L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bags - The Complete Guide (2024 Edition)

Photos by Salt Water New England

I have received quite a few questions about L.L. Bean Boat and Tote bags.  Here are the top ten, and my answers (and some answers from the community).  

• Boat and Tote, Zip-Top <https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/37037>

• Boat and Tote, Open-Top <https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/33381>

1. What is an L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bag?

L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Monogramming - Warehouse Machines vs. Flagship Store Machines

Photos by Salt Water New England

I had published on SWNE a "Complete Guide" to L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bags  <link>.  Here is one point that I should add. 

I have been ordering L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bags for as long as I can remember, and I most always have them monogrammed – which is done at their warehouse – and then shipped out to me.  What I recently learned from an employee there is that the flagship store in Freeport has monogramming machines that are superior to the ones at their warehouse.  

I tested this for myself.

I gathered up all of my new totes that had not been monogrammed (mostly because when I ordered them they were shipped directly from other Bean stores and thus could not be monogrammed).  

I had them done in two batches, some last month (which I left at the store and had them ship to me when finished) and, based on the success of that, more today.

Boat and Tote Zip Pouch, Hold the Beans

Photos by Salt Water New England

I use one or more of the L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Zip Pouches as cosmetic bags/general hold-all bags inside my summer Boat and Totes that I use as pocketbooks.  It is sturdy, reasonably priced, and is available (occasionally) in some tasteful colors.   They are made in Maine of the same 24 oz canvas as their totes.  And it takes the Dark Pink monogram very nicely indeed.

• Boat and Tote Zip Pouch <https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/123918>

If you find the Bean label and/or the brownish tan Bean Boot laces that are used for the pulls a bit regrettable, you can quickly remove them.  Here is how I do it.  

And as an aside, for whatever reason,  Beans uses a much higher quality YKK zipper for their Canvas Pouches than they do for the zippers on their tote bags.

Cut off the tag.  Obviously.

The Navy and White Cap and other Summer Accessories

Photos by Salt Water New England

A Few Summer Things: Navy and White Cap, Fun Earrings, Sailor Bracelets, Boat and Tote:

• Arthur Beale Sailing Cap <https://arthurbeale.co.uk/products/arthur-beale-sailing-cap>

• Monkey Fist Earrings: Classic Navy & Crisp White <https://www.patsykane.com/product-page/monkey-fist-classic-navy-crisp-white>

• Woven Chevron Bracelet <https://mysticknotwork.com/products/adjustable-woven-chevron-bracelet-choose-from-17-colors>

• Original Sailor Bracelet <https://mysticknotwork.com/products/original-sailor-bracelet-18-color-custom-nautical-bracelet>

• Boat and Tote, Open-Top, Large <https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/33381?page=boat-and-tote-bag-open-top&bc=50-516672&feat=516672-GN1&csp=f&pos=2>

L.L. Bean Leather-Handle Katahdin Boat and Tote

Front of Bags, Photos by Salt Water New England

The Lifecycle of Preppy Companies

Chart Designed by Salt Water New England

Question: To Which Clothing Brands and Stores are You Loyal?

One measurement for the health of companies is their brand loyalty, that ineffable combination of consumer habit, trust, even enthusiasm and self-identity.  Companies that value brand loyalty re-invest in it through improving quality, as well as trying to better understand their customers' needs and wants, and then providing products that better meet these needs.  Their new products cause excitement.

However brand loyalty has frayed.  This may be in part to companies losing contact with their customers, as when box stores and now online stores know more about buyers than the vendors themselves.  But also many companies have used brand loyalty against their customers.  Apple continues to raise prices on new iPhones, just as Gillette has done for decades on razor blades.  Some clothing companies that grew based on their (loudly touted) "Made in America" production have shifted to low-cost/offshore mega-factories, hoping no one noticed, or in other ways undermined their own production standards.  Globalization has created markets, less for fabulous items and more for vast quantities of good enough products ruthlessly marketed, easily bought, cost effective, and quickly shipped.   And companies with vast PR budgets have been able to simulate the social media enthusiasm that was once the reward of actual great products.   And, some past great brands have simply petered out, often the cumulative effect of dozens of bad decisions.

However, their is still the opportunity for great companies to flourish.  Given that, a question for the community:

To which clothing brands and stores are you loyal?

Some brands mentioned (with links):

