Boiled Wool Clogs (and Heritage Turkeys)

I recently went to visit some Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys at a friend's farm.  And I wore a pair of my favorite shoes for cooler, dry weather - Haflinger boiled wool clogs.

The anatomically correct cork footbed  makes them  comfortable and stable.  But the biggest surprise over the years has been just how warm they are, even in the coldest weather, if paired with wool ragg socks.

Over the years, I have worn both Stegmann and Haflinger, depending on availability.  Obviously, though, because of the wool and cork, keep them away from too much moisture.

Reader Question: What do you use for an overnight bag?

Dear Muffy,

What do you use for overnight luggage for personal trips, such as to a friend's house?  I find suitcases are too big and clunky. Thanks!


That's a good question.  The vast majority of my overnights are to the city, and for these quick trips I almost always reach for one of my Vera Bradley Miller Bags.  I like that they are lightweight, and easy to put in the train overhead racks.

And since when the weather is nice I often walk uptown from the train station, I prefer long handles so I can throw it over my shoulder. I usually also take one of their large backpack for toiletries.  My husband prefers the L.L. Bean extra-large Boat and Tote with the zip-top.

Lots of Interior Pockets

Portmeirion Dishes and Striving for a Harmonious Eclecticism

I have written in an earlier post that one of my goals for a room and house is to balance gravitas with light and bright.  That post is here. 

Another tension to resolve is between harmonious and eclectic.  If a room is too matched, the effect is sterile, brittle, and flat.  If a room is too eclectic - if nothing matches and too many styles are represented - the effect is unsettling and distracting.

As a result, I have matching club chairs, for example, but not a dining room set.  Bookshelves are a perfect example of this approach, where almost any combination of books reconciles variety and alignment.

Dishes are a nice place to put this approach to practice. When the right balance is struck, family and friends don't even think about it.

Portmeirion for me is a great base for dishes, with an emphasis on the pattern Botanic Garden.  I love both the pure white background and, having dabbled with perennials, the botanic drawings with both the Latin names as well as the common names.

Botanic Garden

The various other Portmeirion dishes have other natural patterns that are both harmonious among themselves and provide a perfect backdrop for many other dishes as well. Two examples:

Pomona

Birds of Britain

Reader Question: Do L.L. Bean Boot laces really cost an extra $110?

Hey Muffy,
 
I am a little confused by L.L. Bean Signature. I like some of the new Men’s Winter things but it seems to be pretty expensive for what I get. Am I missing something? And how is it doing compared to Lands' End Canvas?  And I know you aren't a huge Signature fan, but is there anything you would consider getting?


My reply (albeit a tad long!):

To the best of my knowledge, Signature’s original intent was to be a line of upscale clothing that was roughly 30% more expensive that the traditional L.L. Bean products and aimed at a younger customer. With that in mind, one question is, what do you get for that extra 30%? Edgy design? Better quality fabrics? Products made in the US instead of China?

Here are a couple of examples of comparisons between L.L. Bean and Signature on price and value.

Take the Shearling-Lined Boots.

First, L.L. Bean offers: Shearling-Lined L.L. Boots, Tall Side-Zip with these specifications:

• 14 in. tall
• Fully lined with shearling top to bottom
• Side-zip
• $189.00

Now, take a look at what Signature offers: Shearling Lined L.L. Bean Boot that are:

• 14 in. tall
• Fully lined with shearling top to bottom
• 14-eyelet lace-up.
• $299.00

Both, happily, are made in Maine. Still, while obviously I am not a footwear manufacturer, an extra $110.00 for lace-ups instead of zip-ups doesn’t sit quite right.

Here's a second example, the Bean’s Maine Guide Shirt.

L.L. Bean (non-Signature) has long offered this item. It is available here with the specifications of:

• 85% wool, 15% nylon
• 14 oz fabric
• $55.00

Signature now also offers their Maine Guide Shirt, with the following specifications:

• 95% wool, 5% nylon
• 9.1 oz fabric
• $99.00

Note that the Signature shirt has 10% more wool, but is a significantly lighter weight overall. I would call that a wash. And both are imported.  So the question becomes for me, is it worth almost twice the price for arguably nothing better, but a different label?

So yes, I agree that L.L. Bean seems to be using their Signature Line to charge higher prices (in these cases much more than even their 30%), often for items that I cannot see as being correspondingly better.  Given Leon Leonwood is oft cited as saying "Sell good merchandise at a reasonable profit," I am not sure if these products would get his signature.

If  this were 10 years ago, I might wonder if the strategy of L.L. Bean was to trade in some of their credibility and customer base for greatly increased (albeit short term) profit margins in preparation for going public.  I doubt that is the case, given Sarbanes-Oxely has cooled that path for all private companies.

