My first winter in Paris, I was cold. I was 20 years old and a student without much income, so I did what students still do today and headed to Les Halles in central Paris. The mall contains “affordable” brand names, but even these were beyond my means, so I was looking at the stands that surround the mall. These stands tout last year's stock of trendy brands, but they also sell used clothing. Coats, in particular. Within minutes I found a long 1940s wool coat and I have worn it ever...