• Mercer Shirts (OCBDs)
• Porthault (handkerchiefs, which sounds ridiculously indulgent, but it’s not)
• Tory's Jewelry
• Patsy Kane
• Quoddy (casual footwear)
• Pringle cardigans
• Cordings (Outerwear, Tweed and suits, Casual trousers, Polo shirts, Socks, headwear )
• Bates and James Lock (headwear)
• Oliver Brown (Casual trousers)
• Darn Tough socks
• Sunspel (Polo shirts - The quality and fit is much better than PRL or Gant!)
• Eric Javits (winter berets and buckets, summer sun hats)
• Kamakura Shirts. (OCBDs)
• Longchamp (le pliage bags for almost anywhere)
• Bills Khakis (chinos and polos)
• Uniqlo Cashmere (Heattech and AIRism undergarments)
• Wolford (hoisery)
• Tricker's (footwear)
• Vilebrequin Moorea Swim Trunks
• Vermont Originals Earflap Wool Caps
• Lawrence & Foster (caps)
• Olney (cotton hats - It's possible to buy Olney much cheaper (50% or more) from other stores.)
• Eileen Fisher (ballet-ballet-length dresses for anywhere)
• Pantherella (socks)
• John Smedley (Knitwear) 
• Breitling (watches)
• Alico hiking boots 
• Tilley hats
• Sole orthotic inserts
• Corgi (socks)
• E.Marinella (ties)
• Charles Tyrwhitt
• Great and British Knitwear
• Meindl hiking boots
• Rancourt
• Gill
• Taylor's of Old Bond Street (Shaving and grooming)
• Geo. Trumper (Shaving and grooming)
• DR Harris (Shaving and grooming)
• Fairway & Greene
• Peter Millar
• Tervis Tumblers (so long as they replace them when damaged)
• Mizuno  (Forged irons for golf)
• Turnbull & Asser (Shirts, ties and underwear)
• Barbour (Outerwear)
• Skida Hats
• Oak Street Bootmakers
• Title Nine (athletic apparel and bras - TMI)
• Smartwool Socks
• Subaru Cars
• Flint and Tinder
• Norlender sweaters
• Orvis (winter t-neck tops, cotton-gauze summer scarfs, Long Sleeve casual shirts, khakis)
• Alden shoes (Cordovans, In the future I want to purchase in person), (Specifically, The Shoemart in Norwalk, CT)
• Ferragamo (court shoes)
• Allen Edmunds (Spectators)
• Abeo Bio 
• Omega watches
• Crockett & Jones (footwear)
• Arcopedico 
• Pilot Varsity fountain pens
• Blundstone Boots
• Everlane 
• Boden (their children’s line must be woven with Teflon, my son couldn’t wear the stuff out and most is now on its third and fourth child.)
• Xtratuf  (outfitted my family on a lark after seeing what seemed like every dock and boat worker in Alaska wearing the boots. The first pair of boots my 13 yo actually wants to wear. )
• Stormy Kromer
• Longchamp Totes
• Sebago 
• Patagonia (outerwear)
• Dansko Clogs
• Boden Dresses
• Brooks Running
• Ben Silver
• Sperry's for deck shoes (the quality isn't there but I put mine through a lot and get new ones each year)
• Murray's for ACK Reds (even if the quality isn't what it once was, it’s still small enough for me to support them and better than the big brand imitators)
• Diamond Gusset jeans
• New Balance
• Bass
• Vineyard Vines
• Ralph Lauren
• Brooks Brothers (Made in America ties and suits, sweaters, coats, and Zac Posen designed dresses for events)
• Lacoste  (polo shirts)
• Carhartt 
• L.L. Bean (Bean boots, OCBD, occasionally khakis, polos, Gum Shoes, short sleeve casual shirts, tote bags, winter coats)
• Kmart Basic Editions Men's Button-Front Oxford Shirt
• J. McLaughlin
• JJill (black, flat-cut “wearever” tops and pull-on slacks, sleepwear)
• Eddie Bauer 
• Filson (home of L.L. Bean Signature alum Alex Carlton)
• J Press (for blazers and hangers, MTM dress shirts, blazers/suits, dress trousers, and sweaters)
• Lands' End (including for swim wear)

Freeport for the Holidays?

Photos by Salt Water New England

I timed my visit yesterday to L.L. Bean in Freeport to avoid crowds and enjoy bright sunshine, and was successful on both fronts.  

L.L. Bean’s presence is felt everywhere in Freeport.  But one does get the feeling that the Freeport Historical Society also wields a mighty sword.  The prime real estate that their base of operations occupies is a bit of a power play.  And many of the buildings on Main Street have the juxtaposition of being beautifully restored, yet housing utterly soulless companies. And Freeport boasts the most tasteful McDonalds, perhaps anywhere.

As you may know, if you order a Boat and Tote and it is shipped from a one of their stores rather than from their warehouse, you are not able to monogram it.  However, if you paid for the tote using the L.L. Bean Mastercard, you can at any time bring it into their flagship store and get it monogrammed for free.  (As long as the bag is in good condition.)  I have even heard, yet to be confirmed, that the monogramming machines there are superior to the ones at the warehouse.  

So I brought in my new bags sans monograms.  They were unfazed by my pile, and per usual, they had a seamless system in place to swiftly process my request.  As always, the L.L. Bean employees are outstanding.  

What are your thoughts on Freeport's evolution over the years, and do you plan to do any shopping there this holiday season?

 

Summer Reading: What Books are You Bringing to the Beach or Boat?

Photos by Salt Water New England

What books are you reading this summer?

I was sent these two books by their publishers, one non-fiction and one fiction, both set on Cape Cod:

• White House By the Sea: A Century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port  <https://amzn.to/3JAoOLv>

• Little Monsters <https://amzn.to/434TNGG>

Shown here with:

• Lime Green Steeletex Beach Tote - Medium <https://www.steelecanvas.com/collections/steeletex-beach-totes/products/lime-green-steeletex-beach-tote-medium>