Bean Boots

The duck boot is in vogue again. How can you tell? A slew of outfits from Marc Jacobs to Sears are pushing the boot this season—tweaking their own offerings of the classic, some to catastrophic proportions. For the prep-set, it matters not. We lace up our Bean Boots every year in rain, sleet and snow, regardless of whether or not GQ has given the boots their seasonal blessing. And when the chain-link tread wears smooth, L.L. Bean simply resoles them (approximately $50 including s&h)—allowing for the leather uppers to continually age with you.

L.L. Bean has kept the look of their Bean Boot virtually the same since 1912. That’s part of the charm. It’s the bedrock of this American classic. Although a 10” and 8” boot are offered, we prefer the 8” boot due to its similar silhouette to a regular boot. (L.L. Bean, $84). Check out how they’re made—still in Maine.