That Nike, not Jeff.

[Host 3]

Like the waffle race, the waffle racer.

[Nick Wooster]

There was like a white one with a red swoosh and I needed. Did something. Yeah.

[Host 3]

Flat little ballet style. Old school runner. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host 2]

What's your storage situation like in la?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, that's part of the reason that I live there. It's kind of perfect. Yeah.

[Host 3]

You have priority straight folks, because what

[Host 2]

we podcasted at your. 4 years ago your apartment in New York City, and I think that you gave the master. The master bedroom was converted into just a closet.

[Nick Wooster]

It was. And it was really the perfect closet. I have a version of that in la. Like a big. The bigger of the two bedrooms is also the same. It's not built out as nicely as that one was, but it's every inch.

[Host 3]

Yeah, you're organized. Right. Like when we were in our apartment, it was. There's no clutter. Right. Like, everything is accounted for to your credit.

[Host 2]

So what happens when you come home with a duffel bag full of johns from Japan? Well, there's space for it. Like.

[Nick Wooster]

No. So I. I had to do a. A run to the storage unit.

[Host 2]

Okay. How big is the storage unit?

[Nick Wooster]

Bigger than most people would. I mean, it's not. It's not the. 10 by 10.

[Host 3]

Okay. Right, right.

[Host 2]

Is it like climate control, like, humidity's in check. Is it like you have a. You have a spreadsheet documenting and logging everything?

[Nick Wooster]

I don't. But I don't keep my furs there. No, that's not true. It's probably not as climate controlled as it should be, but it seems to be very.

[Host 3]

No moths. That's all that matters.

[Nick Wooster]

And I, you know, and I can walk into it and like, see everything. So it's not like this thing where it's like shoehorned in and you've got.

[Host 3]

How often are you going to hang out at your storage unit and just thumb through your wares?

[Nick Wooster]

So you know where Mook Studios is in la?

[Host 3]

No.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it's. I live like five blocks from there and it's literally next to studios. I could. I never have. But, like. Because I've always got to carry. But. But yeah, it's like literally around the corner from my apartment, so it's easy.

[Host 2]

We would love to visit there one day.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, when you, when you guys come west, assuming that I'm still there, hopefully I'm still there because I really don't want to move. Like, I love living in la. Like, it's really a nice quality of life. The weather's so nice.

[Host 3]

Yeah, okay.

[Host 2]

But besides the weather side, the thing

[Nick Wooster]

is I do miss my friends and I do miss the routine. I miss walking and I need to work, so it's like I need to be here.

[Host 2]

What's the first thing you do when you get back to New York City?

[Nick Wooster]

Walk.

[Host 3]

Oh, okay.

[Nick Wooster]

Like, I miss walking. Yeah, yeah.

[Host 2]

Did you. When did you. When has it ever hit you that LA is a piece of town that you're gonna have to eventually leave?

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

As soon as I moved, I realized it was a mistake.

[Host 3]

I regret everything.

[Nick Wooster]

No, I don't. I mean, I don't regret it, but I knew that it was like, oh, this was not a good idea. Not my finest thinking.

[Host 2]

Have you gotten used to it?

[Nick Wooster]

Because obviously that's like, I like it. Like, it's, it's a great place to hide out.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

Because you don't see people in that way that here you see people, you literally walk outside and like, you see people. LA is very. Not that more anonymous. It's very anonymous. I just, you know, it's a, it's. But. And it's a great place to just work from or be from, like to use as a launch pad. But in terms of like, there's no work for me there. I don't do anything there closer to Asia. Yeah, but you know, it's only further two hours. It's only two hours. Really shorter than the flight from New York because New York, you go this way in LA, it's like, it's not really the 6, but this is the biggest problem with LA forgetting about is the six, the time zone. So like Europe is a problem because I work with a guy who's based in Switzerland and that nine hour time difference is really fucked up. So I get up at 3 and 4 a lot.

[Host 3]

What? That's crazy, dude.

[Nick Wooster]

Right?

[Host 3]

Like out of bed, like you, like wake. You set an alarm or.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, yeah, but are you wearing, are

[Host 2]

you, are you bottomless boxers?

[Nick Wooster]

I've. I've been known to sit with a sweater and a pair of boxers.

[Host 3]

Like Winnie the Pooh mode.

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 2]

Besides the obvious, like, you know, obviously driving the weather, like the obvious things that you knew you were preparing yourself for, were there any. Was there anything that maybe surprise you with like culture shock and moving to la?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, one of the things that I thought would be the case, but it was again, really naive on my part. Like, they are not interested in me in la. And what I mean by that is like, I have nothing, no connection to the entertainment business because they have no swag world. Yeah, well, but that, you know, so, so, yeah, so they're just not.

[Host 3]

There's no work.

[Nick Wooster]

There's literally nothing for me to do. And even events that happen half the time I don't get invited to because probably either people don't know that I'm there or I don't go to enough for people to know. But like. And honestly, it's fine.

[Host 3]

So is your routine then with all this free time on here, you're just like working out and just like, just getting the bet you're in the best shape of your life? Like, it's just.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm not in the best shape of my life. But I. But yeah, I do that, that routine, the working out of Barry is there and it, it's nice. And then just that it, it's motivating because it's not freezing or, you know, so.

[Host 3]

And everyone's hot as hell also. So you feel terrible about yourself.

[Host 2]

Well, are the guys hotter in New York early?

[Nick Wooster]

I think they're sexier in New York and they're more, Whatever you would say, like classically handsome in la.

[Host 2]

I think they're more camera ready in la.

[Nick Wooster]

There you go. Camera ready. They are very camera ready.

[Host 3]

Camera ready.

[Host 2]

Like body, face. You know what I mean?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

What. What dating apps are you spending time on these days?

[Nick Wooster]

I'm a scruff. Sniffies. Gay. Okay, Grinder. But it.

[Host 3]

What's the, what's the deal with Grindr these days?

[Nick Wooster]

I don't know, it's just like, I don't know it. I don't know if it's the me meaning, like, you know, what I. Who I am, what I represent. But I sort of think of Grinders being twinks for twinks.

[Host 3]

Oh, interesting.

[Nick Wooster]

How does something.

[Host 3]

You've been priced out.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

How does like Sniffies and. I don't know.

[Host 3]

Really?

[Host 2]

No, but like Sniffies is like more cruising. And how does it work in la where you like, go drive to the spot versus just like, oh, I'm near this, I'm near the spot. Let me just pop in and get one out real quick.

[Nick Wooster]

So the one thing, I don't use it as a location thing so much as just as a. But you understand where people are and they understand where you are. So if you're still going to get in the car and go to someone's house or they're going to come to yours. You at least have a sense of where they're coming from.

[Host 2]

But it is in the home.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, yeah. I know. I'm not. I. I am not, like, doing it out in the wild. Like, those days are long.

[Host 3]

Would you prefer to have. Prefer to entertain and have people come to you, or do you like to get out and see what. How other people are living?

[Nick Wooster]

It depends on where they live.

[Host 3]

Okay. It's all convenience.

[Host 2]

Depends on the traffic that day.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. It. So I would say I prefer them to come to me, but I have also been interested in not doing it.

[Host 3]

Oh, I'd like to see some real estate in that area.

[Nick Wooster]

Right, Exactly.

[Host 2]

I can stop at the storage unit on my. On my way home.

[Host 3]

That's right. Buying Erewhon. I wanted a smoothie. Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

But like, you know, if they live in K town or something, it's probably dodgy, so it's like, no, thanks. Like, I've. I totally understand of that.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Nick, four years ago, you're paying $31,000 a year on your fitness journey. What's the fitness budget looking like now?

[Nick Wooster]

I don't know that it's changed much.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

It. It costs money to.

[Host 3]

Oh, we get it.

[Nick Wooster]

You know, to, to look this good. Well, to do, you know, to stay afloat, I would say.

[Host 3]

Oh, just cruising altitude.

[Host 2]

Just to tread water. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Like, it's, It's. Yeah.

[Host 2]

When you were. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

It might even be more because of inflation, but.

[Host 3]

Right. I'm saying probably when you gave that figure publicly to the New York Times, the paper.

[Nick Wooster]

Which I also shouldn't have done.

[Host 3]

Well, I was gonna say, I don't remember what the reaction was like immediately when we talked about it four years ago, but, like, did it when it's now. Looking back, with hindsight being 20 20, do you get a lot of hate where people like, yo. This privileged.

[Nick Wooster]

I mean, that.

[Host 3]

Or maybe they.

[Nick Wooster]

So here's the thing. I probably do. But years ago even. I mean, from Tumblr days or something. I've never read comments. I don't read comments. I just, I. And I, I. Even when I think or know they might be positive, I just don't get involved because it's just not. It's a slippery slope. And I, I can imagine some of the things I think in my head about these people that I see. Imagine what? You know, the ones who are not afraid to use their fingers to type.

[Host 3]

Right.

[Nick Wooster]

But like, it's just a. It's a It's a losing proposition. Like, why get involved? But with all that said, I also am so amazed by who gives a. Like, if you say I did X. Like, I'm spending this amount of money on something. Like, okay, like, do you. Choices.

[Host 3]

Do you Boo.

[Host 2]

Yeah, like, also, I don't think that. Again, I don't know what it is now, but, like, it. It seems like you're slightly ahead of this. The whole, you know, fitness culture that now boutique classes, supplements, medication, personal custom everything. Everything. $31,000 is a lot of money. But I don't think it's like, as outlandish now as it might have sounded four years ago.

[Nick Wooster]

No. I think somebody in that same article said that they spent twice as much and somehow they weren't getting heat for it because maybe they didn't know them or it was visibility or they needed

[Host 3]

to spend that money because they look like. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Now that everyone and their mother's on Ozempic, are you on? Because you were.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

You were on that early? Yeah, yeah. Are you on some under the radar medication that normies don't know?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I'm on the latest one, the GLP3 one. That's like, we're on threes now.

[Host 3]

Is that right? Is that Retta?

[Nick Wooster]

Yes. Okay, exactly.

[Host 3]

Which is going for FDA approval currently.

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 3]

But you're taking peptide straight. Okay. Do you. I'm trying to. I'm trying to. I'm trying to get on your level, honestly.

[Nick Wooster]

Really?

[Host 3]

No. I mean, why not? He looks fantastic.

[Nick Wooster]

But here's the thing. Everyone's going to be doing this, right?

[Host 2]

Everyone knows everyone.

[Nick Wooster]

Everyone that is fortunate enough to be able to do this. But, like, yes, I think that this is the future. And, like, it's so the tip of the iceberg, I believe.

