Having braved

from Massachusetts to Maine,

several frigidly cold New England winters:

I’ve been chilled to the bone by Arctic intense winds,

buried deep in solid packed snow,

and walked with trepidation on icy pavements and paths.

Wearing footwear which kept toes toasty warm

and offered secure, grip soles was always of paramount concern.

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L. L. Bean is the U.S.company known for manufacturing

quality outdoor clothing and camping wear/goods

fit to withstand harsh New England weather.

The company was in founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood (L. L.) Bean .

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(image from flickr.com):

Exterior of L. L. Bean flagship store, Freeport, Maine

where a larger than life ‘sculpture’ of

the company’s iconic ‘Duck boot’

has pride of place next to the store’s entrance

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(image from fotolibra.com):

Interior of the L. L. Bean flagship store:

a rustic, log cabin design

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Based in the state of Maine (U.S.A.), the northernmost and easternmost

portion of New England, where inclement clime is expected,

L. L. Bean knows a thing or two about sturdy winter wear.

However, does this translate into fashion-fit trend pieces?

Well, in the past- maybe not.  But,  now …

you bet your Maine lobster, Mainer beard, plaid flannel shirt-  it does!

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(image from alanclaude.com):

Maine lobster

a local culinary staple

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(image from progarchives.com):

Full on Mainer beard

(with ruby lips as option)

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(image from llbean.com):

Standard Maine (New England) wear:  classic L.L. Bean flannel shirts

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L. L. Bean’s  ‘Duck boots’  are the popular,

uni-sex, signature New England footwear.

They are made for on-foot navigation of snow

and ice covered terrain.

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Produced to withstand rugged wear and tear,

the boots were first designed for hunting / fishing sports men

and since have been traditionally worn by those

who lead an active outdoor life for work and play.

Bean has been hand crafting these leather and rubber boots for over 102 years.

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(images from llbean.com):

Classic design:  the original ‘Duck boots’

dark tan leather top with gold lace eyelets, red/yellow rolled lace

chocolate brown shoe with thick rubber sole/heel

‘Duck’  traditionals for ladies

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‘Duck’  traditionals for men

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L.L. Bean boasts a staff of over 5,000 strong and

achieves over $1.4 billion in worldwide revenue. (stats from whitehouse.gov)

Its flagship store in Freeport, Maine is a landmark building to visit and to shop.

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Recent sale surges, tracked over the last two years,

has shown an incredible increase in the demand for ‘Duck boots’ .

The company has had difficulty in keeping apace

with production to meet the meteoric rise of

in-store sales and on-line orders.

Stock has run low and customer requests have been wait-listed.

Why?

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 L. L. Bean has reported that ‘Ducks’ are now coveted by

fashion conscious city-slickers:

“specifically in urban areas filled with college students, who were embracing understated, even bland styles that (highlight an) authentic ordinariness.”

This new love of ‘Ducks’ as a fashion item,

rather than just reliable practical wear

seems part of the current ‘normcore’ fashion movement,

which promotes non-glitz, down-to–earth dress and styling.

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‘Ducks’ in the city

(image from thesartorialist.com):

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(image from pixgood.com):

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(image from chictopia.com):

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(image from niketalk.com):

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Variations on a theme

(images from selectism.com):

‘Ducks’ in dark foliage green

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Textured top

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(image from esquire.com):

Waxed canvas top in dark denim wash blue

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(image from llbean.com):

Slip-ons with fleece lining

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To avoid an ‘unhappy face’ disappointment during the holiday season shop,

order classic ‘Ducks’ or modern-twist ‘Ducks’,  Now!

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(image from news.instyle.com):

😦

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For further information on L. L. Bean Holiday 2014 apparel / products shopping,

 visit:  http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/512152?page=northern-lights

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