Practical preppy
Take one look at L.L. Bean's fashion magazine endorsements and you get the picture: Maine's classic look is anything but dated:
The Boat and Tote Bag in issues of InStyle, Vogue, Real Simple, Cosmo Girl and Lucky.
Casco Bay Boat Mocs featured by InStyle's editor on the CBS Early Show.
The Casco Bay Windbreaker in Oprah.
The French Sailor's Shirt in House & Garden.
And the list goes on...
Bean's plaid totes
The preppy look surfaced again this month in most of the major fashion magazines (see yesterday's blog), but did it ever really disappear - especially in Maine? I put the question to Bean's public relations manager, Mary Rose MacKinnon:
"Not completely, but as a 'trend' we’ve seen more market and advertising support over the last couple of years than before. In the market we see things such as traditional flannel plaids being integrated into updated preppy fashion pieces like ruffle shirts and short shorts. So the style has been re-invented to some extent.
"On the more classic side, I think nautical is inherently preppy so especially in coastal Maine where folks spend a lot of time on the water, you’ll consistently see iconic L.L.Bean products such as our French Sailor’s Shirt, Boat Mocs and Boat and Tote bags."
Bean considers itself a purveyor of "traditional/classic" clothing, says Mary Rose, "and preppy does fall under that umbrella." The foundations of Bean's business could easily fill a preppy closet: polos, cable sweaters, oxford shirts, khakis, French sailor shirts, pea coats and boat mocs.
Mary Rose says those key wardrobe pieces have remained the same this season, but some have been updated with lighter-weight fabrications, softer hand, and updated color and design details. The company also continually updates those pieces through fit and styling.
So who's "preppy" now?
Across the market, Mary Rose sees preppy fans in all age groups compared to the '80s when it was considered so hip on college campuses. "Our core customer who is in her 40's to 50's is preppy…as is our L.L.Bean kid," she adds.
Even if we've lived through the preppy trend once - or twice - and are ready to move on, it's good to know that we have a nod from Vogue: The good old Bean bag can stay.
House & Garden picked Bean's Sailor's Shirt to feature in its issue.
This just in:
Victoria Beckham will offer her fashion ideas in a new book, "That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between," according to The Associated Press.
Everything? Save me a copy!
WWD100, an annual survey by Women’s Wear Daily, has rated L.L. Bean the 21st most recognized apparel and accessories brand for American women. Bean maintained its second-place standing in the survey’s outerwear category and sixth in the sportswear category.
E-mail this entry to a friend
Subscribe