[Host 3]

Oh, yeah. You're not bone smashing and doing your crazy looks.

[Nick Wooster]

That guy is so scary.

[Host 2]

What's your stats stack? Yeah, that's your peptide stack.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, I. It's pretty basic. Okay. You know, I take Summer Ellen and then I take PT141.

[Host 3]

Really?

[Nick Wooster]

For tanning. Even though it's supposed to give you a boner. That's what it's really for. But it doesn't work for. That bird is right there.

[Host 2]

But it makes your. It makes you tan.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

It, like, increases a melon in your skin. So when you get so. I used to be such a, like, like Irishy white turning red sort of person. Now I tan.

[Host 2]

You look.

[Host 3]

You got a nice glow to you, dude. I just assumed it was la.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I was in the Bahamas like, okay, a couple weeks ago, you ten,

[Host 2]

but you're not hard. Really something else.

[Nick Wooster]

Or sometimes you get tan and hard at the same.

[Host 3]

That's.

[Nick Wooster]

That's the best combo, and that is a good combo.

[Host 2]

Hope you're not in the tanning bed. You might look that.

[Host 3]

Yeah. Are you off the top?

[Host 2]

Are you the OG Looks maxer again? You were early on Ozempic. You were early on, like, come of devoting a large portion of your income to just, like, health and longevity. Sounds like you might have been the OG Clev.

[Nick Wooster]

But looks maxing is just a code for gay. Let's just get with that.

[Host 2]

A lot of people are like, yeah, this is just some, like, even, like, smoke M. Like, that's some circuit muscle queen.

[Nick Wooster]

The gays have been doing this since the, you know, since the time before time. Like, yeah, it's like, you know, you want to get laid, you got to look good. So what. What are you going to do? Like, though, a lot of these guys.

[Host 2]

You hit that, Tina?

[Host 3]

Yeah. Though a lot of these guys are not looking to get laid seemingly, or may maybe. I'm thinking in terms of like, the opposite sex. They're looking to impress men. So, yeah, to your point, I guess they are just gay. Right.

[Nick Wooster]

And that clavicular, whatever the his name is, he's a total closet case.

[Host 2]

Like, do you think he's hot?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, I do. Clip it.

[Host 2]

What is. What is your workout routine? Are you tossing plates? Are you doing cardio? Like, what do you. When you actually get in the gym in your Rick and your hocus, what are you doing in there?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it's a little bit of all of the above. Like, you know, I. I have to do some sort of cardio component to get that heart rate going. And, you know, hit training is basically the best way to do that. So when I was training, when I was working out with this guy Mike in New York, the best thing was when you would do a bunch of surrogates where you throw some weight and then you do some rowing or throw some weight and then you do a couple sprints. Throw some weight. Weight, you know, and like, that is a good way to work out, as far as I'm concerned. It keeps you.

[Host 2]

It's terrible.

[Nick Wooster]

It keeps you going.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Interested?

[Host 2]

Sucks to do.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Well, no one hurts. No one hurts. Well, knowing your addictive personality, have you become addicted to working out?

[Host 2]

Sure.

[Host 3]

Yeah. Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

Straight. Absolutely. Shopping, Working out.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Not eating.

[Host 3]

Oh, okay. Sex addiction, Shopping addiction. Work. I mean, that's one for three.

[Host 2]

No, those are three. They're Three for three. Those are great food.

[Nick Wooster]

Like, you know, you could use any and. Or all of the above.

[Host 2]

Do you like the transition of food from New York to la?

[Nick Wooster]

I think the food in LA is great.

[Host 2]

Really it is.

[Nick Wooster]

So New York has the best food at the highest end, hands down. Although there's great high end food in la, but LA has better food from the bottom to the middle there. New York does not have.

[Host 2]

Well, they got the produce and they got Asians and Mexicans.

[Nick Wooster]

So, you know, I mean, Mexico, there is nothing better than Mexican food.

[Host 3]

That's your favorite. It's your number one.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it's, you know, one of. I mean, I. For me, you just can't go wrong with anything Italian.

[Host 3]

That's fair.

[Nick Wooster]

Because produce, yeah, clean.

[Host 3]

But you like, eat tacos on like from a streetcar. Like a streetcar.

[Nick Wooster]

Is that I can. But I've got a really good Mexican restaurant, family kind of Mexican place down the street from me.

[Host 3]

Great.

[Nick Wooster]

10.

[Host 2]

What's the current topical skincare routine?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, you know, and I, I say this not jokingly but like, and lots of people send me things, so it's like whatever's in the rotation. But you know Barbara Sturm. Oh, you know, I, I'm a big fan.

[Host 2]

Caring group.

[Nick Wooster]

Is it caring?

[Host 2]

I think so. I think they bought her for a billion dollars.

[Host 3]

Wow.

[Nick Wooster]

No, was it, Was it. I thought it was so Puig or Oh, the Dream, whatever it's called. Somebody bought her, you're right. But no, it's great. I think it's great.

[Host 2]

How much free shit do you get every week? That sucks. That you don't use, whether it's skincare or clothing.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, not nearly as much as I used to. One of the problems of where I live in LA is I have a porch and it's exposed to the street and stuff goes like it, you know, literally I can see a message like we delivered something and then I've opened the door and it's gone. Like, it's like you have a ring, camera.

[Host 3]

How are you preventing this? You know, what's your loss prevention strategy?

[Host 2]

Do you own a gun? Do you think people saw? They're like, yo, yo, look at that swag. The one swaggy guy in la, is here.

[Host 3]

He's not getting.

[Host 2]

He must be getting free.

[Host 3]

There's rear on that.

[Host 2]

He must be getting fire. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Have you guys seen like on Instagram some guy that like blows up the boxes with people? Like, I'm sure it's all AI generated, but they're so hilarious.

[Host 2]

No, it's like Blue dye, right?

[Nick Wooster]

With the dye.

[Host 3]

Like a bomb bag from the bank.

[Host 2]

Yeah, exactly.

[Nick Wooster]

I so wanted to do that.

[Host 2]

But how much, how much when it, when you do make it, when it does make it past the porch thieves, how much. What percentage of the stuff you get for free do you keep and what percentage sucks? And you like, let them have it or just put it on the street?

[Nick Wooster]

You know, there. It used to be a much higher proportion of things I didn't want. Now I would say it's pared down so much, meaning not as many people are sending things, but so much of it is stuff that I want or like.

[Host 3]

Like, so that's good.

[Nick Wooster]

I would say it's maybe 60, 70% in my favor. Like, meaning I keep it.

[Host 2]

That's pretty good. That's pretty high.

[Host 3]

That, those. That's a great shooting percentage.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. But, but, but also the percentage of what it is in total compared to what it is. I mean, it's probably a quarter like from its peak.

[Host 2]

But I think that, I don't think that's, I think that's industry wide is. They're like, we gotta chill on the seating.

[Host 3]

Seating is down for sure.

[Nick Wooster]

Okay, well, so it certainly is for me. But, but I found that the quality is better.

[Host 2]

So do you ask for things or do you like.

[Nick Wooster]

No, I'm not an asker.

[Host 3]

Not thirsty.

[Nick Wooster]

That's actually respect. That's actually not true. I, I do ask. I do ask the Barbara Stern people because they say, please ask us whenever you want anything. And I don't do it every time I need something. But like sometimes classy about it.

[Host 3]

For sure.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, because. And also I really like it. So it's like. And I'm always appreciative of you.

[Host 3]

So you're a big like, thank you on stories or whatever.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, yeah, that's.

[Host 3]

That's the way to do it.

[Host 2]

Yeah, that's the transaction. Yeah, that's the ask.

[Nick Wooster]

But it's, but it, you know, it's a, it's a low bar for me, but it's also, it's also really nice. Like, I do appreciate it. I mean, I've been getting a lot of Diptyque candles and Diptyque fragrance, which I enjoy. You know, that's a pretty penny right there.

[Host 3]

You could resell that very easily.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, but, but if I, if I'm not going to use it, I. I re. Gift it to people like my nephews.

[Host 3]

Smart.

[Nick Wooster]

Really appreciate it. And so it, it stays in the

[Host 2]

family system, but stays in the Wooster ecosystem. Are you accidentally turning your nephews into like swag lords.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm afraid I.

[Host 3]

You've spoiled them.

[Nick Wooster]

I have. I am. And I have because.

[Host 2]

How old are they?

[Nick Wooster]

So Jack is the youngest and he's 19. Oh, so they're like 20 and then. Yeah, and then 20. They're two years apart. So 19 and 21.

[Host 2]

But they're show college, you know, whatever. French 201 in like Sakai diptyque in

[Host 3]

the dorm is crazy. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, Jack, who's interested in being a designer and will and will do something in fashion for sure. He's got a brand on the side. Oh, he's, you know, he's a. And he's a cool kid. He's cute, he's cool. He's.

[Host 3]

That your influence, his love of fashion.

[Nick Wooster]

I, I believe it's like anything. You're born with it. Because it was like my. Our grand. Well, his great grandmother. My grandmother. No Wooster. My. My dad's mom, she was a seamstress, but she was like very capable. I'm not capable like with my hands of doing that. Of sewing and cutting and sewing. But like. And. But Jack has probably gotten some of those jeans from my father who also was good with his handsome mechanic. But like I didn't get any of the hands part, but I got the love of the eye and the look and the eye. Did you.

[Host 2]

Does your. Does your nephew ask you to wear his brand?

[Nick Wooster]

No, but I want to. Oh yeah.

[Host 3]

Oh, the ultimate co sign.

[Host 2]

So he doesn't give it to you? He doesn't seed you?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, no, he does. Amazing. But here's the story. So like my nephew, he has been. He did this project where he would thrift Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren, like Oxford cloth shirts or shirts. And then he screen printed this graphic of a. Of a rottweiler, a dog that he. He like made, designed. And I took a picture of me wearing it. And the Brooks Brothers people, Arthur at Brooks Brothers PR were like, oh, that's super cool. And so they sent a box of stuff to him.

[Host 3]

Oh, wow.

[Nick Wooster]

To Jack. And so he's actually in the process of putting it together right now and. Which is like so amazing. Like, do you take a fee for this?

[Host 3]

You know, connecting the dots, consulting now it's your job? Not yet, but I eventually Jack start saving up.

[Nick Wooster]

But you know, but I think that's like a super. That's. That's such a nice thing that like how all of this sort of pays off, I think.

[Host 2]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Nick Wooster]

It's nice to know people are paying attention. But it's also Nice to know that. Like. And. And he's a creative, interesting, good kid. So, like, I, you know, he deserves a success.