And I don’t want to focus on style here, as I have already done that in previous posts ad nauseum. (Although I have to say that seeing Signature using Chewonki as a setting for their recent photo and video shoot had a sense of almost Orwellian manipulation. Between my husband and my twelve summers living at Chewonki, we never saw anyone walking out of those barn doors or gathering wood in anything resembling the outfits being paraded about by the Signature models.)

Your next question about Lands' End is interesting, given all of the above.   I don't have any inside knowledge. L.L. Bean is a privately held company.  But here's one interesting datum point.  L.L. Bean Signature and Lands' End Canvas came out at roughly the same time.  Both invested in social media as part of their PR and Advertising programs to attract the new generation of Gen Yers and Millennials.  Both promoted their Facebook sites heavily. 

As of this writing:

• L.L. Bean Signature has roughly 3,300 fans on Facebook. 
• Lands' End Canvas has more than 44,500 fans. 

So the strategy may not be working.  Rather, L.L. Bean might be better advised to watch their own flanks a bit more.  While L.L. Bean looks like they are trying to be Abercrombie of 2004, so too may Abercombie be looking to be the L.L. Bean of the early 1980's. 

To answer your final question, is there anything I would consider getting?

Signature's Matinicus Rock Crewneck (formerly L.L. Bean's Blue Rock Sweater)

I just made my first purchase from Signature. I have been waiting for this particular sweater to make a comeback for the last thirty years. It’s former name was Bean’s Blue Rock sweater and they have now renamed it Matinicus Rock Crewneck. (I have often winced at Signature's equally Orwellian habit of using the names of very attractive Maine spots for items that are both unattractive and would never be worn in their namesake. But this time they got it right. This is indeed an item one might see on Matinicus Rock - a nesting area which I have visited and on which my husband has spent time banding petrels (which, by the way, is not for the faint of heart, as one has to blindly stick one’s arm down a 16 inch hole in the ground, and either encountering fuzzy little chicks to band, or, very angry mothers on the attack, all the while ducking dives from Arctic Terns)).

For those interested, this is a Men’s sweater and while I usually take a size small, as Signature slims down its items, I had to size up. So it is not the most flattering on me, and the neck opening is too small, but it is overall a very nice sweater. It would be a great item to be included in their Heritage Sweater collection, which is more expensive, but made in Norway (this one is made in China), and with the cut I prefer. But I love the pattern and colors, so I will happily wear it.

The Guernsey Sweater

While there is no lack of classic sweaters, one of my favorites is still the Guernsey (named for, and coming from, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, one of the English Channel Islands).  This sweater was introduced to me by a friend who grew up on Herm, another of the Channel Islands.

Some of the great  features include a very tight weave (five ply yarn), distinctive shoulder stitching, and side vents.  It is a long sweater.  The length combined with the densely woven wool is formidable against the cold winds off the ocean.  And there is no front or back designation, to even out the wear and tear. 

This is a unisex item.  A past director of The Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, Maine,  Tim Ellis, was regularly seen in one of his many Guernsey sweaters, even with khaki shorts in September.

Using Lamps to Balance "Gravitas" and "Light and Bright"

 Around the house, I am constantly calibrating between the two poles of "gravitas" and “light and bright.”  Where there is too much "gravitas," the room seems like a grandparent's or a museum.  Where there is too much "light and bright," the room seems flimsy and unsubstantial.

Lamps help me in this area.  

The highest quality light is natural, and therefore I prefer a great deal of windows. I leave my windows bare -  no curtains of any kind - which, given we don’t have neighbors, works out well. Perhaps my Swedish side is showing itself.

However, there is the north side, hallways, and nighttime. For these situations, I vastly prefer lamps. In fact, I have almost no overhead lighting (including no skylights or overhead fixtures), which I find leads to cold, shadowy and not flattering rooms.

Then I try to position the lamps evenly where practical.  For me, a square room is lit best with a lamp in each corner, and either all are on or all are off.

Given that, here are some examples of our lamps:

A "Gravitas" Lamp (handed down from a grandparent)

A "Light and Bright" Lamp (a wedding gift handmade in Maine)

Another "Gravitas" Lamp (also handed down from a grandparent)

 "Light and Bright" for the Kitchen (hand forged and bought new)

 From an Estate Sale (seek out a local shop that will rewire old lamps)

 Handed Down from a Relative (using CFL bulbs, as I do with all lamps, can make some older low wattage lights more useful)

Hand forged and bought new

Bought New and Balances "Gravitas" and "Light and Bright"

 The Closest I Come to Overhead Lighting

Lamps are easy to under-appreciate.  But as with so many things, finding good examples and taking care of them has a profound impact on making a space inviting and comfortable.

The Preppiest Store in Freeport, Maine

The other day I went to one of my favorite stores, Bridgham & Cook, Ltd., in Freeport, Maine.  For me, it has been a reliable source of authentic British Goods for 25 years, including Portmeirion dishes (which they no longer carry) and Barbour jackets.       

