—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

The best bit of everything we learned this weekend: Trovata’s popping up.

We were in Montauk for Sergio Rossi’s dinner in honor Alexandra Richards’ Social Life cover, which was held at Sole East, when we learned that the back of the hotel will soon play host to a Trovata pop-up shop.

It’s kind of the perfect fit for John Whitledge’s nautical surf line and makes us worry about the damage it’ll do to our wallets.

What’s more dangerous than a beach town with nothing but beer, homemade ice cream, Tracy Feith, Screaming Mimi’s and Trovata?

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

Four years ago, when they were still a quartet and I regularly drooled over their rack at Barneys, Trovata teamed up with Vans on a pair of limited edition, corduroy and leather Eras. They came in a wooden box and had sneaker heads and yours truly scrambling to pick up a pair. I missed the boat because I couldn’t shell out hundreds of dollars on eBay for them, but I still think about them til this day.

And so, I’m conflicted about seeing a nearly identical pair on Urban Outfitters this weekend.

On the one hand, I finally get to have the pair of shoes my younger self would have sold my soul to have, and better still for a mere $55 (sadly, those are not my feet, at left). And yet, I think I would see John Whitledge’s face staring back in shame every time I looked down at my pretty low tops.

So, what to do? Do I pick up the shoes and run (after all, the originals cannot be purchased anymore)? Or remember them fondly and stick with my beat-up authentics?

Also, it’s weird that Vans is really just reproducing an old Vans shoe that a designer made for them, expect, without the designer name. Think Whitledge is getting a paycheck for these?

—BRETT KANE