[Host 2]

When you're not getting free clothes from your nephew, how much do you spend on clothes every month? You had to put a number on it, if that's possible.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm not gonna.

[Host 2]

Your account was.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm not gonna say that number. It's a lot, but it's not as much as it used to be. I could spend a lot more.

[Host 2]

What happened? What happened?

[Nick Wooster]

Times are tough. Yeah.

[Host 2]

How much have you spent on clothing in your lifetime?

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, well, when I think about the. Probably all the real estate that I could own.

[Host 3]

Yeah. That's when it starts to really hurt.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. I used to do that with drugs, too. Like.

[Host 3]

Well, okay. Have you spent more on clothes or drugs? Drugs, overall.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, clothes, for sure.

[Host 2]

What was your drug of choice?

[Nick Wooster]

The next one. Oh, correct answer.

[Host 2]

Now that you're clothing of choice, the next.

[Nick Wooster]

The next one what?

[Host 2]

I mean, if it's a quality of a quantity thing, what's the most do you think you've ever spent on a single piece of clothing in your life?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I know what it is.

[Host 2]

Oh, what is it?

[Host 3]

Can you tell us, please?

[Nick Wooster]

$7,000.

[Host 3]

Jesus.

[Nick Wooster]

And I'm blanking on his name. Well, okay. You. You're gonna know.

[Host 3]

I hope I do.

[Nick Wooster]

It was that. He lives on. He lived on center street or whatever. What's that called? What's Lafayette?

[Host 3]

Okay. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Supreme.

[Nick Wooster]

No, he. Okay. Remember that kid Justin who used to work at. He was a buyer at Barney's. And before that, he worked at Sid Mashburn.

[Host 3]

Justin Doss.

[Nick Wooster]

Justin Dawson.

[Host 2]

He's not at Kiff.

[Host 3]

No, that's Justin Dean, I believe.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

J.D. is at Bonobos. But anyway, Justin Dawson.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, he was connected with him for a minute. It was like, an art project by Hartley Goldstein. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There you go.

[Host 3]

Yep. That was super. One of one.

[Host 2]

Was it a mask?

[Nick Wooster]

No, it's a. It's a kimono, like, kind of like long coat, which I still have.

[Host 2]

How many times?

[Nick Wooster]

Never wear it.

[Host 3]

I mean, the textiles twice. The. The raw materials that he was using are like.

[Nick Wooster]

It's like.

[Host 2]

It is a.

[Host 3]

It's art. It's art.

[Nick Wooster]

It's a beautiful object.

[Host 2]

Cost per wear. 30 $500.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, I think I've only worn it once or twice.

[Host 3]

You paid Hartley $7,000 for a bunch of rags?

[Nick Wooster]

Correct. And he gave me a couple of shirts out of the deal for free. And a pair of pants, too. Okay, so, you know, amortized a whole wardrobe.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

No, but like, it was, it was amazing. But the thing is, I used to have pre Covid. I used to say anything under 3,000, I wouldn't question it.

[Host 3]

Like, you don't even bat an eye.

[Nick Wooster]

Wouldn't bat an eye. But that, that 3,000 today is like, like doesn't get you far. No, no, that's. And so. But also I still have that psychological barrier. Like, I just. Things that are four and $5,000. I remember when you could get a several row suit made for that kind of money. And so I still use that as like number in my head. That, like, it's just not okay.

[Host 2]

Yeah, I'm like that with a hundred dollars.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, economy.

[Host 2]

I'm not joking.

[Nick Wooster]

But my father is like that. But like, like, you know, and I understand. When I say, oh, that's a good price, I understand that's so stupid because my idea of a good price and yours or my father's idea of a good price is not anywhere in the realm of the same.

[Host 2]

Do you buy vintage at all?

[Nick Wooster]

You know, I don't and it's. I don't. But I should not.

[Host 3]

If you don't like it.

[Nick Wooster]

It's not that I don't like it. I just find it well now. That hard to. Yeah, there's something about like a store that. That experience, I guess having worked in retail virtually all my life. I mean, I started working in a store in 1976. That was 50 years ago. You know, it's 16 years old at the time. It's been in my blood for a long time. But one of the things that I do think is when I see things in a store, it legitimizes it for me. Like, it makes it real.

[Host 2]

What about like, you know, if you're in Japan, they have, you know, stores that are just very beautiful and very offer that retail, amazing retail experience. But it is like they've surfaced archival Comme des Garcon, for example, which maybe I don't know if it's a collection missed out on or maybe you didn't appreciate at the time. You can revisit that.

[Nick Wooster]

So. No. And I think that's amazing. And I do, but I haven't availed myself to that. Like, it's not on my radar of like. And I do know that there are people who specialize in this kind of thing, but generally I'm just.

[Host 3]

You have a psychological barrier.

[Nick Wooster]

I. I like stores. Like, I. I just feel like a nice store, a nice experience, you know.

[Host 2]

What are your favorite stores in la?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, there's great Stores in la. Mohawk General.

[Host 2]

Yeah, sure.

[Host 3]

Shout out to fam.

[Nick Wooster]

I mean, I, you know, Union is like a stalwart, but there's. I mean, there's Dover Street.

[Host 2]

Do you like that?

[Nick Wooster]

Departmento is great.

[Host 2]

Do you like that? Do you like Dover street? La.

[Nick Wooster]

Okay, so here's what I told Adrian, you know, the guy who.

[Host 3]

Oh, no, we're familiar with Mr. Joffe. Yeah, yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

So. And because, you know, in my mind, Karan can do no wrong. And they literally they. That entire organ that. That universe is still. For me, it doesn't get better than that. The thing that I think is interesting about Dover street is how each one is different. And, you know, there's pluses and minuses to each one. For me, Tokyo and. And London are tied for the most interesting and the best, let's say. But what I said about New York. LA is New York. Great content, terrible format, L.A. amazing format, terrible content.

[Host 3]

Oh, the buy is off.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, it's just different. It's not the same.

[Host 3]

So you don't want to go to Murray Hill to shop in New York, and when you go to Dover in la, you're like, I don't want to buy any of this crap.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, the. The problem when I say bad format is that that space, which is a beautiful space, and they do such a good job of, like, making it interesting. That elevator in the center makes it unwieldy. It's, like, not my favorite.

[Host 2]

It's also impossible to get it and.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. And so, you know, but. But the LA thing, all based on one level, is like, super cool. Like, it's an amazing experience.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Amusement park.

[Nick Wooster]

It is.

[Host 2]

What is? Like, you step in, you don't know what room you're stepping into, and you kind of just like, opens up in front of you in la.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, exactly. And also, I always feel, I think this about the Para Store too, is it's easy to miss things. Like, you always know that if you're seeing it all. And I. But I like that. I like that it's not so Right. Mapped out for you.

[Host 3]

Right.

[Host 2]

There's discoverability. Discoverability.

[Nick Wooster]

You got to, like, pay attention.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Host 2]

Do you have a grail of clothing that still to this day has escaped you and you, you know, have nightmares about, you know, buyer's remorse.

[Nick Wooster]

I used to. There was a. There was a junior Watanabe, and I don't know if it was a moncler collaboration or. Or even something like Rocky Mountain Featherbed, but there was this like, like down vest in a tweed. In a Donegal tweed. That had, like, a nylon or a leather sort of, like, yoke at the top. And it's one of those things that if I ever saw it, I would buy it, but I've never seen it since.

[Host 2]

Are you. Are you on, like, grilled and ebay and.

[Nick Wooster]

No.

[Host 2]

Like that. Okay, so where are you gonna see.

[Host 3]

Have you ever seen this, John, in person? Or was it just like you saw

[Nick Wooster]

it on the Runway at Dover Street Market the very first time I went in 2005?

[Host 3]

Well, this is an archive piece. This is 20 years old, right.

[Nick Wooster]

2005 or 2006.

[Host 3]

So that, to you is the one.

[Nick Wooster]

And it was just a thing that I still to this day, remember.

[Host 2]

If we found it, would you buy it?

[Host 3]

We could pro. I mean, sure, I've looked for it,

[Nick Wooster]

but let's see if you can find it.

[Host 3]

Have you thought about the emotional impact Raise retirement is going to have on it?

[Nick Wooster]

That might be it.

[Host 2]

Is it.

[Host 3]

It's Montclair.

[Host 2]

500 bucks.

[Host 3]

No way.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Okay, well, James found it. Was it a vest? Or would you. It wasn't a jacket version.

[Nick Wooster]

It was a vest. But I feel like the tweed was different.

[Host 3]

Maybe there might be different patterns.

[Nick Wooster]

It was a vest.

[Host 2]

Maybe this is a fake.

[Host 3]

So this is Montclair cdg collab, specifically.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I remember.

[Host 3]

Oh, here's. Here's the Junior one. Is this what we're talking about?

[Host 2]

Out.

[Host 3]

This has got to be it.

[Host 2]

Grill doesn't.

[Host 3]

Is that.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, it is like that. But it was it. But it was a vest.

[Host 3]

Okay, what do you want the jacket? You want sleeves, you want the vest?

[Host 2]

285 on Depop, size medium, fair condition.

[Host 3]

This is Montclair, though.

[Nick Wooster]

This is different. But that. No, it was.

[Host 3]

It was Monk or I mean, a cdg, not Junior.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, but I remember.

[Host 3]

It's a great podcast.

[Nick Wooster]

Junior.

[Host 3]

Maybe there's. There's iterations. Either way, we'll send you some links. Let. Let the. Let the young kids handle it. Nick. We got it.

[Nick Wooster]

My sourcing.

[Host 3]

Yeah, we got it. It seems. It seems like this thing is readily available.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

To be fair.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, and the other thing I've always wanted and I still want is a. And I can't even believe I'm gonna say these words out loud. A Louis Vuitton Steven Sprouse graffiti bag. Iconic in olive, with the olive graffiti. But the big duffel, that's gonna be

[Host 2]

harder to find, right?

[Host 3]

That might be in Japan.

[Host 2]

Are you a bad guy? I'm not talking about your drug days.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm not.

[Host 2]

Because the thing is, like, you'd be so broke.

[Nick Wooster]

I know, right? Jewelry and bags. Thank God. I'm not really into. But. No, but I. Because of travel. So things like duffel bags become important. Or a backpack. I mean, I'm still carrying a vision backpack for 1112 years.

[Host 3]

A great backpack.

[Nick Wooster]

But it's the perfect backpack and it holds so much.

