A woman who refrained from buying her dream Ralph Lauren jacket in a thrift store was left thinking about the gorgeous garment for days after. Little did she know, her husband had the ultimate surprise in store for her.
While wandering through a thrift store with her mother-in-law, Scout Stevens, 31, couldn’t believe her eyes at what she found inside. In one of the aisles, she found an oversized Ralph Lauren deer skin fringe jacket, which she told Newsweek was “in excellent condition.”
Stevens, who lives in Austria, said: “My exact thought was that it was such a treasure and a steal.”
As much as she loved it, the jacket was priced at €189 ($217), and Stevens simply couldn’t justify the outlay. As a new mom, she’s on maternity leave and isn’t earning her full salary, so sticking to a monthly budget is a priority.
Indeed, the jacket was “a want not a need,” but that didn’t stop Stevens thinking about it in the days that followed. She even told her husband about it later and he encouraged her to go back and try it on.
Needless to say, trying the jacket on only made Stevens love it even more. But still, she held firm and didn’t buy it.
“We went home, and at some point in the next few hours, my husband snuck out and bought it. Then, when we were getting ready for bed he asked if I was still thinking about the jacket and if I regretted not buying it. I was trying to talk myself out of it and said that I didn’t need it,” Stevens said.
“He said it was probably for the best since I already have a fringe jacket, but I assured him I didn’t. He stood his ground, so I insisted that I’d show him. We walked to the front hall closet where we keep our jackets and there was the new jacket.”
It was such a wonderful gesture, and Stevens instantly burst into tears. It wasn’t just her husband’s generosity, but it was also the fact that she felt seen and heard.
The new mom shared a video on TikTok (@scoutstevens) detailing what happened and how she came to be the owner her “new favorite piece.” Since it was posted on March 1, the TikTok video has gone viral with over 242,800 views and more than 36,000 likes at the time of writing.
Stevens has already managed to wear the jacket several times, telling Newsweek that it’s “the perfect transition” piece heading into spring.
“It’s not just about the jacket (which I love), it’s about feeling appreciated in this new phase of motherhood. When I was trying it on, I told my husband that if I was working and got a bonus, I’d treat myself. So, when he gave it to me, he said that just because I’m on maternity leave doesn’t mean I’m not still working in a meaningful way or that I don’t deserve to treat myself,” Stevens said.
“It was already a gorgeous jacket, but it will now forever be so special to me and have such a memorable story. I remember my mom telling me the stories behind some of her pieces growing up, and I love that I have a piece I can tell my children about now too.”
In the days since the TikTok video went viral, it has gained over 300 comments from internet users praising the heartwarming surprise.
One comment reads: “This is peak husband-ing! Mothering is a JOB.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “That jacket is perfect! But now every time you wear it you’ll think of this beautiful gesture and your time early postpartum.”
While anther person replied: “Makes the jacket 10x more special.”
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