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| Best of L.L Bean |
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| Quick Take on Five Catalogs |
The best I can say about this catalog is that at least they are being honest and no longer pretending to be something they are not. Instead, what they are completely is “Resort Prep” (which is, of course, an oxymoron). They are unabashedly endorsing the True Prep world (competing for the 45-year old narcissist who wants to look like a 28-year old narcissist), even going as far debuting the "True Prep" Collection by Vineyard Vines (see my review of True Prep here). While the colors are great, the styles are total flash, destined to be dated.
Best item - Coral Lane Cable Sweater
Worst item – One Love Sand Dollar Tee
L.L. Bean
L.L. Bean has thankfully somewhat toned down their overly stylized look of the last couple of years. Gone are the sweaters with giant anchors, - and not every pair of pants they offer has boot-cut legs.
They have introduced several new styles of khakis (chinos) and although I gave the Andover Chinos a try, I just couldn’t stand the wrinkle-resistant finish and the cut was off (too small in the waist compared to the fullness around the hips and thighs).
The Freeport Chinos caught my eye mostly because of the Glen Green option. And I also keep coming back to the Navy/Pink Anchor Shorts. I will probably give both of those a try, but I am not overly optimistic on the cut.
They have continued their “Back by Popular Demand” theme, which is good. I was happy to see that they re-re-styled (un-re-styled?) their Trail Model Fleece Jacket and Pullover. (Last March I wrote that they should return to the elasticized hem and cuffs to keep the wind out. Now, I read in the product description, they have added “Lycra elastane-bound cuffs and hem seal out cold air.” So I will probably give this a try.) Also, the navy they offer, Bright Navy, is perfect. Having said that, I am not crazy about the princess seams; I find I often reach for a plain, navy fleece jacket.
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| The Perfect Pink (the L.L.Bean web site doesn't do the real Pink Berry color justice) |
Best item – Boat and Tote in Pink Berry
Worst item - Portland Cotton Sweater, Empire Crewneck
Lands’ End
Lands’ End is a company that I always want to like more than I do. One of my biggest frustrations with their products is with their dyes. While an item can look vivid in the catalog, inevitably when it arrives it is a much duller shade than expected. And the navy they most often offer, True Navy, always looks more like black. (Their Classic Navy, which they offer in their School Uniforms department, is much better.) Materials are often not very substantial, and so I end up owning much less of their products than I would hope. Add to that their bland, uninspired, but unoffensive styles, and there is nothing I want from them this season. The best item looks better in the catalog than online, but I listed it anyway.
Best item - Pattern Merriweather Coat (True Navy)
Worst - Short Sleeve Stretch Mesh Ruffle Polo Shirt
Hanna Andersson
I used to turn to them for a good many basic items for women, as they use so much organic cotton and the vividness of their dyes are virtually unmatched.
I can no longer find some favorite classically styled items And with their Swedish Clogs (favorites of mine), I haven’t cared for the colors that they have offered over the last few years.
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| My Navy, White, and Green Hannas |
Best item - Adult Long Johns, Classic Stripe
Worst item – Cropped Sweats
L.L. Bean Signature
Then, of course, there is L.L. Bean Signature. I will let the items speak for themselves.
Best item – Madras Camp Shirt Dress
Worst item – (There is an 11-way tie):
Open Toe Wedge Boot
Sateen Gaucho Pant
Silk Habutai Pullover Top - Birch
Birch Point Boatneck Pullover, Print
Downeaster Sport Canvas Print Bag
Desert Bootie
Cotton Modal Blouse Tee
Over the Arm Bag
Saltwash Canvas Multi-Color Picnic Bag
Jersey Knit Pant
Camp Shirt Dress Print
42 comments:
Great reviews, thanks so much for your thoughts! I have received several of these catalogs over the past few days but have yet to look through them. I adore the pink color for the tote! You are right when saying colors never look the same on Web sites, one of the reasons I try to avoid online shopping unless it is completely necessary!
I completely do not understand open toed boots. If it's cold enough to wear boots, why would you want your toes to peak out? Very impracticable and very icky.
Thanks for the reviews!