[Host 3]

Arguably the acceptable backpack for a grown man. It's got to be Viz with the D. Is it the deer skin on it?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host 3]

That's the best, dude.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Okay, so we'll find you this. The sprouse might be. That might be harder to track down,

[Nick Wooster]

but I think, I think I saw one at one point, but it was expensive. It was like 7 or 8,000. And it's like, that's a.

[Host 2]

That's a rare weaves kimono.

[Host 3]

I was gonna say flip. Flip the kimono.

[Nick Wooster]

But you know, but, but even like 3, 4, 5, 6, like once you're spending that kind of money on an item, it's like, wow.

[Host 2]

I only recently crossed the 1k threshold myself for like what was that? That jacket. But it was like besides a suit. But yeah, it's like if you have that psychological threshold, you just, it's honestly, sometimes that's good. Like you need that. Otherwise you're just gonna, you know, if you start not blinking an eye at 7k, like you're gonna be.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, don't do what I do. Like, don't do this. Like, I am the poster child for, for not doing this.

[Host 3]

I think it's different for people. Like watches, jewelry, kind of precious metals make sense.

[Nick Wooster]

And then it's.

[Host 3]

When it's a sick fur line jacket from Japan, you do need to do a little bit of mental gymnastics or work up the courage. You've passed that point naturally.

[Host 2]

But.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, you know, I get it. But I, I have loved clothes since I was old enough to speak, you know, And I always had opinions about what I would, would or wouldn't wear or what I wanted, what I didn't want. And so I do think that, well, you love, you know, what was the

[Host 2]

first thing you remember like really wanting and acquiring as like a young farm boy?

[Nick Wooster]

Sperry Topsiders.

[Host 3]

Ah. Were those not popping off in Kansas where they were hard to track down?

[Nick Wooster]

They were hard to track down.

[Host 3]

Imagine.

[Host 2]

What do you do?

[Nick Wooster]

Like, Like I was in order them off a catalog. Great. Okay. And yes, I called Wolf Brothers in Kansas City sick.

[Host 3]

That's awesome.

[Nick Wooster]

And they sent them to me and it was like a thing.

[Host 3]

Do you remember how much?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, I don't, but it was $20. It was. Might have been like 50, 75.

[Host 2]

Really? That's a lot.

[Nick Wooster]

It might have been boat shoes in

[Host 3]

the 70s where they got it like that.

[Host 2]

Maybe they had boat shoes in a

[Host 3]

landlocked state, Kansas City, for all the yachting.

[Nick Wooster]

Right, the yachting. But it, you know, it was like, to come full circle. So, like, I got to go to this Brooks Brothers center in LA a month or so ago for the Chinese New Year. They did it at Mr. Chow, which was actually super nice. And I sat next to Lisa Bernbach. And, you know, she's fantastic. I love her. But that book was so seminal. I mean, this came out a little bit later.

[Host 3]

Preppy Handbook. For anybody wondering at home.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, the Preppy Handbook.

[Host 3]

The og.

[Nick Wooster]

But now it's all about prep.

[Host 2]

Yeah, well, the other kind.

[Nick Wooster]

But it was never. Not about that.

[Host 3]

That.

[Host 2]

I'm talking about the medication.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, I know.

[Host 3]

Wait, so you sat next to Lisa, and while you guys were, like, talking about. Well, yeah, formative years, you would have bought that before the handbook came out, right?

[Nick Wooster]

I did. Yeah. But that's the thing. The book kind of, like, reinforced kind of what I was learning on my own. And I think that's what I would say is that maybe the difference between generations now versus then is that like. Like, you kind of had to study it, see it, learn about it, find out you had to work for it, call the store. Well, you had to do things. It wasn't just like, here you go, you know, two buttons, Apple Pay. Right.

[Host 3]

See you.

[Nick Wooster]

Frictionless. There was a lot of friction.

[Host 3]

We need more friction, right?

[Nick Wooster]

We do. I think that that's probably the single saddest thing in life, is that there's not as much friction.

[Host 3]

I'm with you. That's why this pot exists, to add more friction to prospective young buying men.

[Host 2]

Got to get through an hour and a half to hear our first prep joke. Well, if the rare weaves, $7,000 kimono is the piece of clothing you wear the least. What's the piece of clothing? The one piece of clothing you wear the most, you get the most wear out of.

[Nick Wooster]

I mean, I. You know, first of all, Uniq glow underwear.

[Host 2]

I mean,

[Nick Wooster]

the basics. Because the problem is, I don't wear anything a lot.

[Host 2]

Really.

[Nick Wooster]

Okay. I mean, I'm sure it's a pair of shorts of some sort.

[Host 3]

Okay, let's talk about it. Favorite shorts.

[Nick Wooster]

I gotta go with Sakire comb. Like, they just, you know, and I. I like a wool short. Like, I'm not into cotton shorts because they don't seem kind of enough, but like a, a, a, a wool, you know, big, short, usually black, but it could be navy. I just bought a pair of navy cargo Sakai shorts because you would think you must have a million. I do have a million. Black. I don't have a million. Navy.

[Host 2]

Well, there you go.

[Nick Wooster]

And so. Or like gray. I like a gray tropical pleated sort of short. Is like a good, like, that's a basic for me.

[Host 3]

Bermuda shorts.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, they got to be right at. Or right, right on the knee.

[Host 2]

Do you ever go short shorts?

[Nick Wooster]

Sure. I mean, I do kind of mid thigh, so I don't know what that is, but like, but you know, you start to get creepy skin. Like, that's another thing that happens that you just can't control.

[Host 2]

So we still doing Speedos? The beach dick.

[Nick Wooster]

I do Speedos by the pool. Okay. But I don't walk around in them.

[Host 2]

Speedo and derbies?

[Host 3]

No, literally, Tom Ripley.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. I, I like a Speedo and a derby. There you go.

[Host 2]

What's the longest pair of shorts?

[Nick Wooster]

You'll go, well, that. So.

[Host 2]

And when do shorts become pants?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, right then they. The minute it goes past the knee, it hovers in what I call the unfortunate length. And then that's like a really slippery slope where is always better. It isn't because like that midi. That midi length. And I have these combination pants that are, you know, like. And I literally. That is a lesbian headmaster look. Like, it's not flattering, but it's. I like it.

[Host 2]

It's comfortable.

[Host 3]

Do you wear jorts?

[Nick Wooster]

I do.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm a big fan of it. Oh, really?

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. Okay, so. But again, don't try this at home. Like, there's nothing better than a Levi cut off. Like a Levi 501 sort of mid thigh. It's got to be super up with some holes in it. Like, it can't be precious, it can't be clean. I. Okay. I have, I own one amiri thing and it's a pair of shorts that Mike sent to me for my birthday. Like, I don't know, 2014.

[Host 2]

Are they brand new jean shorts?

[Nick Wooster]

No, they were like super cut off with holes and they're super. They're really good. Like, they're really good as a, as a cutoff jean short. Now I am a big fan. I have class and I have. Do you know that Japanese brand class?

[Host 2]

Oh, I thought you meant like, I have class.

[Nick Wooster]

No, no, it's a Japanese brand.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Host 2]

Unaware class. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

C L, A, S S. And it's one of those that, like, I remember hearing about thinking, that's a stupid name, but they actually have some. Really? But I have these big, giant culottes. Jorts, Right? Yeah. C L, A, S, S, E. No.

[Host 2]

C, L, A, S, S. Oh, what the Is this?

[Host 3]

Yeah, we're on a different thing.

[Host 2]

Well, you mentioned, like, I forget exactly what you said, but do you intentionally not. Well, we were talking about, like, the thing you wear the most. Do you intentionally not. Are you not someone who, like, falls into, like, oh, I wear these. You know, I wore these jeans four times this week. Or, you know, I really love the sweater, so I'm going to try it, like, a few different ways. But every day is a completely different iteration of your personal style.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes. I don't tend to repeat, but sometimes I do. It depends on, like, when I travel, sometimes I get into a thing, and I understand the appeal of a. Of a uniform or the. I, I think. Isn't Anna famous for, like, wearing something for a very short burst of time and just, like, wearing it and then doesn't ever wear it again again? I can understand there's an appeal to that, but there's also, like, I have so many clothes, like, I want, and I am a big. I am not a believer in, if you haven't worn in a year, get rid of it. Absolutely not. There's, like, stuff that I've had that I haven't worn in five or 10 years.

[Host 3]

It will reveal itself.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. Then it's like, there's nothing better than being able to shop your closet.

[Host 2]

It's the best.

[Host 3]

Shop your closet, folks.

[Host 2]

And what do you do? Do you. You're, like, in the studio, you're in the storage unit. It's like, you know what? Maybe it is time to bust out these Zia suits or whatever. I'll.

[Nick Wooster]

I don't know.

[Host 2]

I can't think of anything.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes. Like, yes, it is that things just seem kind of right again or right even if they were never right. Sometimes it comes around, sometimes it's never right. But, yeah, I'm a big believer in rotating, but also, like, not. I understand when you live in places like New York or Hong Kong or Tokyo, like, spaces at a premium, and it's hard to warehouse things. But

[Host 2]

do you miss, like. Like, a big thing of New York style is utility?

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 2]

In the fact that we are walking, it's going to be 40 degrees in the morning and 65 degrees in the afternoon and then 35 degrees at night. And so you kind of have to, like, prepare and dress and layer for that. Do you miss having that in la.

[Nick Wooster]

La, but no, but you need that in la because the, the, the. It's all about the sun. Like, it's literally a city where it can be fall in the morning, summer in the afternoon, spring at night. Yeah, but you're winter. Well, but no, but you've got to still get out of it, all right? No, but there's nothing worse than like being caught with your pants down

[Host 3]

where

[Nick Wooster]

like you, you know, if you don't have the right kind of. Of jacket, wrap, sweater, scarf, beanie, something, you're going to freeze your tits off.

[Host 2]

Do you keep in your car in the Mini Cooper?

[Nick Wooster]

Absolutely.

[Host 2]

Really? What, what, what are the, the things that you keep just like as backups?

[Nick Wooster]

I keep a barber jacket.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

And I keep a sweater like a baton, like Marino kind of cardigan. Right. Like nice. Yes. Or a sweatshirt. I keep like a. A pressa sweatshirt.

[Host 3]

Ah, he. You. If you're always ready, then you're good to go. Right?

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 3]

Stay ready. You're always ready.

[Host 2]

How hard are you going? Because you love the Japanese classic calm sakai. How hard are you going in like this new wave of Japanese brands?