Last time I was there, I got a few Lochcarron of Scotland tartan lambswool scarves, beautiful and a value at $29.00.  I wore them all last winter.

This trip, the first thing I saw upon entering the small shop was a Camel Toggle Coat, on sale, but not my size.  They did, however, have a Barbour quilted waistcoat, in Olive, in my size for half price (as they had changed the pattern of the lining).  I put this aside. 

Then I looked at the  Bronte Tweeds (of West Yorkshire) tartan wool blankets (another value at $55.00).  These are thick, warm throws that can be used all winter long, both in the livingroom or for extra warmth on the beds.  I also put one aside. 

I looked at the Beauforts, but could not quite justify getting another one.  Finally, I looked at the University Scarves.  These are scarves from the various colleges, including of Oxford and Cambridge.  As attractive as they are, I am not sure I would be comfortable wearing the the colors of an institution of which I, or a family member, did not attend.  (Although Cambridge's Girton College and Oxford's Balliol College may test that resolve!)

I checked out with my two items, the Barbour quilted waistcoat and wool blanket.  I already look forward to going back (or maybe just calling up and having them ship!).   

 

Bronte Tweeds (of West Yorkshire) tartan wool blanket at our home

Clothes Loved New and Old

Most of my clothes I hope to wear for a very long time.  This necessarily means that they will be used for different purposes throughout their lives. Here are some examples for oxfords, khakis, belts and a few other items.

New: Business Casual and Out with Friends
Items start in this category.  Fresh out of their packages, they have sharp creases and an ironed sheen. 

Gently Worn:  Errands and Daily Life

The cuffs are starting to fray.  There may be small, subtle spots.

Heavily Worn:  Yard work
Items have holes, both from use and sometimes from moths. Patches can be evident.  They are often rumpled.


Implications
This approach should not cover all items of course (much of what is required for a summer wedding or a night out in the city will never be worn years later on trips to the composter).  But this approach also applies to areas as disparate as cars and furnishings. 

This perspective resolves many paradoxes, including

• A frugality combined with an appreciation of more expensive items, and 
• Why well-off people embrace and expect the use of well-worn items.

I try to:

• Buy well made things to begin with. 
• Buy classic and timeless styles.
• Have two or all three uses in mind when making a purchase.  
• Combine flattering and comfortable.
• When in public, never have too many new items nor too many old.  
• Always keep items clean.  Patch or mend where possible.  
• Keep the three categories separate in shelves or closets.

The Prep Aesthetic has gone through some interesting permutations.  From one perspective:

• It started off as a secret wardrobe of a successful club of people.
• It was then "outed" and became appealing to those wanting to appear successful and in the club.
• It then became mainstreamed, popularized, increasingly symbolic, and therefore knocked-off.
• Finally it became out-of-style, with predictable but short-lived subsequent resurgences.

But from my perspective, finding clothes that are as close to timeless as possible, flattering and well made, then taking care of them and wearing them as long as possible, will never go out of style.  (And to a lesser degree, photographs of someone wearing Preppy clothes will never look wildly dated.) I am willing to put more effort towards finding the right clothes initially so that I don't have to think each day what to wear.

Note:  I know that Burberry is over-marketed right now.  Having said that, I bought my first Burberry scarf (shown above) over 30 years ago at the Yale Co-op, and will continue to get their scarves for the foreseeable future.  They are soft, durable, and look great with everything.   

Reader Question: Can Women Wear Men's Flannel-lined Khakis?

A reader asked:

I was wondering if you believed women can pull off wearing L.L. Bean’s men’s flannel-lined khaki pants, currently listed as “Men’s Bean’s 1912 Chinos, Flannel Lined Standard Fit.” I noticed that L.L. Bean does not offer a women’s version of this type of pant but would very much like to find a pair before it begins snowing, as I commute to work via public transportation and on foot. While the men’s version certainly looks appropriate for a casual workplace that does not allow denim, I am concerned about how these usually fit on women. Or, perhaps, is there another brand you recommend that does carry flannel-lined pants for women? Thank you for your help!

My response:

I am going to find out this winter, as I plan to try some for myself.  Although I will probably go with the L.L. Bean Lined Double L Chinos in the Natural Fit.  One of the  biggest issues I have when wearing Men's pants is with the hips, as Men's pants are usually more narrow. (Their Standard Fit has more of a straight cut.)   If I buy them big enough to be comfortable in the hips, they are usually too big in the waist.  And then there is the issue of  fuller legs overall.  However, in the winter I am cold enough to care much less about all of this, and the waist area is usually well covered with heavy wool sweaters anyway.

L.L. Bean does offer one lined version for women, although they do not have the best customer rating.  There have been many complaints about the cut and quality on these, and the color, Deep Khaki, is dark.  It used to be that Lands' End and Cabela's as well as L.L. Bean offered flannel-lined khakis  for women, but now I cannot find them anywhere.