I was just remembering how all the girls I went to school with used to look at their Lacostes and say, "If only these stupid shirts had ruffles." And did I actually see palm trees on the cover of the VV book?
The open-toed boots are bad, but still not as bad as the spiked-heel duck shoes I saw a while back. I'm still trying to erase the memory.
@LoneStarPrep - I like the pink so much that I am plotting my next tote purchase.
@Skipper - So true!
@John - Are you talking about these on Unabashedly Prep?
Yep, those are the ones. Sigh.
By the way, your clogs are great!
In your Vineyard Vines review I detect a reference to the two odious self appointed arbiters of Prep: Birnbach and Kidd's "True Prep" and the blog Unabashedly Prep. Neither succeeds in spotting the timeless and quality makeup that is the prep aesthetic; try though they might, their efforts demonstrate how wrong-headed they are in their misdeeds. Keep the faith.
@Thomas - I would absolutely put True Prep in the odious self appointed arbiters category. But I don't think Unabashedly Prep was advocating the boots, just appreciating the humor!
Ha! I just got my LL Bean catalog in the mail today and the first thing I thought of as I was thumbing through it was, "I wonder what Muffy thinks about this?" My new motto when shopping is "WWMD" (what would Muffy do?)
Okay Muffy...I don't know if it was just the sheer joy leftover from watching my son play broomball tonight, or what, but I got the biggest kick out of this post.
Was it meant to be funny? I'm sure it wasn't, but I laughed while reading it. My favorite is your 11 way tie of L.L. Bean's Signature worst items and your take on Vineyard Vines. While I'm a huge fan of their colors, I dislike them for other reasons (pseudo-preppy pretention) for starters.
I usually hang on to my catalogs for future use, but most of them are lining the bottom of the rabbit hutch now.
Most of these catalogs went directly from the mailbox into the recycling this year. While I love the way they look I am not a fan of the LL Bean tote--the handles are just a tiny bit shorter than on the Lands' End totes and I'm unable to comfortably fit them over my shoulder. I prefer to carry it this way rather than in my hand, so I always buy the LE version....although they've not had a particularly good pink for quite awhile.
Thanks so much for your thoughts, Muffy. Always insightful! Quick question, after looking through the LLBean catalog I was a bit intrigued by some of the striped options, specifically the French Sailor's Shirt, three quarter sleeves. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/58620?feat=607-GN1
Your thoughts? All the best!
@Susan - Thanks. I am never sure if people get my sense of humor. At least I amuse myself - "eleven way tie" is still making me smile. (BTW - the word narcissist wasn't my first choice!)
@Mom on the Run - I would like the Lands' End totes much more if they took their tag off the front. And I find unless the long handles on the Bean tote are sufficiently broken in, they tend to be constantly slipping off.
@Kate - I think the French Sailor's Shirts have been some of their best items. I do have a bias towards their recently discontinued style, crewneck with long sleeves. I prefer the look and feel of pushed up sleeves to three quarter sleeves.
11-way tie — that's funny.
But what about the shoes with the gaucho pant?
My eyes hurt.
Funny post! :) Your "worst" picks were spot on. The VV t-shirt, while not hideous, is certainly not worth actually buying or wearing; the LL Bean empire crewneck makes no sense for either comfort or style; the LE polo is the ugliest shade of yellow I have ever seen. As for HA's cropped sweatpants--Why bother getting dressed at all?!
I've been buying both LE and LLB for years. To me, LLB seems to have taken the sharpest turn for the worse, which is unfortunate.
And I ask (in all honesty, without malice) does anyone actually buy VV, save for college students?
~ TCC
It's so frustrating that everything is "wrinkle resistant now. Recently I bought several long sleeve, cotton t-shirts (from Bean) for my husband to replace those bought 10 or 11 years ago (again, from Bean). Even those have some type of "coating" on them. I've had to hold them down in the washing machine so they would get soaking wet & not just float on top of the water. (Whatever is on the fabric seems to resist water too - not just wrinkles!). After several washes and rinses with vinegar, they are beginning to feel like "real" cotton.
Unless I only want to wear something 4 or 5 times, I've given up on most LEnd clothes.