[Nick Wooster]

So, you know, I mean, the, the problem with a lot of this is it's also expensive and you're just like. But I went in Kyoto to tt, to what it's called. It's Departmento in la. Also has an amazing little shopping shop. Beautifully done, just like the store in Kyoto.

[Host 2]

But they just, they just opened an opera say Shop and Shop, right in Departmento.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, did they?

[Host 2]

I think so.

[Nick Wooster]

They have an amazing one at the Dover street in Ginza. It's really beautiful. No, that.

[Host 2]

Tt.

[Nick Wooster]

Thank you. You're welcome. I bought a sweatshirt and a cotton jacket that's I can't wait to wear this summer. Kind of a military jacket kind of thing. Like field jacket? Yeah, sort of.

[Host 2]

Are you also going crazy with like orally Camoli shine?

[Nick Wooster]

I was on all that.

[Host 3]

Yo, that talk. Your talk. Your brother.

[Nick Wooster]

But no, but yes. I mean, because it's so good.

[Host 3]

Yes.

[Nick Wooster]

I almost bought a pony skin. Well, you know, haircut, whatever. Bomber jacket. But it was like from who? Or Ali. But it was like almost $4,000.

[Host 3]

Money well spent, man. I don't know.

[Nick Wooster]

But I didn't do it. But it was really cool.

[Host 3]

Banger.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. Because.

[Host 2]

And how do you find out? How do you educate yourself? Is it just through shopping?

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

And paying attention, Being in the trenches. Yeah, paying attention. Looking what people are wearing, finding money, like asking. But here's the thing that all of those brands that we just mentioned. Yeah. And I. This is like, my dividing line is, you know, and I apologize to anyone in these groups, but, like, you know, like, I am not interested in a power brand. What's a power bottom?

[Host 2]

Maybe, you know, like, Like a Louis Vuitton.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. Like anything carrying her lvma. Like, any. Anything in that those universes. Product kind of goes in that. It's like, it's just not interesting to me. What's interesting are things like Dries Calm Sakai t, you know, you know, apresa. Even though it's like vis vim because it's like, you're not. Well, you might pay the back end a lot for these things, but, like, you're not paying for all that marketing. You're not paying for the of, like, like, you're actually buying product that's beautifully sourced, beautifully made, better fabrics.

[Host 2]

Have you always felt that way, or is that. Did you have an era where you were, like, in lvmh, caring head to toe?

[Nick Wooster]

I never.

[Host 2]

You've always felt that way?

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 2]

Fire. Because for kindred spirits, us.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, because it's like, I. Okay, so here's like, another complaint that I have. Like, when people were bitching about quiet luxury as a. As, like, it was a trend, we wanted to go away. There's always been. It's called taste. No taste.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

It's called logo. No logo. Like, you know, obvious. Not like, you know, there have always been people who dress in a super obvious way, hide behind, you know, hiding behind logos or whatever or garish colors or just clearly no taste. And there's always been better taste.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

You know, Jill Sander was always, like, for me, the perfect sort of embodiment of beautifully made. And I've always liked Jill Sander the brand because of, like, what it stood for. And that, to me is, like, better than an obvious.

[Host 3]

Right. Does it bother you when the masses find out about these things that you love because it's been rebranded as a trend on TikTok, or do you not.

[Nick Wooster]

I'm not on TikTok, so I don't really.

[Host 3]

I'm just saying.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes. I mean, I, I, I, Yes, I. No, because here's the other thing. I've never, like, if, if the, if you, if all three of us bought the same thing, that to me, is not a disqualifier. I'm all for it. Like, I'm not that I'm not precious about. Like, if you own something that I own or buy. If you buy something because you saw me wear it. Okay. Cool. It's not going to look the same. Like, and I don't mean that in a good way or a bad way, but it's just. It's not like. Yeah, yeah, I know that how I wear clothes is very different from most people. And so I don't care.

[Host 2]

Do you see Nick Wooster clones out there that are just like, oh, I. He wears it, I buy it, I wear it. And then it's just like A and B. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Really, I've. Well, especially with haircuts and, you know, facial hair, slash. And I do know people in life who are very like, what is that? What is that? You know, and then they, you know,

[Host 2]

Id a lot of your. Do you get a lot of DMS that are just like, what is that? What is that? What is it?

[Nick Wooster]

Yes, like, a lot. They pay me well. But I, you know, some skin off my teeth because I'm always like, good luck. No meaning, like, you're not gonna get it. Like, it's like, it's. Because you're asking me something that's four years old and it's like, it's.

[Host 3]

Sorry, they sold out of comb army helmets.

[Host 2]

Can we talk about that. That outfit.

[Nick Wooster]

What the.

[Host 2]

What was. What went through your mind that morning when you put that together?

[Nick Wooster]

Okay, so here's the thing. I. Okay, and when I say all this, I. It's. I never think about what I'm gonna wear. I really do not. I mean, obviously I have to think about it when I pack, right? Which. So I travel a lot, so I'm. I am thinking about. But I never think of outfits. Like, I think of things that could go together at some point in some way, but I'm not like, this jacket, this bottom, this, you know, hat, this scarf with this is like. I don't think like that. It's not until I get dressed. However, that happened because of British Air. So what happened was I. Ba.

[Host 3]

Prada, Frog.

[Nick Wooster]

British Airlines. So no. So here's. So that trip was a. I. I paid for that trip on my own because the pity thing. So I used miles and I was able to get a ticket on British Airways first, but I had to go from LA to Houston on like a. Some tiny plane. And then it was like, British Air first. Houston, London. And I was meeting someone from Allen Edmonds who I took to Pitti for the first time. And we. We did shopping in London first. And then we. Anyway, they lost my luggage between Los Angeles and Houston on British Air.

[Host 2]

Brutal.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, they lost I. So I came with two giant bags, those fpm. Like cases and they lost one of the two. And the one they lost was the accessories. So I packed it that I had the tops and bottoms in one, the clothes and then the other one was like the accessory. Shoes, cosmetics, whatever.

[Host 2]

You gotta do the thing where it's like, all right, we're the family's splitting up so that if one plane goes down, we don't lose the bloodline. You got to mix your. In the bags.

[Host 3]

It's like now, you know.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, well, I'm shoeless, right. So that's the bag they lost. So. And it was like. And I had literally gotten an and oh. And the guy who I was meeting, his flight got delayed so he, he was going to meet me in the morning on Saturday. So I had a day by myself in Houston, in London.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

And so. But I had also gotten an email from dsm, like final markdown, like, you know, whatever. So I'm like worked out. I'm going to. I'm gonna go to Dover street and on the way I stopped at Uniq Glow and I got like underwear.

[Host 2]

You don't think they're colluding with British Airlines?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

All right. Our number one customers on his way. You got lose his bags. We'll. We'll slide you a comb helmet.

[Nick Wooster]

So the comb helmet I actually got in New York because I got it on sale because they had it left and I was like, I'm shocked they had it. Right. I know that it was the last one.

[Host 2]

What percentage markdown was it? Scooped it.

[Nick Wooster]

I think it was 40.

[Host 3]

Okay, maybe that's doable.

[Nick Wooster]

But it was like. And also it's super light. Like it's a super.

[Host 3]

Well, you're not supposed to wear in war, Nick. It's not like actually made.

[Host 2]

I know people.

[Nick Wooster]

That's so heavy. I'm like, no, it's felt. It's like lighter.

[Host 3]

Yeah, it's a.

[Host 2]

It's a hat.

[Nick Wooster]

I do have a good picture of me traveling with that hat because it was in that ready made bag that was like the, the Birkin, but the giant one and it just fit right on top of that. So.

[Host 3]

So a gay combatant.

[Nick Wooster]

Exactly. Well, anyway, I go to Dover street and I start at the top and I go down and that Elena Dawson, that pink jacket was there and I was like, oh my God, this is amazing. It was not on sale, but I like held that. And then I went all the way down to the bottom because that's how I like to shop. There is. You start on one floor.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

And then you consolidate everything and so the last stop was in. On plus on the ground floor. And that that skirt was there. And I'm like, oh, my God, this is gonna be so killer.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

And so I. I knew that I would wear that on comb day. And perfect. And the ROI on that was worth.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Was there. Was there part of you that was like, this is my you to quiet luxury.

[Host 3]

It's comb day.

[Nick Wooster]

It's just calm day. Like, I don't. You know. And yes, it is a you to quiet luxury. It's also a you to like. Like, just. I totally look like an old woman.

[Host 2]

You cut. You kind of look like the pigeon lady in humble, too.

[Nick Wooster]

Totally. But it was like. And I would. Because it made me laugh. Like, I'm interested in stuff that, like.

[Host 2]

Well, I think that was the. What Gallagher wrote. He's like, finally some joy.

[Host 3]

Yeah. You know, the incredible fit of the day. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

But it was hilarious. Like, I mean. And. But so anyway, so that was, like, the one. One thing that I planned a week ahead. A week ahead.

[Host 3]

Worked out.

[Nick Wooster]

But it did work out. And I had something else planned for comb day when I was packing one

[Host 3]

of the dinosaur outfits.

[Nick Wooster]

No. Well, another skirt thing, but it was, like, super heavy, which I ended up bringing another multi pocket cargo. Military green, but it's like a blanket. Right. Anyway, I had another jacket that I was going to wear.

[Host 3]

In terms of the roi, I will say not only did I love seeing it, because it also just made me happy. And you're obviously happy, but. And correct me if I'm wrong or if any part of you thought this as well, but it's like, okay, you're the street style God. You're a legend. You are arguably untouchable in terms of men in that space. This is kind of like, not the. Hey, remember me? Because you didn't go anywhere, but it's like. That's right. No one does it. Like, you can do it.

[Host 2]

Did you.

[Host 3]

Any part of you think that? Because it's like, come on, dude. Like, no one else could wear that. Nobody. And you did. Did. And everyone saw it a million times, as they should.

[Nick Wooster]

No to the first part. But I did. I did think that, okay, somebody's gonna take this picture. Like, you know, like, I. But it was funny because as I was walking, because the first show was junior that morning, and I was walking to a taxi stand because I was staying at this little hotel in the seventh, and I walked by a window, and I caught a glimpse of myself, and I did. I snapped a mirror selfie. A. You know, A window selfie. Because I'm like, oh, this is really good. Like, but it was. Because it was so twisted. Like, I just.

[Host 2]

If the tourists started throwing change at you, you know, the fit is good.

[Nick Wooster]

Right? Right.

[Host 2]

What if you brought it to someone that was also wearing the helmet?

