Bean boots (originally named Maine Hunting Shoes) are a type of water-resistant "duck boots" manufactured by L.L.Bean. [1] They are constructed from a rubber sole and a leather upper. The boots were created in 1911 and were an instant success. The boots became an item of clothing connected to elite prep schools. In the 2010s, the boots experienced a resurgence in popularity leading to a shortage, as demand exceeded production capacity.
The first pairs of Bean Boots were created in 1911. [2] Leon Leonwood Bean was an avid outdoorsman and hunter from Freeport, Maine. On one of his hunting trips, Bean noticed that his feet were getting wet and cold in his usual pair of hunting boots. He decided to combine the rubber soles of rain boots with leather uppers, and convinced a local cobbler to assemble the shoes. [3] In 1912, Bean formed the L.L. Bean Company to market and sell the shoes.
While the first 100 pairs of the boots sold quickly, they had a defect in the connection between the rubber and the leather. Bean returned all of his customers' money, and convinced US Rubber to make specialty soles for his boots. [3] After the switch to the specialty soles, the boots were an instant success. The only subsequent change to the boots was the addition of a chain pattern design in 1947. [4]
Bean Boots are considered to be part of prep fashion due to their classic design and use at elite prep schools in New England. [5] The Official Preppy Handbook calls them "the second most important shoe (after Weejun loafers) in the preppy male's wardrobe." [6] In the 2010s, the boots became trendy. [7] This has led to widespread shortages of the shoes. While some suspected that the shortage was manufactured, the company maintained that it is because the shoes are still made in Maine and stitched by hand, and points to the price not changing as evidence that they weren't taking advantage of the trend. [8]
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A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but over time, shoes also became fashion items. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-toe boots, which are required footwear at industrial worksites.
A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. Traditionally made of leather or rubber, modern boots are made from a variety of materials.
A Wellington boot, often shortened to welly, and also known as a gumboot, rubber boot, or rain boot, is a type of waterproof boot made of rubber.
Dr. Martens, also known as Doc Martens, Docs, or DMs, is a British footwear and clothing brand, headquartered in Wollaston, Northamptonshire, England. Although most known for its footwear, the company also makes a range of accessories including clothing and bags. The footwear is distinguished by its air-cushioned sole, upper shape, welted construction, and yellow stitching. The Dr. Martens' design studio is in Camden Town, London. The company manufactures in the UK, China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
Preppy, or prep, is an American subculture associated with the alumni of college-preparatory schools in the Northeastern United States. The term, which is an abbreviation of "preparatory", is used to denote a person seen as characteristic of a student or alumnus of these schools. Characteristics of preppy individuals include a particular subcultural speech, vocabulary, dress, mannerisms and etiquette reflective of an upper class and old money upbringing.
Sneakers (US) or trainers (UK), also known by a wide variety of other names, are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise but which are also widely used for everyday casual wear.
L.L.Bean is an American privately held retail company that was founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean. The company, headquartered in the place in which it was founded, Freeport, Maine, specializes in clothing and outdoor recreation equipment.
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear.
Combat or tactical boots are military boots designed to be worn by soldiers during combat or combat training, as opposed to during parades and other ceremonial duties. Modern combat boots are designed to provide a combination of grip, ankle stability, and foot protection suitable for a rugged environment. They are traditionally made of hardened and sometimes waterproofed leather. Today, many combat boots incorporate technologies originating in civilian hiking boots, such as Gore-Tex nylon side panels, which improve ventilation and comfort. They are also often specialized for certain climates and conditions, such as jungle boots, desert boots, and cold weather boots as well as specific uses, such as tanker boots and jump boots.
Jungle boots are a type of combat boot designed for use in jungle warfare or in hot, wet, and humid environments where a standard leather combat boot would be uncomfortable or unsuitable to wear. Jungle boots have vent holes in the arches and sometimes a canvas upper to aid in ventilation and drainage of moisture.
Hiking (walking) boots are footwear specifically designed for protecting the feet and ankles during outdoor walking activities such as hiking. They are one of the most important items of hiking gear since their quality and durability can determine a hiker's ability to walk long distances without injury. Hiking boots are constructed to provide comfort for walking considerable distances over rough terrain. Boots that protect the hiker's feet and heel are recommended. Hiking boots give ankle support and are fairly stiff. A less popular alternative is to use light trainers with thin soles. Footwear should be neither too loose nor too tight, to help prevent blisters and sore feet. Hiking socks that wick sweat from the feet, provide warmth, and cushion the feet are recommended and a thin, inner sock may also help. Most hiking boots are also designed for other outdoor activities such as backpacking, climbing, mountaineering, and hunting.
Galoshes, also known by many other names, are a type of overshoe or rubber boot that is put on over shoes to keep them from getting muddy or wet during inclement weather.
Knee-high boots are boots that rise to the knee, or slightly thereunder or over. They are generally tighter around the leg shaft and ankle than at the top. Originally made of leather, versions made of a synthetic rubber, they are used by fishermen, dairy workers, stable hands, duck hunters, clammers, etc. to protect the feet from water, mud, manure, etc. and to provide traction on slippery surfaces. Most slip on, but there are varieties with buckles or zippers, and those that lace up. They may, or may not, have high heels or platforms.
Football boots, also known as cleats or soccer shoes in North American English, are a type of shoe worn when playing association football (soccer), most of its variations, and some games that are played on the same surface. Those designed for grass pitches have studs on the outsole to aid grip. Modern football boots are no longer truly traditional boots, as they do not cover the ankle: as with most other types of athletic footwear, their basic design and appearance have converged with those of sneakers since the 1960s.
Leon Leonwood Bean was an American inventor, author, outdoor enthusiast, and founder of the company L.L.Bean.
A moccasin is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp. The sole is soft and flexible and the upper part often is adorned with embroidery or beading. Though sometimes worn inside, it is chiefly intended for outdoor use.
Ammunition boots are a form of military footwear. They were the standard combat boot for the British Army and other forces around the British Empire and Commonwealth from at least the mid-1860s until their replacement a century later in the 1960s with the rubber-soled Boots DMS.
Chukka boots are ankle-high leather boots with suede or leather uppers, leather, wooden or rubber soles, and open lacing, with two or three pairs of eyelets. The name chukka possibly comes from the game of polo, where a chukka is a period of play.
Superga is an Italian brand of shoes founded in 1911. It originally made tennis shoes, including the famous model "2750 Classic" but then diversified.
Helm Boots is a brand of boots in the U.S. The company was founded in 2009 by Joshua Bingaman, an Oklahoma native. The company's boots were manufactured in Turkey before production was relocated to Maine. The boots are designed in Austin and then manufactured in Maine using leather materials from American companies like Horween Leather Company and S. B. Foot Tanning Company.