I miss the days of "quality" instead of "quantity"... when people knew how to take care of things. Perhaps if everyone knew how to wash and dry laundry correctly, we could buy clothes which haven't been doused in chemicals so they won't wrinkle!
Great (and funny) post! My daughter and I keep chuckling every time we see open-toed boots. They are an oxymoron for sure. Bean seems to be slowly going back to its roots, esp. with their "back by demand" items. As to the empire top, I wondered if they were trying for the maternity market.
Hi Muffy! I'm a new reader and love your blog... this post especially. I am not exaggerating when I say that the products you included in your "11 way tie" actually made my stomach turn. I cannot imagine that the Signature line is doing well, though I did purchase the men's Field Coat for my husband and it's great. Have you heard any reports about how the line is doing?
Read your review and appreciate your honest insights. We will make sure to pass on your comments to our merchants.
Have you heard of our Lands’ End Canvas line – the styles may be more to your liking http://canvas.landsend.com. And of course it carries our same great service and everything is Guaranteed.Period.
Will you just look at that?! Lands' End is paying heed to some constructive criticism. I have to say that's a step in the right direction.
I seldom buy from L.L. Bean anymore, but a couple of years ago they offered a great men's cotton crewneck fair isle sweater for something like $36. Even though a men's size small is big, I liked the pattern, the length and the price.
It disappeared. I wrote to them asking them to reinstate it, but no go.
I was also very disappointed when L.L. Bean stopped making women's Blucher mocs in size 5.
They also have a habit of killing off their best designs. I'm going back 30 years, but they used to carry a wonderful, simple canvas backpack that came in red and green, and a great leather tote that came in two sizes.
I love your beautiful blog; you have such wonderful taste. I really enjoyed this post and agreed 100% with your picks. The LL Bean Signature collection is awful; I've called them for a couple of years now to request that they return to the classics, to no avail. I'd love your take on Lilly Pulitzer; they too are not what they used to be.
@Chenners - It's a twofer!
@whattokeep - I'm sensing that this might be a season where the fun of buying will be supplanted by the fun of gentle mocking.
@The Casual Classic - Leon Gorman's departure from running the day to day operations at L.L. Bean seemed to mark the beginning of their slide.
@Billsburg - I so agree with you. I don't why I even tried the wrinkle resistant fabric.
@mary anne - LLB does seem to be somewhat listening to their core customers. I just wish they would speed it up!
@Cammie - I think the Field Coat was one of their best offerings. My only real problem with it was the price. Their fiscal year ends in February, but I am not sure what they will break out.
I wish L.L. Bean would put as much energy into brightening up the color choices for their traditional mens' line as they do into Signature. If they had a cotton cable crewneck in some fun colors, I'd buy a few.
@Lands' End - What a treat to have you visit. I am well acquainted with your Canvas Line (see first entry here), which seems to be a great success. My first Canvas purchase might have to be your Heritage Striped Oxford.
@Anonymous - Fun to have them visit!
@Anonymous - Well said!
@Anonymous - I see you have already predicted my take on Lilly! Although each summer I do look forward to breaking out my vintage Lilly skirts and dresses.
I just stared at the Birch Point Boatneck Pullover....that is all I could do, was stare, it has pineapples all over it, pineapples....why God, why?
Oh my, the LL Bean Desert Bootie is a hoot!! Great post!
Esteemed Moderator and Gentle Commenters...has anyone noticed that the Open Toe(d) Canvas Boots are not only toeless, but heeless, as well?
What useless, frightful dreck.
raed
You hit the nail on the head again with this one, Muffy. Those "worst" pictures were laughable, particularly the S&M style open toed LLB boots, which belong in a movie about fashion behind the Iron Curtain in 1955. I think we all wish LLB would just stick to what they know best. Speaking of which, please remind us which style khaki has the best traditional style (unlined and not permanent press). Since you clearly have the ear of the prep catalogues now, how about suggesting to Hanna that they bring back their brightly colored clogs for women? Thanks!