[Host 3]

Like, oh, oh, you also got it on sale. You got the same email.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, no, no, but there were several hats. But like, they, they. Because there was the. There. It came in black and it came in the green. And I did see it a few times.

[Host 2]

Huh.

[Nick Wooster]

But like, nobody had that Eleanor Dawson jacket in pink, you know, tweed. But it was also, like, it didn't matter. Like, it wouldn't matter if somebody wore the exact same outfit. Then it would actually be a great side by side.

[Host 3]

Like, I'm saying it's a night. It's a nice to have. Not a need to have. Like, you're not out here begging for attention. But it's like, again, if you come at the king, you best not miss. I mean, you're that guy. That's what that proved to me.

[Host 2]

Have you ever tried to like, warn or plan something like you planned with this, where it's like, this is going to be a smash. And then it just womp, womp. Like no one gave a.

[Nick Wooster]

A couple of times.

[Host 2]

What were those fits?

[Nick Wooster]

You know, I knew you'd ask that. I.

[Host 3]

Well, gotcha.

[Nick Wooster]

No, no, but I'll tell you what happened. So around. So right when we could start traveling with COVID again, like 21.

[Host 2]

Sure.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. I started going immediately, like, because I had time on my hands and it was like the airfare was so cheap. And I'll never forget in Paris. So it must have been January of 2021. I was in. I don't know which show it was. It wasn't La Mer, but it was like something like that. And I remember that there were like a whole group of photographers and nobody took my picture. And it was this thing and I was like, wait, what?

[Host 2]

And you were wearing something. You were wearing something like, this is gonna him up.

[Nick Wooster]

No, it was. But it was just this idea that like, I. It was a whole. I. I was so acutely aware of, like, oh, oh, it's a different time, different age, you know, like, changing of the guard.

[Host 2]

Where's Tommy?

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, where's Tommy at? It was just different. And I was like, oh, okay, cool. Like, and so, yeah, there was like. But there was sometime when I wore something calm and like, it didn't land. And I was like, okay, cool. Like, I just thought it was also Funny that I also understood that, that, okay, other people are interested in other things. Yeah. Yeah.

[Host 2]

So is Calm Day the most fun day of Fashion Month 100? That's your favorite?

[Nick Wooster]

For me, yeah. Well, because, like, I just love Comme des Garcon. Like, I love everything about it. I like the universe that they've created. I just think that I always say this. It's fundamentally classic because the fabrics are always amazing. They're always English. They're always like super beautiful. And I just love how twisted it is. But it's like based on a blue and a white shirt and it's like based on tailoring and all the shoes are English. So it's like, it's kind of a classic thing. Totally twisted.

[Host 3]

Are you emotionally prepared for when the Queen retires, which is imminent?

[Nick Wooster]

I, I am not. No, I'm serious. Because it's like, what is going to happen? Like, it's going to be a weird thing because I've heard, I mean, this is not on any authority, but I've heard anecdotally that she is not interested in Comme des Garcon living on right now. I don't know, ends with her.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I've heard the same.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. Right. And what that means, because they've kind of created an ecosystem that something's going to exist. But if it doesn't, I, I mean, okay, like, I guess it's going to be. It's like I still can't believe Barney's doesn't exist.

[Host 3]

Right. No. Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

And so, you know, we, we, we soldier on. But like, you know, it's going to get weird.

[Host 2]

Persist.

[Host 3]

Yeah. I mean, nothing's monolithic in this world.

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 2]

So what are you going to wear to the last dance?

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, well, here's the thing. I don't think we're going to know. Right. Until we know, like every, every Comb

[Host 3]

show could be your last retirement tour for her.

[Nick Wooster]

She.

[Host 3]

You. You won't know.

[Nick Wooster]

I, I think it's going to be that it's like we get news and it's just going to be that news. Like, I think I, you know, waiting

[Host 2]

to see a Calm de Garon X Zara. Oh, when is that going to happen? If Lawrence and I ever catch the invite to Calm de Garon. Do we have to wear like us not as like, you know, like me, like Jimmy Lar. We do we have to wear show wearing calm. I know. You don't have to.

[Nick Wooster]

Again, I would say not, not, you know, I would say no, I think that the point is you have to. I Think that's what's actually really interesting about them is that I think that there are so many Kool Aid drinkers, but then there's also people who are not. And I also think that because you see musicians and different people who don't necessarily subscribe the same way, and yet they seem to have a place too. I do think it's. I mean, you guys are personalities, so I think that that's the draw.

[Host 3]

But they're great because there's more room for the accolades. I feel like Rick is the same. Whereas a lot of these other shows just like, okay, whatever. And obviously the industry needs to be there and the brand ambassadors. But, like, what. What's cool about Comb is the people that are invited, want to participate and are like, there for the right reasons. And that's awesome.

[Nick Wooster]

So one of the things that is so amazing about them, the exact opposite of Prada, is they. And I. Now I'm talking about calm. Like the. The Comb, their Comme des Garcon store on 22nd Street. They are like Bergdorf's was in the 80s, how Barney's was. They write thank you notes, they send Christmas gifts, and they do invite their best clients. And I think that that speaks volumes to how they treat. They still treat it like a specialty store, like they are. And I think that's like, super. And I know the Rick people are the same. Like they, you know, and I think that that's what's lost in a lot of these other brands. And it's like, okay, great, you got some tick tock star. But like, yeah, these people, these brands. Tom Brown is probably the next closer one. Probably Ralph too. You know, you have. And that to me is like the life of a brand. Like, that's what makes it interesting thing.

[Host 3]

The CDG difference.

[Nick Wooster]

You want to see that stuff in the Wild? Like, I. Yeah, sorry, keep going. No, but like, David Sedaris, like, I've been in the store when he's in there and like, I don't know him.

[Host 2]

Who's spent more money on call him? You are David.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I think he's richer than I am, so I'm sure he has. But, like, you know. Oh, what's his name? Filmmaker. No filmmaker. John Waters. Like, John Waters is like, yeah, you know, and so I've been. Because I go to that store a lot or I've been in that store store many times in my life. And it's so interesting when you see like these kind of personalities who also wear the clothes. And that to me is like real Fandom. Yeah, like I am happy to be in that company, whatever that is.

[Host 2]

Do you check into different column de garcon stores around the world and like how are they? Do they, are they all different from each other? Is it and do they and what do they have in common?

[Nick Wooster]

Well the, the common thread is the, the brand but the, but how they buy like the Paris come to garcon store buys it way different than the New York and what's great is you things that you don't see other places. So there's a reason Dover Street's like that. Yeah, every Dover street is different. And there's always, you know, I'm always like oh you got to check in

[Host 3]

because you never know.

[Host 2]

Do you think brands you mentioned like you know Ralph BERGDORF in the 80s, you know, kind of really treating their, their Vic's. Do you think brands and retails retailers are going to come back to that in any way as like you need to stand out out in a very flattened landscape because every, any you can pay any tiktoker to wear your Right. But like what's that actual personal touch that's going to bring you into the universe and keep you coming back from where? Do you think we're going to see more of that or is that just a lost art?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I'm afraid it's a lost art but I'm going to bet that someone is going to figure out like the old fashioned way like oh hey, if I treat my customers a certain way, if I actually follow up, follow through I might make more money. And I just think that that's. And so I think smart people will

[Host 3]

they rather buy IG ads now or some.

[Nick Wooster]

Because like I, I don't know if you guys know James Scully but you know there's the shop in Hudson, New York called Jamestown and he's become very successful overnight. Well I would say overnight because he, he grew up in the same. He was a buyer Charvari when I was a buyer at Bergdorf's he was a women's buyer. His husband Tom Mendenhall was the men's buyer. Tom went on to work at Ralph and you know, Gucci and all these things and but they, but because they fundamentally understand the business and I think that that's. As long as there are people like that still paying attention still. I think that yes, fingers crossed.

[Host 2]

Speaking of like you know, the evolution of the retailscape menswear fashion writ large, have you ever felt any pressure to start making Gen Z style content on TikTok and like like doing the vlogs and the get ready with me and the, the dances and. Or are you sticking your guns, just wearing the best fits ever and just dropping the correct hashtags in the caption?

[Nick Wooster]

I, I don't even drop the hashtags. But like, I. So the short answer is I've thought about it and I've been advised, oh, you know, you could do more better make if you did blank. And I'm just lazy. I'm lazy. And also I, I think it's really corny and stupid. So I've chosen not to do that, possibly leaving money on the table. But I'd like to think that I have my, you know, your dignity principles intact. No, but also it's like, if you're super young and cute and you're doing that, knock yourself out. Like, there's a time, there's nothing wrong with it. Like, it's just not me. Yeah, know thyself. But I do think this worrying trend of these people, like, I feel like we're in the era of, of everyone needs to shut the up. Like, I love people that, like, explain your keep going with that, that, you know, these. And I'm going to pick on girls. But like, there, there are women, a lot of women who, you know, are trying to tell guys what they should be wearing, speak on it, and they

[Host 2]

should shut the up.

[Nick Wooster]

And it's like, really? Like, like, okay, you know, and I, I, I always want to say, like, based on what? Like, where is this coming from?

[Host 3]

Based on them having the opportunity to have sex with the woman.

[Nick Wooster]

Right? And okay, and listen, I am all for, I want everyone to get the maximum. I do. I, I am all, I am here for it. If you can get laid, if that's how you're getting laid, knock yourself out. Like, and many times these women, girls do have, you know, good points of, you know, it's like, yes, like sometimes guys and however you need to hear it. But like, I just, I'm always amazed by these young. And there's guys too, who come up with these proclamations or these things. I'm always like, wow, like, what do

[Host 2]

you, like, what's an example? What are you seeing?

[Nick Wooster]

Like, well, just like, oh, you should do this. Well, again. Why, like, based on what? Like, you know, know

[Host 3]

I'm gonna say the exact opposite thing. Two weeks later, there was like a

[Nick Wooster]

whole thing on jeans. Like, some woman was talking about jeans and like, like, and, but like, implying, like, these were the wrong ones and these were the good ones. And okay, maybe a couple of them were okay and maybe. But like. Shut up. Like, there's just so many other things that I think.

[Host 2]

Do you ever get in the comments?

[Nick Wooster]

No, See, I never look at the. Well, no.

[Host 2]

Do you ever. Do you ever make. Do you ever comment yourself?

[Nick Wooster]

No, no, no, no.

[Host 2]

You're like, that's beneath you, dude.

[Nick Wooster]

Because. Because, like. No, I. No, I mean, it's. Politics is the same thing. Like, you. You see those things and I do go down those rabbit holes on X and because my ex is. My Twitter is porn.

