This story was featured in The Must Read, a newsletter in which our editors recommend one can’t-miss GQ story every weekday. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Let’s say you’ve got $1,000 for a new ...

Last summer a friend of mine showed up to the beach in a really good bathing suit. It fit her extraordinarily well, and when I asked her where she got it, I thought it had to be expensive — most nice ...