LL Bean + Rogues Gallery = LL Bean Signature

[titojackson]

I was just about to ask if the bluchers had the traditional sole, or if they went with the flat sole like the new ones have. Thanks for posting that picture.

Now I just have to decide between Eastlands for $50 or the Beans for $70. Decisions, decisions.

 

[xchen]

So my package did get delivered today! I guess they just didn't scan the box before sending out for delivery. I too am glad to see they went with the soles from the mocs of the past. I've got a vintage pair with the same sole and a pair from ~2 years ago with a different sole. I prefer the older ones by far.

The old laces are much better too. They are softer, as opposed to the new ones, which after 2 years still haven't softened up significantly.

 

[Superb0bo]

Looks great seafinch. Impressions on sizing?

 

[Seafinch]

Thanks. I sized down like a lot of people here and they're perfect. Same as chucks.

 

[Lysol]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

$70 makes for a cheap shoe man, these are made in the USA for L.L. Bean, meaning they had to get these shoes at approximately $7.00 a pair at minimum wage or more (hopefully). $79 for foreign sweatshop made shoes, ok, but $70 is cheap in 2010.

The Stockholm Syndrome on this board sometimes is humorous if not slight cause for concern of the future of America.

I have similar shoes from Quoddy and Arrow and I spent considerably more on and I am happy with my investment. If you have spent $250 for a pair of similar shoes, comparatively speaking, yes $70 is less than $250 but an average person spends about $40-$50 for an average person type shoe and these new Bean mocs are very much an average shoe in terms of quality. For my money, $70-$90 makes it a slightly above average shoe pricewise, along the lines of something like Sperry, and I don't feel that that same quality is present. These felt more like Minnetonka mocs or some Urban Outfitters knock off of the "work wear" trend.

I'm not saying I don't like them, in fact, I like the styling enough that I'll keep them around and splitting hairs over $20 isn't a make or break in my finances, but for everyone who's "OMG! Quoddy Killer!", the reason they are cheaper is because they're kinda ****** and the reason they're $70 as opposed to the $40 any other assembly-line, Made In Not America, non-SF approved brand charges for mocs is because of a name -- Bean, RG, or otherwise.

(PS. These aren't made in the USA)

 

[TheDroog]

Originally Posted by GotMyOrangeCrush

I just checked out LL Bean's Sig line line and I have to say I was mighty unimpressed especially with the pants and shorts. I have always found that the quality of jeans speaks worlds about a company or a particular line of clothing. Both Eddie Bauer and LL Bean need to get with the times in regards to jeans.

Not sure if I agree with this. Every company has its strengths and weaknesses. If you want jeans, you're better off buying from a jean company like Levi's instead of Brooks Brothers. LL Bean's strength is in outdoorsy clothing like boots and flannel shirts. Just because they don't have killer jeans doesn't mean everything else should be discounted.

 

[Chip]

Originally Posted by SuperBobo

Looks great seafinch. Impressions on sizing?

I have a D standard shoe width. I went my normal dress shoe size(half size down) and they are a perfect fit.

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

Not sure if I agree with this. Every company has its strengths and weaknesses. If you want jeans, you're better off buying from a jean company like Levi's instead of Brooks Brothers. LL Bean's strength is in outdoorsy clothing like boots and flannel shirts. Just because they don't have killer jeans doesn't mean everything else should be discounted.

^ This.

 

[xchen]

Seafinch, that is a handsome tabletop. I am in the process of restoring a table right now. It's going to look amazing when it is done.

 

[Seafinch]

Originally Posted by xchen

Seafinch, that is a handsome tabletop. I am in the process of restoring a table right now. It's going to look amazing when it is done.

Thanks man. The table came over from South Africa on a boat when my parents immigrated to The States. I love it. My dad tries to get it back from me all the time, but it's mine now

 

[xchen]

Thank God for the pull tabs on the back of the shoes. Otherwise these would be a ***** to put on. I had to loosen up all the laces just to get them on. Fit is spot on, though.

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by xchen

Thank God for the pull tabs on the back of the shoes. Otherwise these would be a ***** to put on. I had to loosen up all the laces just to get them on. Fit is spot on, though.

Lets see pics!

I was wanting to wait for the normal leather ones to come back into stock but the one picture we have had so far turned me off...now I am thinking maybe tan (or blue) suede...but I want to see the brown leather some more

 

[vvoc]

is the sizing on the navy suede eastports the same as the regular leather bluchers?

also does anyone have pictures of the navy ones? and is that the one that people are accusing of having low quality? how does it compare to the regular leather bluchers (i personally have no complaint about the quality of these at all)

 

[GotMyOrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

Not sure if I agree with this. Every company has its strengths and weaknesses. If you want jeans, you're better off buying from a jean company like Levi's instead of Brooks Brothers. LL Bean's strength is in outdoorsy clothing like boots and flannel shirts. Just because they don't have killer jeans doesn't mean everything else should be discounted.
Well your entitled to your opinion however I stand by my statement and it fits with a lot of my personal experiences with clothing companies. This new line by LL Bean is supposed to be of superior quality, at least that is what I get from the name "Signature" yet low and behold the jeans and pants are still weak imo. Then again I wasn't impressed by anything really so once again it fits, at least imo. Now there are always going to be exceptions. I am in no way suggesting this is how it is 100% of the time. With that being said I have been an AVID clothing shopper for more than 20 years and in my experience the jeans and pants for a particular company do in fact speak worlds to the overall quality of the clothing line itself. Again your welcome to disagree, this is how I personally see it. As for your claim that you should go to a company that specializes in denim if your looking for denim, while that isn't necessarily bad advice, its not necessarily something you have to do. There are plenty of companies out there that make quality jeans that do not just specialize in jeans. In all honesty you could ask this same question regardless of the article of clothing you were talking about. Why not go to a company that specializes in such clothing? Again while its not necessarily bad advice, its certainly not a necessity. There are plenty of companies out there that make quality offerings in all of the different categories of clothing. Many times I do in fact shop at companies that specialize in certain types of clothing. I shop at Agave and AG for my jeans. I shop at Patagonia, Marmot and Cloudveil for my jackets and outdoor clothing and so on and so forth. With that being said I do not like to limit myself and I like browsing a lot of different companies for the clothing that I buy and many times I wind up buying clothing from companies that in fact do not specialize and many of my favorite items in my wardrobe have come from such non specializing companies. In fact I just bought a goat suede jacket from Agave, a company that specializes in denim, that is hands down one of my all time favorite jackets. I would have never wound up buying this jacket had I gone to a company that specializes in suede and leather. As for LL Beans strengths, they are few and far between imo which again just fits perfectly with what I am talking about. I was honestly expecting more from this new line. Then again this is just the first batch of releases so ill hold off my final judgment till the end of the year. Besides its their fall and winter offerings that I am really curious about. I have never been a big fan of spring and summer lines. I vastly prefer Fall and winter clothing.

 

[Seafinch]

I had never heard of Agave Jeans so I figured they must be amazing after that novel of a post... So I looked them up... YIKES!

When TheDroog talks about a company that specializes in Denim he is most certainly not talking about companies like Agave... try again.