[Host 2]

Yep.

[Nick Wooster]

And politics.

[Host 3]

Hell yeah.

[Host 2]

And it's like sometimes you can't differentiate between the two. You know what I'm saying? Everyone's getting fun.

[Nick Wooster]

Exactly. And that's the thing. Everyone's getting. Yeah. But like, it's just. It's always so. And yeah, people don't need to hear from me about politics, even though I have plenty of opinions, but also most people. I don't need or want to hear from you about getting dressed, clothes, style, taste, like. No.

[Host 2]

Do you ever feel any responsibility to put. Put better content out there in the world? Because you do have such. You are such a source of like, wisdom and experience.

[Nick Wooster]

Authority.

[Host 2]

And authority.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, I do think that there probably is a way that I could better or could monetize and educate at the same time, but I haven't figured out how to do it in a way that doesn't come off douchey. Because I think the minute you start talking with a blue screen and, you know, your head going around, it's like, yeah, I mean, again, sometimes I need

[Host 3]

an intern for that. Nick.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, Yeah, I, I need a lot of help for. But, but. But then I see a lot of things on Instagram that are educational to me, like about interiors or about furniture or about. And things that I'm interested in learning about. So I do appreciate and I could understand that maybe I could do that.

[Host 2]

Do you think, though? Let's say I know you're not right, but let's say you're like a absolute beginner, rookie novice at interiors and you start looking at this like, interiors, content. Do you think that the Nick Wooster of interiors is like this. Shut the up. Like. And then maybe as you're, as you're like, you know, S. Tier God of. Of menswear and fashion. You're saying this to, you know, the, the intro level stuff. Is the intro level stuff net good or is it just like, not the right way to go about it?

[Nick Wooster]

I mean, listen, any. Everyone should do whatever they want. Like, if, if they like, like Doing that and they, you know, get some traction and it gives them an audience and they can actually make some money on the side. Who am I to say you shouldn't do that? I think you should do that in the same way that I've pro. I've been fortunate to have, you know, probably sitting here because of the fact that I, you know, have been doing this a long time and I have an audience. So I'm. I never want to have people like, not, you know, succeed, you know, long

[Host 2]

you've been doing this. I first met you at an original penguin event.

[Nick Wooster]

Wow.

[Host 2]

At the Jane.

[Host 3]

Great Polos.

[Host 2]

Wow.

[Nick Wooster]

Remember those? Yeah.

[Host 3]

Or maybe they're.

[Nick Wooster]

I never, I never took the. I never took the check from that. They were like, send us an invoice. And I never did.

[Host 2]

Really.

[Host 3]

Why? Out of the goodness of your car is just stupid.

[Host 2]

Oh, could you send it now circling back.

[Host 3]

Yeah. What's the statute of limitations on invoices? It's a, It's a network.

[Nick Wooster]

1,000 years was two, I think. But yes. Yeah. Because I didn't take it seriously. I was just like, this is, you know, not.

[Host 2]

Wait, how many have you not sent? Is that a common come on thing in your.

[Host 3]

How much? Oh, my God.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, no, I don't want to hear this. That's why I have an agent because, you know, fortunately that gets taken care of. No, but like, I, I still never thought it was legit. Like, what I was doing even back then was like.

[Host 2]

Because you're ahead of the curse curve.

[Nick Wooster]

Well, it was just. It's funny.

[Host 3]

Too good to be true.

[Nick Wooster]

I mean, it was. It's awesome. Like, I mean, so many things have. I've been the beneficiary of so many things because of the advance of technology, because of social media, because. So I never want to like on it, but it's just.

[Host 3]

Well, a lot of this entry level content that we've been talking about, right. It's very rules based and it's very descriptive and some people need that. But, but what's getting lost when you focus on that is the prescriptive advice or the general kind of like leaning into the personal. The personal style, which that's what you represent. Like, you're not necessarily following all these like made up rules or whatever. You're just being yourself. You're having fun with it. There. There should hopefully be a way where like we could bridge that gap. And that might mean you need to get an intern to set you up with a green screen. I don't know.

[Nick Wooster]

Figure it out. Okay. So, but okay, so. But here's the thing. I too, when I very first started, had to have people, you know, mentor essentially. What it would, I guess you would call a mentor, but like the owner of the clothing store that I worked at in Salina, Kansas, you know, Jean. Fred Pressman. Jean Pressman and Peter Rizzo at Barney's, who did tell me me things don't do that.

[Host 3]

Right.

[Nick Wooster]

That's bad. That not good. You need to, you know. And so I do think that there is a learning curve that needs to happen with most people. Not. I mean very few people come out of the box, I think, like.

[Host 3]

Right.

[Nick Wooster]

Fully formed. And so I'm super grateful. And it was like harrowing to me in those days to be told like, you up. Like this is bad, but that's how you learn. So I do think that that rules based thing is. Because it is. I mean like, I think that all of the taste and style that I was sort of like imposed on by, by the Pressman family by. I don't mean that it was imposed on, but like I understood the program like.

[Host 3]

Right.

[Nick Wooster]

And, and it served me well my entire career.

[Host 3]

So I rules to break them.

[Nick Wooster]

Right, right. But what I was going to say is. But like, but I respected those people. I look at the, the people now that I don't always know that it's the same thing.

[Host 3]

Oh yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Did you have no authority ever? Do you ever party with Jean?

[Nick Wooster]

I did.

[Host 2]

Is he a party animal? Like as, as much as the book leads us to believe.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes. That I don't. Yes. But we. It was, that was the time.

[Host 3]

I mean it was like the golden era. Oh yeah.

[Host 2]

Snowing every season.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. I was high the day that I met him.

[Host 3]

Really?

[Nick Wooster]

When I went for my interview. Yeah. Because I had been up all night

[Host 3]

and like, like that's awesome.

[Host 2]

Did he smell it on you and he's like, you're hired.

[Nick Wooster]

Probably. I mean, you know, donuts, I used to call them donuts when you, you know, I'm sure that I had donuts.

[Host 2]

And were you like with him? I forget the name of the other guy. But were you on like the like going to like, like travel around the world with them and just hitting. Because he, his whole thing was like, go to the clubs. The club is where you see fashion, is where you see style.

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 2]

And that's, that's what informs, like how you know what we're going to sell to the masses. Were you involved?

[Nick Wooster]

No, because I wasn't. When I was a buyer at Barney's, I was A clothing buyer. And so Gen involved in the private label clothing at Barney's. That was Peter Rizzo. But, like, he was doing women's. No, but there was one night where the Steven Sprouse store opened in soho. And he gave me and a friend of mine a ride in his Porsche and we were all doing coke. Like, sweet, you know, as one does. As one does. You're going to a store opening, it's

[Host 3]

going to be boring.

[Nick Wooster]

Otherwise, 1987, like, was.

[Host 2]

He was coke even? Like, was doing coke even. Even, like, special? Or was it just like, this is

[Nick Wooster]

what you do, this what you do. Did. Did you know a gram of coke in those days cost $100? And like, we. The. At the clothing store that I worked at in college, they sold sport coats for $100. And it's like, Sport Coke. Grand Coke. Sport Coke. So it's like you are doing sport coats tonight.

[Host 3]

Like, I like that.

[Host 2]

How high were you in any given typical week working Barney's? How many days were you high at work?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, the thing is, I. I have to say, until I worked at Ralph Lauren, when I was drinking in the morning before I went to rehab, I wasn't really high at work, but it was being maybe like after work or the next morning being hungover, slashed, maybe a quick bump before going into the office. But I wasn't like, all day at work.

[Host 3]

Right. You are a functioning addict also.

[Nick Wooster]

And I didn't have the resources to be doing that full time.

[Host 2]

Right, you had too many. Too many sport coats to buy, Right? Exact. Wait, so with all this talk about, you know, what's we're seeing on social media and, you know, it is what it is and kind of maybe it's a little bit of our fault. What's your IG Explore page look like right now? Nick, could we take a look?

[Nick Wooster]

Of course.

[Host 3]

Let's see how hot these guys are.

[Host 2]

Is it PG13R?

[Nick Wooster]

It's got to be Instagram, so.

[Host 2]

Yeah, but that's dog shit. Let's see.

[Nick Wooster]

Perfect.

[Host 2]

Okay. Wow. Yeah.

[Host 3]

Oh, yeah. It's exactly what you think it is. Oh, yeah.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, yes.

[Host 2]

Zoom in, zoom in, zoom in.

[Host 3]

This will be the good sizzle reel for Instagram. We're advertising Instagram on Instagram.

[Host 2]

This will be perfect. Maybe we'll get unshadow banned

[Host 3]

standard operating procedure.

[Nick Wooster]

But it's hilarious because, like, I don't only look at this, but I just think it's hilarious.

[Host 3]

Well, they know what you want.

[Nick Wooster]

There's usually like, yeah, my brother in Christ was talking about feet the other day. And look at that dogs out your feet guy. I'm not really both.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

You know, but hands. What? Hands.

[Host 3]

Hands.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, I do like hands.

[Host 3]

Good hands are good hands.

[Host 2]

Let's be real.

[Nick Wooster]

No, but I was going to say there's. There's finally. There's some shoes.

[Host 2]

You do have to do, like, three scrolls before you get to, like, your actual.

[Nick Wooster]

There's like a jackyo. So there's like. Because the whole, you know, love story.

[Host 3]

Story.

[Nick Wooster]

Love story. Let's. And just remember I worked there then.

[Host 2]

At ck.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. Cocaine.

[Host 2]

Cocaine and ketamine.

[Nick Wooster]

Mean.

[Host 3]

Wait, so did you work with Carolyn Bette?

[Nick Wooster]

I did.

[Host 3]

Oh, okay. Let's talk. This is a clip.

[Nick Wooster]

But. Yeah, but you know, here's the thing. Like, it's. This is not my story to tell. Right.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

But yes. I mean, what do we make of

[Host 2]

the reports coming out that it's like she wasn't, you know, this, like, awesome, beloved woman? She was kind of a.

[Nick Wooster]

She was so absolutely, magnetically beautiful. I've never seen someone so. So beautiful in my life. And she had that kind of power. And so. But I think that was the thing. People in those days, attractive people like that, were like movie stars, you know, and so she was a movie star in the office, because she was. But she was also super nice and super warm.

[Host 2]

Did John ever come into the office when you're there?

[Nick Wooster]

I never saw him.

[Host 3]

Oh, you never interfaced with the prince.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Host 2]

I have a bud. We have a. We have a mutual friend we all know who worked for his partner at George. I'm blank on his name.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, right.