I enjoyed this review, as I do all the other Daily Prep posts. I did, however, like most of the offerings for women (I want my life to be painted in those colors) in the VV catalog, especially some of the polos and the Pineapple Grove dress. I do agree with you entirely on the "True Prep" thing, though. I cannot look at the collection without twitching. Like the book, the collection is void of taste. Twitch, twitch, twitch.
Oh. my. goodness. Until reading this, I hadn't seen the Canvas Open Toed horror on the LL Bean site....can't decide whether to laugh or cry. The boot I wore when I broke my ankle was more attractive than these ugly, cheap things. If this is the road LL Bean is traveling, the only questions are....what are they thinking? And who is running the show in Freeport?
This has been said before, but “UGH!” to the L.L. Bean Signature shoes! I tend to imagine that shoe design duties are shared between a 60 year-old classicist and a 20 year-old bit-of-stuff – who butt heads but rarely collaborate – so the line ends up with versatile, respectable flats on one end; and ugly, impractical, wedge-heeled monstrosities on the other.
While one could successfully argue that weird items like the silk camp shirt (contradiction in terms?) dress could fly on a festive day at the office, many of the shoes fall into the realm of "unwearably bizarre." (And this is coming from an urban twenty-something, so they've definitely missed the mark.) Sigh.
Speaking of shoes, I've never seen so many hideous women's shoes in all my life. They keep getting worse and worse, especially those gladiator, booty, and 5-inch heel styles. Sadly, women are under the influence of celebrities wearing them. Do they have no clue what they're letting themselves in for later in life with major injuries and foot problems?!
A friend of mine, who normally would be wearing nice riding-style boots with skirts this time of year, was recently saying how happy she was because her husband had gotten her a cozy pair of Uggs for Christmas. How depressing.
Mrs.Muffy,
This is in no way in relation to the topic of this post, but I couldn't help but ask. Where did you purchase your "Aviator" sunglasses that you are pictured in in quite a few post? I hate to ask, in the event that they are more than my allowance permits, seeing that I spent this month's on a pair of new, much needed Sperry Topsiders. I am in the hunt for a new pair of sunglasses, I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know.
Thank you,
Millie
PS. I live off of your blog, it gets me through World Lit :)
I still can't stop laughing about open toe boots. It's as crazy as that congressman who put himself on Craig's List - with a picture taken in his office with the flag in the back round. What were they thinking?
Love your blog - straight for the jugular -no messing around wasting time. God bless you.
Re: LL Bean Signature. Is that indeed a preppy line? It's by the man who has Rogues' Gallery and his theme, if I'm correct, is a New England nautical look as opposed to a prep style.
We don't need another Boat & Tote in this house, but I suppose I'll have to snag that pink. Love it. Also love the great picture of you. Perfect outfit.
We're huge Hanna stripey long johns at our house and because we buy unisex colors, our 5 y.o. son wears his 10 y.o. sister's hand-me-downs (because they last forever) and my 2 y.o. nephew gets them next. So glad someone's not afraid to make a long-lasting product.
Muffy,
I am so curious about your take on Dansko clogs. If they pass muster, what colours would you recommend?
Thank you!
Muffy, you said something in a comment here about the handles of the boat and tote needing to be broken in. I have a question for you - how DO you break in a boat and tote? I got one as a gift, and it is the stiffest bag I have ever carried. Love it in theory, but practically, this bag isn't working for me.
Is there a secret to breaking in a boat and tote? I am new to America, and love the preppy culture, and am dying to use this boat and tote this summer on my first trip to Nantucket.
@Krister - New to America - how exciting! I would love to know from where you hail. The Boat and Totes are very stiff, but their toughness is one of the things I love about them. They do soften up over time, but the first thing I do to them is to roll them up and sort of scrunch them up a bit. If I am in a real hurry I will fill one up with water, let it soak through, roll it up and let it dry. When dry, it will have a wrinkled appearance, and as a warning, it can sometimes cause some subtle discoloration in the natural canvas. Have fun in Nantucket!
I am enjoying your blog and learn so much!! Would you mind clarifying what you meant when you said "resort prep" being an oxymoron? How would you describe a "resort prep" vs. a "true Prep"? Thank you!
Muffy,
Please consider doing a spring 2013 catalog - first look, (womens). :@) and review
Thanks
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