[Host 2]

She worked for him and she was like. Yeah, in the George offices. Because this is, you know, towards the end there, like, Carolyn and John were just going at it all the time. Like it was, you know, in the. In the darker era of their relationship. Sounds like you were maybe in the.

[Nick Wooster]

In the.

[Host 2]

The early throes of it.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah. You know, the thing is, like, I can't. I mean, I. I cannot imagine what that was like for her to be thrust into that situation. Right. Because again, he grew up in that. So he was used to something whether you get used to it or not. I mean, even I, in my limited way, understand something about. Like, I've said this before about Anna. I understand why she has the kind of. The armor, the way she appears to be, because, like, I can't walk down the street at a trade show or in certain places without getting. And so if you're her, like, you can't function in Life if you don't have that armor up. I, I do think that, you know, that being thrust into a paparazzi kind of, like, thing is got to be very, very terrifying.

[Host 3]

Absolutely.

[Host 2]

He was never a private citizen.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

What do you make of guys fetishizing that nostalgia for a literal, you know, a person they only know as a character and, like, mimicking him and dressing like him. And her too, with all the girlies,

[Nick Wooster]

you know, it's a. It's so crazy to me how this whole thing has taken off in such a way. And again, like, what you see on here, it's like, so crazy. Crazy. They were super attractive. His style was like, whatever. Like, it was a little bit funny. Straight guy. Because it was like an oversized suit, like a bad kind of, you know, sports sunglass, like a backward baseball cap. Like, okay. But he was beautiful. And he was. And he was a Kennedy. So, like, by definition. But that's what was great about it, is because it wasn't, wasn't calculated or planned or some sort of like, you know, anyway, when you see, When I see pictures of him as they inevitably come up, he was so beautiful. And so it's interesting how we've fetishized this and the few pictures of Carolyn that I would say, and I'm happy to say this, she was so beautiful. Not one picture has ever done her justice.

[Host 2]

Wow.

[Nick Wooster]

She. Because I would say she's one of those kind of people that, like, looked one way and photographed another. And not that she photographed poorly, but she just, she looked so like, she had star quality in, like, otherworldly in person.

[Host 2]

But JFK Jr his swag was goofy.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, it was goofy. But like, the thing is, he was fucking beautiful. So, you know, Jacob.

[Host 3]

Lordy. But the gays didn't respect his swag in the time, at the time.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, I think everybody did like you because, I mean. Meaning, he just was like, hot. So beautiful and so hot that, like. Yes. And he was, he was exactly Jacob. Ay. Like.

[Host 2]

All right, all right.

[Host 3]

Nick.

[Host 2]

How much money you make?

[Nick Wooster]

Not enough. Okay, that's.

[Host 2]

I feel like that was your answer four years ago, too. Is there anything you refuse to spend a lot of money on? Got that you're cheap ass about maybe your country upbringing to still, you know, know, alive and well.

[Nick Wooster]

Where are you cutting hotel rooms? Meaning I, I, I, I like to stay in nice hotel rooms. But I'll do anything in my power to figure out a way to use points or to do half points, half money. But like, I. To just shell out a, you know, a $1,500 hotel room, not suite, is, like, insane to me. Yeah, yeah.

[Host 2]

How many miles do you have?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, again, not as many as you think. I. Because I'm constantly using them for upgrades and for, you know.

[Host 2]

Are you on, like, the points guy? Tik Tok, like, getting those, like, both. I transfer to Air France, then move them to Emirates. I can get a hotel room in.

[Nick Wooster]

So Tony Tan was just in Japan, first class.

[Host 3]

He posted.

[Nick Wooster]

Right.

[Host 3]

It looked amazing.

[Nick Wooster]

Right. And that's, you know, that is what I tried to do on a limited way when I went on British Air.

[Host 2]

Tommy said that that was the most reactions he's ever gotten to anything he's ever posted. First class. IG story.

[Host 3]

That's where the bar is, folks.

[Nick Wooster]

Yes.

[Host 3]

Social media, 20, 26.

[Nick Wooster]

It's. Yes. It's the. That's the whole point. Like, to me, that's, you know, utilizing. I mean, I. Because I'm kind of a geek about airplanes. Like, I love, you know, which business class, which seat, which, you know, configuration, which, you know, I do look and think about these things all the time.

[Host 2]

What's your number one?

[Nick Wooster]

Well, you mean in terms of the airline or.

[Host 2]

The airline and class? Yeah. What's your. What's your. Like?

[Nick Wooster]

Okay. Well, there is nothing better than Air France La Premiere.

[Host 2]

Have you done that?

[Nick Wooster]

I have.

[Host 3]

Wow.

[Host 2]

That's like an apartment.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, it is.

[Host 3]

It's on the sky.

[Nick Wooster]

Unbelievable. It's unbelievable. I haven't been in the J because it's a new thing. I just was in their business class going to Tokyo on the way over, and it was incredible.

[Host 2]

Sure. But AF la Premier.

[Nick Wooster]

Oh, my God. Because it's all about the. And what you want to do is, especially if you have a connecting flight, they're going to drive you. Oh, and you want as long of a layover as possible for that lounge, because that lounge is. Is. I see. Unbelievable.

[Host 2]

It's actually good advice in CDG. Your other favorite CDG. Your other favorite CDg.

[Nick Wooster]

My other C. Yeah. And I love CDG. Like the airport. It's the best airport.

[Host 3]

What Air. What? We were in some AM amazing lounge in CDG as well.

[Host 2]

I think it's Air France, I think.

[Host 3]

Or was it Virgin?

[Host 2]

No, but that was in Heathrow.

[Host 3]

Real Eames chairs. We looked.

[Host 2]

Lawrence was on his hands and knees.

[Host 3]

Make he go to beyond. But I had to make sure they. It was real. Eames. They're real. They were real. Just, you know, keeping them honest.

[Host 2]

What's your. What's your. What's the worst airline that you Always end up flying and finding yourself on that just always sucks.

[Nick Wooster]

I had a really bad experience coming home from Tokyo, so I flew J because it was an American ticket. J going, but American coming back. And I had like. It was a new plane. 787, but shitty. I couldn't watch anything because the. The sound was like. And I had two sets of headphones. I'm like, there was something wrong with the system or something. And then the flight attendant was like a total. Could not have been less interested in being helpful.

[Host 2]

So damn.

[Nick Wooster]

You know, American is rough, but I have been loyal to them because. Because if you are emerald with one on. On American, if you're Executive Platinum or higher on American, you get to use first class lounges like the Qantas lounge in LAX and you and or British Air in London. And it's better than Delta because at Delta you don't get to use the Air France La Premier lounge. And they don't have first class lounges in the Delta ecosystem, but they do in cafe.

[Host 3]

You're a lounge rack. You love a lounge. Clearly. Yeah, I'm with.

[Nick Wooster]

You do.

[Host 2]

Okay. We're kind of. We're currently. We're at a crossroads here, Lawrence and I. Throwing fit. Throwing fits at a crossroads.

[Host 3]

We've diverged.

[Host 2]

We're not necessarily. Some of us aren't as happy with Delta as we once were.

[Host 3]

We're available for sale is the point.

[Nick Wooster]

So I can buy. I too. So I used to run Delta and. And American simultaneously. Tell me. I was. I was diamond and executive Platinum for like four years, five years. Yeah, yeah. Concurrently. And then I had to let it go. One go. And I let Delta go. Made the right choice and stuck with American because of the lounge situation.

[Host 3]

Yeah, there you go. That's the different differentiation right there.

[Nick Wooster]

Right?

[Host 3]

Cherry on top.

[Host 2]

All right, Nick, before we get you out of here, because we know you have a seating chart to plan and as long as we're at the. As long as the three of us are at the same table, it's going to be a blast. Yep.

[Host 3]

Fingers crossed.

[Host 2]

Before we get you out here, just. Last question for you after two hours of bars and Wisdom. Wisdom. Do you have any constructed criticism you'd like to give us?

[Nick Wooster]

Absolutely not.

[Host 2]

More green screen content?

[Host 3]

Yeah. More rules.

[Nick Wooster]

No, but, but look, when it comes from qualified people. And I would put you guys in qualified people land for clothes. No. Life, baby.

[Host 3]

Life.

[Nick Wooster]

You know, the thing is this. I. I do think that when you get to be 40, 50, 60, whatever, you earn the right to be able to say Things like. And so, you know, 20 and 30 year olds, there's nothing wrong. I mean there's nothing better than being a 20 or 30 year old. Oh yeah, look at JFK, look at me. And you know, like, so I love that the 90s are being fetishized. I was in my 30s, so trust me, I got to do that Google dolls trend, bro. Yeah, the what trend?

[Host 3]

Where you were in the 90s.

[Host 2]

Like, oh, I know, I fashion uncle. Where were you in the 90s?

[Nick Wooster]

Pictures of otherwise anyway, street style wasn't invented yet. Well, no, but like, but it just was a different time. Like I, you know, we just didn't have the documentation that we have now. But also I was an then and I think most 20 and 30 year olds are in their own way, even if they're really nice, because you think you know more than you do. And the thing is when you're in 20, when you're in your mid late 20s especially, you don't know.

[Host 2]

Right. I don't know about.

[Nick Wooster]

And with that said, enjoy it. Enjoy the ride. Shut the up and. And pay attention. Because when you get to be 40, 50, 60, then you can say things and it will be interesting.

[Host 3]

From two authorities to another. It's great to see you, man. You're the best, dude. Thank you so much.

[Host 2]

So much for coming on to the only podcast Matters and speaking with authority. Where can the kids follow you? What would you like to plug real quick?

[Nick Wooster]

The floor is yours at Nick Wooster. I need. You know, I have been stalled at a million followers on instagram for like 4 years.

[Host 3]

Like must be nice.

[Nick Wooster]

It doesn't grow, it's just stuck.

[Host 2]

But you got to a million.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, I did get to a million.

[Host 3]

That's what matters.

[Nick Wooster]

Probably going to. I'm probably going to lose it at some point.

[Host 2]

Yeah. After coming on the spot, what do you do when Prada is going to drone strike? You take off $100,000. What do you do on the day you hit a million? Celebrate.

[Nick Wooster]

Yeah, I just was like, look to my brother and you know, it's like, it was funny.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Nick Wooster]

Because I was in Tampa.

[Host 3]

Just another day at the office.

[Host 2]

You're in Tampa?

[Nick Wooster]

It was during COVID Wow. Yeah.

[Host 2]

The Paris of Florida. All right, Nick, thank you for coming on to the only podcast matter. Chef, take us out.